Why choose Open Steel Flooring & Stair Treads?
What are Open Steel Flooring & Stair Treads?
Open Steel Flooring and Stair Treads, are high-strength, industrial-grade, mesh-like panels designed to provide safe, durable, and reliable walking surfaces for platforms, walkways, staircases and steps.
They feature a grid pattern that maximizes load-bearing capacity while allowing light, air, and liquids to pass through freely, making them highly practical for safety and drainage. Manufactured from premium mild steel to British Standards (BS EN 100025-1 S275 JR), they are available in both self-colour and weather-resistant galvanised finishes.
What are the choices when it comes to
Open Steel Flooring & Stair Treads?
At F.H.Brundle, when choosing open steel flooring and stair treads, you can select between a Self-Colour finish or weather-resistant Galvanised coating, with options for standard or serrated slip-resistant surfaces. Additionally, choices include various bearer bar sizes (like 25 or 30mm thickness), full-size 6 x 1m stock panels or custom fabricated layouts, and matching pre-drilled stair treads to fit specific ball-proof configurations.
| Feature Category | Key Benefit | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Material Finish | Tailored environmental protection | Available in Self-Colour (uncoated for internal use or post-treatment) or Galvanised (for excellent outdoor corrosion resistance). |
| Slip Resistance | Enhanced worker and pedestrian safety | Choose between standard smooth bearer bars or a serrated edge profile for extra grip in wet, oily, or high-risk areas. |
| Sizing & Configuration | Adaptability to project scale | Supplied in 6 x 1, 3 x 1, and 1 x 1m stock panels. |
| Load-Bearing Strength | Robust structural integrity | Manufactured from high-quality mild steel conforming to BS EN 100025-1 S275 JR, with bar options including 25 x 3mm, 25 x 5mm, and 30 x 3mm. |
| Staircase Integration | Fast and straightforward installation | Prefabricated stair treads come equipped with pre-drilled end plates (Ø15mm slots) to bolt directly onto stringers, matching 35mm ball-proof or 41/100 pitches. |
Where can Open Steel Flooring & Stair Treads be used?
Open Steel Flooring and Stair Treads are highly versatile and designed for a wide variety of industrial, commercial, and domestic applications.
• Walkways and Gantries: Providing safe, continuous pedestrian paths around factories, warehouses, and industrial plants.
• Platforms and Fire Escapes: Creating secure, multi-level structural platforms and external emergency exit staircases where dependable strength is required.
• Industrial Staircases: Used in conjunction with matching stair treads to build robust, heavy-duty stairs that tie directly into supporting stringers.
• Outdoor and Weather-Exposed Environments: Thanks to the galvanised finish options and the open-grid mesh design, they are ideal for outdoor areas because they allow rainwater, ice, and debris to drain through freely, maintaining a slip-resistant surface.
• High-Risk Safety Zones: Utilising the serrated edge options, they are frequently installed in areas prone to oil, liquid spills, or moisture to ensure maximum traction underfoot.
Why are Open Steel Flooring & Stair Treads so popular?
Open Steel Flooring and Stair Treads are highly popular in industrial, commercial, and domestic construction due to several key advantages:
(1) High Strength-to-Weight Ratio: Built with rectangular bearer bars that run the full length of the panels, they offer exceptional load-bearing capacity and structural integrity while remaining relatively lightweight compared to solid steel plates.
(2) Excellent Drainage and Self-Cleaning: The open-mesh grid design allows water, oil, snow, and debris to fall straight through. This prevents liquid pooling and ice build-up, which keeps walkways clear and safe.
(3) Superior Safety and Slip Resistance: With the option of a serrated edge finish, they provide maximum traction and grip underfoot, making them a go-to choice for high-risk, wet, or oily environments.
(4) Durability and Weather Resistance: Manufactured to British Standards (BS EN 100025-1 S275 JR), they are available with a Galvanised finish that offers long-lasting protection against corrosion and rust, even when exposed to harsh outdoor elements.
