When to Use steel flooring？

What is open steel flooring?

Open steel flooring is made from rectangular mild steel sections with a high performance-to-weight ratio, acting as a weight bearer, there is then steel bars running perpendicular which are welded to the individual sections. Our steel open grid flooring is cost-effective and versatile, so it is ideal for use both inside and outside of industrial and commercial buildings. The gaps between the steel allow for airflow that aids in heat exchange and ventilation, create a non-slip surface, and ensure that no puddles can form as liquid passes directly through the gaps in the sections.

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What is open steel flooring used for?

Steel open flooring is used extensively in industrial and commercial buildings. It has numerous applications and is used in the design and manufacture of walkways, ramps, raised platforms, and mezzanine floors. It can also be used over existing flooring to create a non-slip surface with easy drainage.

Open steel flooring creates a safe access route in hazardous industrial buildings with a high risk of slips and falls. It also allows for good ventilation, ensuring airflow is not blocked or restricted. This is especially important in high-heat areas or when chemicals are in use. This type of flooring is typically installed near machinery or in areas where hazardous work occurs.

What is steel flooring or grating?

Steel open and closed grated flooring is a cost-effective solution for large areas of flooring in industrial and commercial buildings. Steel flooring is versatile, quick to install, modify and remove. With an extremely high performance to weight ratio, it is low carbon and infinitely recyclable.

When correctly designed, this flooring can provide an efficient and safe means of access and movement for people and materials with a high slip resistance, an aid to ventilation, heat exchange and it is aesthetically pleasing, providing an open spacious feeling to indoor areas

Where can you use it?

This flooring is suitable for indoor and outdoor use, it is resilient and with a 25+ year life span even in harsh industrial environments. It is tough and requires no further finishing ' it is the complete flooring solution. If a section is damaged it can easily be removed and replaced.

Open and closed grating is provided in individual panels, each nominally 1 metre wide by any length up to 6 metres. The most efficient use of materials requires the designer to consider the flooring type in conjunction with primary structural steel design. 

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Individual panels can be cut and shaped around penetrations such as pipework, ducting or to fit around equipment and structural elements. Edge protection can be fitted to any panel to suit its position in the overall floor plan.

We would be delighted to give further advice, specific to your project requirements on how to specify steel flooring.

Open mesh flooring is manufactured from an assembly of flat steel load bars assembled vertically and separated at pre-determined spaces by cross wires running at right angles to provide lateral restraint to the load bars.

Closed mesh flooring is open mesh flooring with the addition of a flat steel plate (Durbar patterned or plain) welded or mechanically attached to the top surface. The top plate provides additional stiffening and provides a smoother surface in areas where small, wheeled trolleys or FLT pump trucks are to be used for the movement of materials.

Project specific factors listed below, alongside compliance factors should be considered by architects and specifiers when designing with steel flooring.

Refer to BS -1:, Part 0 and part 1 for common design requirements, recommendations for installation and specification for the gratings. 

Project Factors:

1. Sustainability ' minimum use of material to achieve the design objectives
2. Access requirements ' people, equipment, traffic movements
3. Aesthetics/walkability ' balance between form and function
4. Slip resistance ' coefficient of friction
5. Size of openings ' ball proof and air flow
6. Pedestrian loads ' UDL and concentrated
7. Other Loads ' point loads, wheel loads.
8. Max desired deflection ' L/200 up to 10mm on individual panels and 4mm between adjacent panels
9. Maximum spans ' clear span between supporting structural elements, simply supported or spanning over two or more beams.
10. Panel sizes/weight ' imposed loads, installation restrictions, future access/maintenance.
11. Manufacturing tolerances ' refer BS -1:, Part 1, clause 7
12. Cut-outs/penetrations ' number, type, shape and location
13. Edge protection (toe plate) ' perimeter, around cut-outs and penetrations
14. Fixing down ' friction v positive fixing (any anti-vibration requirements?)
15. Other considerations ' finished floor heights, ramps, connection to stairways, conductivity/isolation, corrosion protection.