We repair metal grates on site and in our shop. We also produce improved metal grates, grating weldments. and floor drain covers. The repair method depends on variety of factors that include, type of damage, type of metal grates and load. On this page, I will evaluate different methods used by JW Portable Welding & Repair to repair metal grates. JW Investrade Inc. is a parent company of JW Portable Welding & Repair. If you require more insight into grating and how it is used please click here.
As many manufacturers and suppliers provide excellent websites to market their metal grates, nobody informs clients how to repair them, improve them or modify them. I will describe some of the repairs that are worth doing. As well as some that are not worth even $1.00 spending. I will also discuss some pros and cons of many types of metal grating. An more importantly, I will answer the question how these repairs affect utilization of structures. However, please keep in mind if you have traditional metal grating for vehicular traffic with extensive traverse or longitudinal bows that is rusted, than you must replace it.
Expanded metal grates
We use expanded metal grates to fabricate variety of structures such as security guards, safety guards, and security fencing. If you are looking for repairs of damaged security guards, safety guards and security fencing please contact JW Portable Welding & Repairs. Some fabricators use it to cover large surfaces of mezzanines, stair treads and catwalks inside manufacturing plants. They are also very popular in water treatment plants and they are useful to manufacture variety of trailers.
Well supported expanded metal grating with thick strands is a cost efficient material for pedestrian traffic on ramps, fire escapes and gas platforms. An insufficient support on mezzanines and catwalks causes bouncing when walking which is very uncomfortable. The bouncy expanded metal makes walking and working on such structures very difficult.
The expanded metal grates’ panels sustain higher loads than wire mesh panels but do not sustain loads handled by bar metal grating. In comparison to perforated grating the expanded metal rusts faster. The production process involves expanding cut sheet metal by force. It creates micro cracks that rust faster. the galvanization process increases the utilization of this material significantly.
It is worth mentioning that the famous grip or traction of non flattened expanded metal is significantly reduced in icy winter in Canada. I definitely recommend grip strut grating for outside structures.
Utilization and handling of expanded metal grates
The material is relatively easy to cut and it is much lighter than metal bar grates. Therefore this material is easy to handle in production and fabrication. We like it for all projects where security and safety play major role. The expanded metal grates has sharp edges to provide a good grip for our boots but for our hands it is simply deadly. Even if you wear gloves, the expanded metal can cut through them.
Cutting and manipulating is not a problem even with a grinder equipped with a good quality cutting disk. However, people who do not know how to cut expanded metal or those who have relatively inexpensive battery operated grinders will find cutting it very difficult. Most burglars do not have good cutting disks on their cheap grinders. Therefore, they quickly find that cutting relatively denser expanded metal really challenging. The cut edges of these panels are extremally sharp and form jabs that cut through jackets and pants. The cut panels can very easily heart legs and arms when crossing through opened cut.
The visibility through the expanded metal grates is sufficient for maintenance crew to take a look inside. But the more curious of us who try to put fingers through it will find it really sharp. Therefore, this material is perfect for safety guards exposed to general public. It also serves perfectly for separating internal storage areas inside manufacturing facilities. You can see through it but cutting it with traditional manual cutters is rather very difficult.
Repairing of expanded metal grates
You can prepare for repair the openings cut made by burglars in thicker and denser expanded metal grates by straightening the opening. Firstly, you must improve the edge the straightening it. In order to do that, you will have to increase the area of opening and make it square or rectangular. Secondly, you will need to make suitable rectangular from the same type of new expanded metal that is about 2 inch bigger on every side. Thirdly, you place the newly cut patch in place to cover the opening from outside and create 2 inch overlap. Finally, you will sandwich the overlap with two flat bars that are bolted together or will be welded together. Spacing the pairs of flat bars appropriately will make this patch secure.
Welding the pair of flat bars seems to be more secure option but it is more difficult to do since the gap between the flat bars is significant. The bolting method also is much faster and more flexible. Additionally, the galvanized expanded metal sandwiched between the flat bars will complicate the welding process. As much as this method allows for pathing the opening, it is not as strong as you think and should not be performed on grating used by pedestrians on mezzanines or catwalks.
Thin and flat crashed expanded metal grates are rather difficult to repair and it is better to replace the whole panel. Also, rusted expanded metal is nonrepairable.
The sectional removal is much better way for fixing the expanded metal especially if the original panel was galvanized.
