Grating & Load

For those not already accustomed to fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) grating one of the most common questions we are asked is how much load the grating can take and what the span needs to be. Obviously there is no “one size fits all” answer to this question. The good news is that we have some excellent load tables for the most popular grating formats. The load tables give span distances and safety factors for point loads from 100-500lbs. One of the most important factors with fiberglass grating, if not the most important, is deflection. Grating will deflect or “flex” more than metal grating and this could lead to a situation where if the span is too wide, walking on the grating could be uncomfortable and lead to someone losing their balance.

There are also differences between the grating types: Redco pultruded grating can handle more load over wider spans than regular molded grating. This is because the designs are completely different. While molded grating is “dummy proof” and can be placed in any direction the pultruded grating on the other hand uses a bearing bar system. Bearing bars must be orientated correctly; however, they’re larger and stronger than their molded counterparts and thus allow for more load over a wider span. Pultruded grating is the type most people are less familiar with but we do have information available. For Strongwell’s pultruded grating brochure with load tables click here.