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Iron Age grates are manufactured using cost-efficient Danish technology, so they can be sold at prices that put them within reach of consumers, architects and contractors with modest budgets. The technology allows us the flexibility to bring it to market at a much more competitive price, says Iron Age president Mark Armstrong.
Cast iron stands up quite well to water, which makes it ideal for drains, he says. Cast iron is naturally a very durable material. The Navy makes anchors out of it.
Iron Age grates are made of recycled iron, making them environmentally friendly as well as weather-resistant.
The grates are made to fit industry-standard trench drain bodies and catch basins from major manufacturers, and there are tree grates too. The pieces come in 12 unique, striking patterns with names such as Locust, Paradise, Janis, and Carbochon. With their artfully blended circles, ovals, waves and flourishes, these designs compare to those produced by expensive artisan foundries. There is no reason for bland design, Armstrong said in a news release. Molten metal will flow into any pattern you pour it, the vast majority of street furnishings are unimaginative and uninspiring.
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Stainless Steel Channel Drain
- Durability: to
- Common locations: Showers, tubs, driveways, patios. Complements bathroom tile, stone, and wood.
Stainless steel is generally chosen for corrosion resistance and aesthetic look. Because it is a steel, stainless has tough mechanical properties because of the cost of material, stainless grates are usually thinner gauge. The silver-glint of polished stainless is one of the reasons it is so prized, and this lighter color often adds to the lighter overall look of the grating. Stainless steel trench grates are also usually constructed of simple machined shapes. Slotted widths are common, or a pattern of holes. Like steel, stainless is harder to cast. These grates therefore often fit well in modern spaces featuring spare geometric designs.
Corrosion resistance is one of stainless steels greatest strengths. Passivation creates an almost invisible protective film that prevents flaky red iron oxides from forming. Some grades of stainless are challenged by salts or acids, and so it is important to pick the right kind of stainless for the setting. In a shower or bathroom, might be a fine choice. Outdoor applications that may be exposed to salty water would be better served with 316 stainless.
The Beauty Is In The Detail
Catch Basins Grates 12 x12
Mini Channel Grates 36
On Surface: Permeable Paver Grass or Gravel
1 x 1.64 x 1.97 =3.23 square feet
Applications: Green Roofs, Planter Boxes, Sport Fields and Retaining Walls
2 X 12 X 19.6 = 1.64 square feet
Applications: Gravel Pavers, Turf-Parking Lots, under Drains, French Drain and many others uses.
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Materials For Decorative Trench Grates
Cast iron is a traditional material in creating grates, especially in municipalities. It is relatively inexpensive and long-lasting. However, it does have some downsides as well. Cast iron grates are very heavy and therefore, more challenging to install than other materials. The material is prone to corrosion and rust. Besides, cast iron conducts heat, quickly increasing both the grate and the surrounding areas temperature.
Plastic trench grates are lightweight and easy to install. They also tend to be an inexpensive option. However, they do not last as long as other materials. They can crack during freeze/thaw cycles, leading to irreparable damage.
Reinforced stone trench grates are a great option because they are durable and elegant looking. They are not prone to cracking and do not heat up as much during warm weather. Also, they are rust and corrosion resistant and slip-resistant. The natural stone polymers within the material mean they are perfect for creating a beautiful looking drain grate.
Reinforced stone grates are made from natural stone polymers, creating a beautiful finish for decorative trench grates.
Cast Iron Trench Drain Grates

Cast iron trench drain grates are made by melting metal into a liquid form then pouring this liquid metal into a cavity shaped like the finished part. The cavity is shaped from a sticky sand. After the cast iron is poured into the cavity, it is allowed to cool. Once the cast iron drain grate has cooled the sand is broken and cleaned off of the cast iron leaving a trench drain grate.
âDuring the melting and casting process the metallurgy can be altered by changing raw components and additives. Iron trench drain grates are categorized into two broad categories Ductile iron and Cast iron. Cast iron is often called pig iron. This is the oldest technology and produces a strong iron part. Additives have become more popular in past years that create a spherical grain structure in the iron imparting ductility. These metals are called Ductile Iron. The ductility means that they can take more loading without cracking or breaking. Ductile iron trench drain grates are typically used when heavy loading such as Aircraft might be present.
Cast iIron trench drain grates can be cast in a variety of grades and each class of iron has several grades. Generally these are unimportant to the designer as long as the iron grate can reach the required loading. Cast iron grates are governed by AASHTO M105 class 35B or ASTM A48 Class 35B. Ductile irons are governed by ASTM A536.
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Designed To Fit: Nds Mini Channel
The product photo above shows the updated slot design. The spec sheet does not reflect the newly updated slot design, but the dimensions are accurate.
Please note that all raw cast-iron grates begin to naturally rust with exposure to any form of moisture and will appear bright orange before settling to brown.
Galvanized Steel Channel Grates
- Durability:
- Common locations: Municipal and industrial sites. Often over trench in grass or in concrete.