Sectional method of repair
Using the sectional method, you will remove the whole width of the damaged section. Therefore you will create the rectangular opening from right frame to the left frame. Certainly, the height of this opening will depend on damage size and overall appearance you want to create. Please do not forget to remove also remaining expanded metal grates on the frames. Then cut from new expanded metal the rectangular piece that fits the opening on top and on the bottom leaving about 1/4 ” opening. The left side should overlap the frame on the left and the right side should overlap the frame on the right.
Next, you will weld the flat bars on the top and on the bottom of the patch. These flat bars should be about 2 1/2″ wide 3/16″ thick and have length of the opening. The expanded metal should overlap the flat bars in about 1 1/16. Once the patch is ready, you will position the whole new structure going from outside in such a way that both flat bars, one on top and one on bottom, will touch the frame on the left and on the right.
Next you will weld flat bars to the frame using a but weld. Once, the patch is stabilized, then you will weld the expanded metal to the frames on both sides. Finally, you will weld the top edge of opening to the top flat bar and the bottom edge to the bottom flat bar. At the end, you paint the patch with zinc paint. It is worth to spend a few dollars more for a good quality zinc paint.
The sectional method of repair expanded metal suits pedestrian traffic
The sectional method of repair suits pedestrian traffic on mezzanines, catwalks and ramps since the flat bar acts as semi- support. Certainly, the flat bar must be installed from the bottom of the expanded metal grates to provide suitable support.
Benefits of sectional method
The sectional method is preferable if expanded metal grates were galvanized. You can galvanize the patch with flat bars welded on top and bottom and then remove the gallicization from unused section of flat bars. Surely you will have to remove galvanization from the top and bottom edge of the opening. But, the weld between the flat bars and overlapped expanded metal will be much stronger. Again, remember to paint the created welds with good quality zinc paint. Additionally, the welded flat bars to both frames will increase rigidity of the patch and they will create a better curb appeal.
Bar Metal Grates
The bar metal grates is a customized product that fulfils specific traffic needs and therefore it is rather pricy. Due to its replacement cost, managers should consider preventative maintenance monitoring and basic repairs to increase utilization of this material. If you would like a to perform a the preventative maintenance monitoring of your bar metal grates please contact us. On contact us page select Quote then Grating and then Grating’s Repair. Please note that we offer preventative maintenance monitoring within 150 km radius from London, Ontario.
The repairs of bar metal grates depend on the type of grating and their specifics. These specifics relate to parameters of grating as well as type of metal they are made from. Many grates are non repairable due to extensive rust or bowing, and they should be replaced. Damaged grates create safety hazard for vehicular traffic as well as pedestrian traffic.
Repairs of mild steel metal grates
We repair and/or modify many types of steel grates such as welded grates, pressure locked grates, riveted grates and dovetail grates. Dovetail grates are rather rare and therefore we haven’t repair them often. Pressure locked grates are rather difficult to repair due to more difficult access to repair point that require presence of welder under the grating. This makes the welding very uncomfortable. Therefore, these type of repairs are most costly.
We have approached the repairs of riveted grates a few times and they almost always involved repairing of rivets. These repairs aren’t too difficult for the welder as long as the damages are reasonable. As the rivets get damaged more expensively they must be replaced. We have also used professional hydraulic setup to install new rivets.
Repairs of welded mild steel grates
Majority of our repairs involve welded grates. These type of repairs involve stabilization by welding of cross bars, installation of additional cross bars, and straightening of maximum 3 in the row twisted bearing bars. We consider installation of thick banding on both sides, strengthening of specific bearing bars, anti – vibration welds, and installations of bottom cross bars as modifications or improvements. Also if the modifications/improvements fail due to impact you can always resort to our grating weldments.
The repairs of mild steel grates should involve high tensile welding consumable such as 90XX or 110XX welding rods. We perform repairs of welded mild steel grates using our mobile welding services in our local area up to 150 km radius from London. Please keep in mind that rain prohibits any welding of grates.
Welding cracks between cross bar and bearing bar
Welding cracks on joints between a bearing bar and cross bar is a very boring and exhausting activity and we perform it on client’s facilities. All welding takes place on top of the grates in kneeling position. Proper padding will provide protection for your knees.
Good quality welds provide the proper penetration of bearing bar and cross bar at as big surface as possible. Therefore, the gun must rapidly change direction from one side of the cross bar to the other side of the crossbar while maintaining the ark. Therefore this movement is very similar to welding small diameter pipes with a large jump in the middle.
Please note that proper amperage setup will provide not only proper penetration but also easier starting arc. Most importantly, the proper amperage will provide stronger coverage of cross bar without melting it. The welder must balance temperature and penetration against melting of cross bar.
