Platform gratings — also referred to as steel gratings, bar gratings, floor gratings or industrial grating panels — are load-bearing open-mesh steel floor panels used to construct walkways, platforms, mezzanine floors, trench covers, drainage channels and access decking in industrial, commercial and infrastructure environments. ULAMEX supplies galvanized steel gratings manufactured by WEMA, one of Europe’s established grating producers, in both press-locked and welded construction types. Every grating panel is hot-dip galvanized per DIN EN ISO 1461 for long-term corrosion protection in exposed outdoor and industrial atmospheres, and is designed and load-rated in accordance with EN ISO 14122 and DIN 24537.
Press-Locked vs. Welded Gratings — Construction Types
The two principal construction methods for steel gratings produce panels with distinctly different characteristics, and understanding the difference is essential for correct specification:
- Press-locked gratings (Pressrost / Einpressrost) — the cross bars are hydraulically pressed into pre-punched slots in the bearing bars under high pressure, creating a permanent mechanical interlock at every intersection. The result is an exceptionally smooth, flush surface with no protrusions at the bar junctions, making press-locked gratings the preferred choice for applications where wheeled traffic (trolleys, carts, pallet jacks) must traverse the grating surface, or where a clean visual appearance is required. The flush surface also simplifies cleaning in food processing, pharmaceutical and clean-room environments. Press-locked gratings are available with mesh openings of 30×30 mm (standard) and 30×10 mm (fine mesh for enhanced pedestrian comfort and small-object-drop prevention).
- Welded gratings (Schweissrost / Schweissdruckrost) — the cross bars are resistance-welded (spot-welded) to the bearing bars at every intersection, with the cross bars typically twisted 90° to present a flat contact surface. Welded gratings offer higher load capacity at equivalent weight compared to press-locked types, because the weld connection is stronger than the press-lock joint under extreme point loads. Standard mesh opening for welded gratings is 34×38 mm. Welded construction is specified for heavy-duty industrial platforms, vehicle-rated floor panels and applications with concentrated loads from machinery, storage or equipment.
Both types deliver the fundamental advantages of steel grating flooring: high strength-to-weight ratio, free passage of light, air and water through the open mesh, and non-accumulation of dust, debris, snow and standing water on the walking surface.
Bearing Bar Dimensions and Load Capacity
The load-bearing capacity of a grating panel is determined primarily by the bearing bar dimensions — the height and thickness of the main load-carrying bars that run in the span direction. ULAMEX stocks gratings with bearing bars in the following standard dimensions:
- 25×2 mm — lightweight grating for light pedestrian traffic, trench covers and decorative applications. Suitable for spans up to approximately 600 mm under standard pedestrian loading (3 kN/m² per EN ISO 14122).
- 25×3 mm — standard-duty grating for pedestrian walkways, maintenance platforms and light industrial flooring. Spans up to approximately 800 mm.
- 30×2 mm — medium-duty grating combining increased height with moderate material weight. Spans up to approximately 800 mm under pedestrian loading.
- 30×3 mm — the most widely specified industrial grating dimension, providing the optimal balance of load capacity, weight and cost for general industrial platforms, walkways, catwalks and access flooring. Spans up to approximately 1,000 mm under standard pedestrian loading. This is the default specification for the majority of industrial platform applications.
- 25×5 mm — heavy-duty grating for concentrated loads, forklift traffic areas and machinery platforms. The increased bar thickness provides significantly higher point-load resistance.
- 30×5 mm — the maximum standard-stock dimension, specified for vehicle-rated gratings, heavy equipment platforms and applications with high concentrated loads. Spans up to 1,200 mm under pedestrian loading, or shorter spans under vehicle and equipment loads per DIN 24537 load class specifications.
The bearing bar pitch (centre-to-centre spacing between adjacent bearing bars) is typically 30 mm for standard gratings and 10 mm for densely spaced gratings. The denser bar pitch increases load capacity and reduces the mesh opening size, providing enhanced pedestrian comfort (particularly for high-heeled footwear) and preventing small tools and components from falling through.
Standard Panel Sizes
ULAMEX stocks platform gratings in the following standard panel dimensions (width × length):
- 600×1,000 mm
- 800×1,000 mm
- 1,000×1,000 mm — the most commonly specified standard size
- 1,200×1,000 mm
- 500×1,000 mm
Custom dimensions are manufactured to order for projects requiring non-standard sizes, cut-outs for columns or equipment penetrations, angled panels for irregular platform shapes, or gratings with welded frames (Zargen) and edge trims. Toe plates (Fussleisten) in 100 mm height are available as an add-on for platform edges where falling-object protection is required per EN ISO 14122-3.
Anti-Slip Gratings — Serrated Bearing Bars
For applications where slip resistance is critical — wet areas, oil-contaminated surfaces, outdoor installations, inclined walkways and food processing environments — ULAMEX supplies gratings with serrated (toothed/knurled) bearing bars. The serration pattern is machined into the top edge of each bearing bar, creating a rough, gripping surface that significantly increases the coefficient of friction between footwear and grating.