Galvanized steel is a common material for municipal site fixtures. From a few steps away, galvanized steel may look like a matte ash gray, but close inspection shows a distinctive spangled surface with feather-like deposits of silvery-gray zinc oxide. Zinc creates a layer that both seals the steel physically and provides chemical protection. Over time and in chemical stress, galvanization can wear away and leave the steel open to corrosion. In some places the use life may be decadesbut a combination of heavy de-icing chemicals and wear may allow corrosion to set in before then if the zinc oxide is disturbed or chemically stressed.
Most galvanized steel channel grates come in industrial-looking design due to manufacturing considerations: steel does not cast as easily as other materials. Simple slots or bars are common. Steel is often chosen for being a tough, load bearing material. When heavy-duty grates are put over concrete formed drains or steel trench pans, the system can bear the weight of vehicle tires. Steel will also stand up to the wear of many feet. This metal is often used in construction for its material properties. It has some give: rather than breaking, it will dent under heavy impact.
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How To Choose What Your Trench Grates Are Made Of
Drainage is a ubiquitous part of construction. Its so common that it often goes unnoticed unless something goes wrong and water backs up around it. Water management is important to all types of building and landscaping from culverts near fields to the slopes of city streets. Trench drains are found in many of these drainage systems. The small channels these furrows create are surface capillaries designed to capture and move water to sewers, bioswales, softscapes, and streams.
Trench is different than weeping tile or French drains in that these are open conduits in the substrate. To prevent tripping people or catching debris, they must be covered with grates. Given the variety of places that these drains may be installed, designers have a lot of choice when picking trench grates material.
There are several factors to consider when choosing trench grate. The contractor might think about aesthetics, cost, wear patterns, total load, weather patterns, and replacement interval. Will the drain be managing rain water alone? Or will it manage salty, chlorinated, or acidic liquids? Will it be part of a containment system for chemical spills?
Plastic Trench Drain Grates
- Common locations: Pool drainage, decks, indoor drains. Often complements tile.
Poolside, plastic is a very common choice. Plastic is simple to install, inexpensive, and lightweight. Chlorinated water can be hard on many materialsit will degrade plastic over time. However, plastic will tend to bleach and fade rather than corroding, splintering, or peeling. Pool applications often do not need a lot of strength or impact resilience: the most theyll deal with is a person running over them to cannonball from the pools edge. The smooth finish of the plastic grating is a soft material choice for bare feet. Plastic is easily cast, so plastic grates may have complex decorative patterns.
Other applications also use plastic. Often plastic is used outside in residential applications and inside in commercial one. Entire drain systems can be purchased out of plastic, making the act of trench installation simple. This appeals to the residential market. Commercial plastic will often be installed for its non-reactivity in areas that might see spills of acidic liquids. Thicker, stronger plastics are generally used in commercial settings.
Plastic has a few challenges. Thermal resilience is one of them. Plastic can be brittle and more likely to shatter in freezing conditions. Freeze/thaw cycles also may permanently embrittle some plastics.
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Incorporation With Other Decorative Grates
Some landscapes may also need to use other drains or grates, such as tree grates, pool drains, or sump covers. It is essential to consider how all of these will work together throughout the landscape.
Trench grates can be created in a style that complements other grates in the landscape, including tree grates.
Fortunately, the customization options available on Jonites reinforced stone trench grates are also available on other decorative grates. It is possible to match the color and slot design between all of the grates, ensuring a seamless transition throughout the landscape.
Ductile / Cast Iron Trench Grates
- Durability:
- Common locations: Decorative borders, pool and spa, homes and residential complexes, seawalls, parks, office buildings. Often complements brick or stone.
Ductile and cast iron trench grates are inexpensive, hardy, long wearing choices that offer many decorative possibilities due to the materials castability.
The properties of cast iron make it the most common material used by municipalities for grates and manhole covers. Most cast iron in these situations are known as gray irons. Like steel, gray iron is incredibly strong. Compared with steel, it offers greater vibration damping, which can be useful in hardscape where traffic vibration may affect concrete. Cast iron also does not deform under compression. Its .
Raw cast iron is that it develops a rich red-brown patina over time that protects it from corrosion. Unlike with galvanized steel, this patina can re-develop even if the original layer is worn, chipped, or scratched. Cast iron grates can also be painted, and black-painted iron is a classic, distinctive choice.
Check out our line of functional and attractive cast iron grates.
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Types Of Decorative Trench Grates
Trench drains are an essential part of many drainage systems, yet the grate covering these drains can be just as important. Decorative trench grates are an aesthetic flourish that incorporates a drain into the rest of the landscape. However, they are also utilitarian, as they cover a drain while still allowing water to pass through. It is important to understand the different types and options available to make the most of a decorative trench grate.Choosing the correct type of decorative trench grate is crucial to creating a pleasing aesthetic and effective drainage system.
Ecorain Tanks Modules Infiltration Drainage System

Underground:
New at Bourget Bros. Building Materials ECORAIN Modules for infiltration tanks and cistern! Lower overall cost! Dig less than half the Hole! and carry the equivalent of over 3,000 lbs of gravel!
Water collected from many surfaces transported via pipe to an EcoRain tank, allows for detention & /or aquifer infiltration
EcoRain Tanks assemble & connect in 10 Heights from .79 to 7.12 all tanks are 1.34 wide x 2.25 long.
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