Replacement of cross bar or installation of new cross bar.
The cross bars provide the rigidity to the whole structure of mild steel grating. They are the connecting element between bearing bars. In the absence of cross bars the grating structure will collapse. The partial presence of some cross bars will cause twisting of bearing bars. Therefore welders must replace the missing cross bars.
Majority of metal grates will accept 3/8″ or 5/16″ diameter round steel rod as a cross bar. Please note, you should position your round steel rod in the old grove left after the old cross bar. Welding of new cross bar to the old grating is very similar to welding of cracks.
Occasionally, we install new cross bars in areas where excessive impact and vibration affects sections of grating. We recommend also to make slight grooving in these areas for round rod’s proper placement and its stabilization.
Straightening twisted bearing bars and bearing bar extension
Twisted bearing bars signify the degradation of welded mild steel grates. Well maintained grates that were selected for the specific load should not have twisted bars since their cross bars provide structural integration. Once cross bars crack and partially disappear or the welds develop cracks on both sides the cross bar, more serious damages will happen soon. And here is one of these more serious damages in the image below.
Substandard and/old metal grates degradation continues
Substandard grates suitable for lower loads will first start bowing that will cause cracking of cross bars. Then disengagement of cross bars will begin. Next the bearing bar will start leaning into one direction. At beginning the leaning bearing bar will maintain the connection to banding bars and this is the last moment to repair it without risking complete failure of the whole panel. We repair up to 3 in the row leaning bearing bars. Our repairs of leaning bearing bars involves heat to straight them out, placement of spacers for better stabilization and placement of cross bars.
Twisted bars and short bearing bars is a sign for the whole metal grate panel replacement
Unrepaired leaning bars will twist even more and loose one connection to the banding bar. Sometimes these twisted bars will break at some distance from the banding. The presence of completely twisted bearing bars grouped in 4 or 5 is the last moment for emergency repair. Waiting any longer will cause the complete panel failure and creates safety hazard. Such emergency repair should buy you enough time to order the new metal grates’ panels. This emergency repair can also involve extending the broken bearing bars and placement of spacers to temporary provide needed support in this area.
I advice you strongly to avoid waiting to the last moment with metal grates replacement. Twisted bars do not take any load and impact and therefore they create very hazardous environment for vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
When you have twisted bearing bars than it is time to deliberate a new and improved metal grate panel made from the same stock or new grating weldment. Installing the new same type panel could be compared to repeating the same steps and expecting different results. So now you have to ask yourself if you like the present results?
Contact Us to repair welded mild steel grates
On contact us page select quote then grating. Then select location and tell us what drives on this grating. Finally, select grating’s repair and send as some images of most damaged areas along with some descriptions.
Repair of aluminum grates
Another group form aluminum grates that are raver difficult to repair and therefore costly to repair. Aluminum grates can be repaired by TIG welding but this technique is rather labor consuming, and requires a skilled welder to perform this repair. Moreover, the repairs require more advanced welding machine and extensive cleaning prior welding. We have done a few of them for some industrial clients.
Lack of spacing between the bearing bars prohibits using aluminum Mig gun. The nozzle is simply too big to squeeze it between bearing bars and keep the proper welding angle.
We perform repairs of aluminum grates in the shop as the welding process requires presence of shielded gas.
Shipping of aluminum grates
Once you decide to repair your aluminum grates please contact us and then select general inquiry. These projects require special attention and therefore we will ask a few questions first.
Repair of stainless steel grates
We repair thin bearing bar stainless steel grates using Tig that provides more controlled welding environment. Welders need this more controlled environment since thin stainless steel is very sensitive to minor increases of amperage and heat. Overheated stainless steel will rust which will cause irreversible damage to grating. Additionally, poorly planned repairs could cause warpage that will permanently damage the stainless steel grating too. Therefore, heat monitoring and anti warpage techniques are very important.
We repair thicker stainless steel grates using Mig but its gun requires more space for proper maneuvering. Therefore only grates with bigger bar spacing are a good prospect for such repairs. It is worth mentioning that the more expensive pulsation Mig welding machine brings better results for these repairs. Also, due to the high price of stainless steel the stainless steel grates with the thicker bearing bars are not popular but they are worth repairs. Replacement of thicker stainless steel grates is very expensive.
We repair majority of stainless steel grates in shop as these repairs require presence of shielded gas.
Shipping of stainless steel grates
Once you decide to repair your aluminum grates please contact us and then select general inquiry. These projects require special attention and therefore we will ask a few questions first.