Serrated galvanized steel gratings achieve anti-slip classifications of R11, R12 and R13 per DIN 51130 (the German standard for determination of the anti-slip properties of floor coverings), depending on the serration depth and pattern. Class R13 (the highest classification, angle of acceptance ≥35°) is specified for areas with extreme slip risk, including wet food processing areas, outdoor platforms exposed to rain and ice, and inclined ramps.
Material, Galvanizing and Corrosion Protection
All ULAMEX platform gratings are manufactured from structural steel S235JR (1.0038) per EN 10025-2 and hot-dip galvanized after fabrication per DIN EN ISO 1461. The post-fabrication galvanizing process ensures that all bearing bars, cross bars, frames and cut edges receive a uniform zinc coating of 55–85 micrometres thickness, providing 30–50+ years of maintenance-free corrosion protection in typical industrial and outdoor atmospheres (corrosivity categories C2–C3 per EN ISO 9223).
The hot-dip galvanized finish is the standard and most cost-effective corrosion protection for steel gratings in the vast majority of applications. For highly corrosive environments (C4–C5 per EN ISO 9223, e.g., chemical plants, coastal installations, wastewater treatment), stainless steel gratings or duplex-coated (galvanized + painted) gratings are available on request.
Standards and Load Classification
Steel grating design, dimensions and load ratings are governed by several European and German standards:
- DIN 24537 — Steel gratings: dimensions, loads, testing. This standard defines the dimensional framework, load testing procedures and load class designations for steel gratings in Germany. Load classes range from Class 1 (pedestrian only, 1.5 kN point load) through to Class 5 (vehicle and heavy equipment, 40 kN wheel load).
- EN ISO 14122 (Parts 1–4) — Safety of machinery: permanent means of access. This harmonised European standard specifies requirements for walkways, platforms, stairs and guardrails used as permanent access to machinery and industrial equipment, including minimum load requirements for gratings used as walkway flooring.
- DIN 24531 — Steel gratings: press-locked and welded, technical delivery conditions.
- DIN 51130 — Determination of the anti-slip properties of floor coverings (ramp test method). Classes R9–R13.
- EN ISO 14122-2 — Working platforms and walkways: specifies minimum widths, load requirements and surface finish requirements for platforms incorporating grating flooring.
ULAMEX provides load tables and span charts for all grating specifications on request, enabling structural engineers and platform designers to select the correct bearing bar dimension for their specific span and loading requirements.
Applications of Steel Platform Gratings
Galvanized steel gratings serve an exceptionally broad range of industrial, commercial and infrastructure applications:
- Industrial mezzanine and platform flooring — multi-level access platforms in manufacturing plants, power stations, refineries, chemical works and processing facilities. The open mesh allows free air circulation, light transmission and sprinkler water passage through the floor level.
- Machine access walkways and catwalks — elevated walkways alongside machinery, conveyors, tanks and piping systems for operator access and maintenance. Gratings provide a secure walking surface while allowing visual inspection of equipment below.
- Trench covers and drainage channel gratings — removable grating panels covering floor trenches, cable runs, drainage channels and service ducts in industrial floors. The panels allow access to services below while maintaining a safe, flush walking surface.
- Light well covers (Lichtschachtroste) — gratings covering basement light wells and ventilation openings in building facades, allowing light and air to enter while providing pedestrian-safe coverage at ground level.
- Staircase landings and intermediate platforms — combine with grating stair treads for complete industrial staircase systems with matching grating landing platforms.
- Wastewater treatment plant decking — corrosion-resistant galvanized gratings for walkways above treatment tanks, settling basins and aeration systems.
- Parking structure ventilation floors — gratings as ventilation openings in multi-storey car park floors, combining structural load-bearing capacity with air flow for exhaust gas extraction.
- Dock and marina walkways — coastal and marine applications where the galvanized zinc coating provides protection against salt spray and maritime atmospheres.
Ordering and Custom Fabrication
ULAMEX maintains stock of the most popular steel grating panel sizes and bearing bar dimensions for immediate dispatch. For project-specific requirements, we offer:
- Custom panel sizes cut to your dimensions
- Cut-outs and notches for columns, pipes and equipment penetrations
- Welded frames (Zargen) for clean-edge panel finishing
- Toe plates (Fussleisten) per EN ISO 14122-3
- Stringer bar reinforcement for extended spans
- Banding (edge bars) for panel perimeter finishing
Combine platform gratings with grating stair treads for complete industrial access solutions. As your steel grating wholesale supplier, ULAMEX delivers across Europe from stock with load documentation and material certificates.
Request a quote for platform gratings — specify bearing bar dimensions, mesh size, panel dimensions, quantity and any special requirements (serrated bars, frames, toe plates, cut-outs).