(5) Ease of Installation and Versatility: Standard stock panels (6 x 1, 3 x 1, and 1 x 1m) can be easily customised, fabricated, and fully bound to fit specific layouts. Furthermore, matching stair treads come pre-fitted with drilled end plates, allowing them to be bolted directly onto supporting stringers quickly and efficiently.
(6) Permeability for Light and Air: The open grid allows light and air to circulate freely between multi-level platforms, improving visibility and ventilation in industrial workspaces.
Open Steel Flooring Comparison & Load-Bearing Table
Calculated based on standard industrial pedestrian loading (5.0 kN/m² UDL / 1.5 kN Concentrated Point Load) in accordance with BS 4592 specifications.
| Specification Parameter | 20 – 25mm Ball Proof | 30 – 35mm Ball Proof | Standard Utility Panels (e.g., 41/100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Safety Mandate | High-Risk Overhead Zones: Mandatory where personnel permanently work or operate machinery directly underneath. |
Low-Risk Overhead Zones: Used where personnel occasionally pass below the walkway or platform. |
Zero Overhead Risk: Trench covers, ground-level walkways, or elevated platforms with no access beneath. |
| Max Sphere Passage | ≤ 20 – 25mm | ≤ 30 – 35mm | > 35mm (Typically 40 – 41mm) |
| Mesh Pitch (Typical) | 21 × 100mm | 30 – 37 × 125mm | 41 × 100mm |
| Weight Comparison (Self-Colour) | Highest (~28 – 35 kg/m²)* | Medium (~22 – 26 kg/m²)* | Lightest (~18 – 22 kg/m²)* |
| 25 × 3mm Bearer Bar |
Max Clear Span: 820mm Self Weight: ~28.5 kg/m² |
Max Clear Span: 875mm Self Weight: ~21.2 kg/m² |
Max Clear Span: 910mm Self Weight: ~18.7 kg/m² |
| 30 × 3mm Bearer Bar |
Max Clear Span: 990mm Self Weight: ~33.8 kg/m² |
Max Clear Span: 1,060mm Self Weight: ~24.8 kg/m² |
Max Clear Span: 1,110mm Self Weight: ~21.9 kg/m² |
| 40 × 3mm Bearer Bar |
Max Clear Span: 1,310mm Self Weight: ~44.2 kg/m² |
Max Clear Span: 1,400mm Self Weight: ~32.5 kg/m² |
Max Clear Span: 1,470mm Self Weight: ~28.6 kg/m² |
Note: Weights and spans vary slightly based on exact bearer bar dimensions and whether hot-dip galvanising is applied. Spans reflect maximum clear span based on deflection limits (L/200 or 10mm max deflection).
FAQs
Open steel flooring (often referred to as flowforge flooring, open mesh flooring, or steel grating) is a structural panel composed of parallel flat bearer bars joined together by perpendicular crossbars (often twisted square rods). This pattern provides a high load capacity, excellent drainage, and high light/air penetration, making it an essential material for industrial walkways, gantries, and stair treads.
All F.H.Brundle open steel flooring panels are manufactured using mild steel conforming to BS EN 10025-1 S275 JR, guaranteeing reliable yield strength, structural performance, and weldability for fabrication.
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Plain open steel flooring features smooth bearer bars and is suitable for standard pedestrian walkways, indoor platforms, and dry environments.
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Serrated open steel flooring has notched top edges along the bearer bars, offering anti-slip traction in wet, icy, oily, or hazardous working conditions.
Standard stock panels are supplied in 6m length × 1m width (6000mm × 1000mm) with the bearer bars running along the 6m length. F.H. Brundle can also provide cut-to-size and custom-fabricated panels tailored to your exact drawing requirements.
Yes. Because open mesh flooring features an open area (typically 70%–80% open surface ratio), it allows sprinkler systems to discharge water effectively through multiple levels during a fire, unlike solid floor plates.
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Self-Colour: Choose self-colour if you intend to weld, cut, or powder-coat the steel panels after delivery, or for interior dry environments.
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Hot-Dip Galvanised: Choose galvanised panels for external installations or damp industrial environments to prevent rust and corrosion, compliant with BS EN ISO 1461 standards.
