Practical Applications for Dovetail Press-Locked Grating

When choosing grating, buyers must specify the type, material, spacing, finish, and other criteria. For the type criterion, buyers usually choose between welded or press-locked grating. In this article we’ll examine press-locked grating to understand what makes it such a popular choice among buyers.

The Advantages of Dovetail Press-Locked Grating

“Dovetail press-locked” and “dovetail pressure-locked” both refer to the same process, in which grating is assembled by inserting pre-punched bearing and cross bars into an interlocking configuration and deforming the cross bars under intense hydraulic pressure. This process connects the bearing and cross bars without the need for welding.

The advantages of choosing a press-locked grating are:

• A clean, uniform lattice. The precise fit of the pre-punched bearing and cross bars into each other (and the lack of welding) allows for a smooth, functional, aesthetically-pleasing lattice. The result is an even surface that is comfortable for pedestrians and wheelchair users alike. Due to their visual appeal, press-locked grating is also used in architectural applications such as sunshades, grills, soffits, fencing, and infill panels.
• Cross bars flush with bearing bars. Unlike in swage-locked grating, where the cross bars are rods inserted through the bearing bars, in a press-locked grating, the cross and bearing bars are flush with each other on one side of the grating. (They can be flush on both sides of the grating if bearing bars with equal depth as the cross bars are specified.) This is useful in open spaces when wheeled carts or wheelchairs are likely to roll over the grating in any direction.
• ADA-compliance. It is easy for manufacturers to space bars close together in a press-locked grating. The ADA requirement is that open spaces in a grating must be ½ inch or smaller for the sake of wheelchair users. Pressure locking can reduce the gap between bars to just ¼ inch, which is narrow enough to allow individuals wearing high-heeled shoes to walk over the grating with ease. This is useful in public venues that require water drainage and see a wide variety of footwear across their floor surfaces.

Interstate Gratings’ Press-Locked Product Offerings

Interstate Gratings offers dovetail press-locked grating in three materials:

• Type DT: Carbon Steel
• Type ADT: Aluminum
• Type DTS: Stainless Steel

There are several bar spacing and thickness options available:

• Cross bar center-to-center spacing: 2 in or 4 in
• Bearing bar center-to-center spacing: Ranges from 7/16 in to 1-3/16 in
• Bearing bar cross-sectional size: Ranges from 3/4 x 1/8” to 2-1/2 x 3/16”
• Custom sizes and spacing is available. **Talk to a salesman for more info

Interstate Gratings offers the following finishing options:

• Mill Finish: Recommended for industrial applications where appearance is not an important consideration.
• Galvanized: A zinc coating is applied in accordance with ASTM A-123 to resist rust.
• IG GritWeld^TM: A tough, anti-skid surface is applied for traction in extreme environments.
• IG EcoCoat^TM – Standard Black Paint: An economic and eco-friendly coating of our specially produced gloss black paint to provide a protectant covering.
• IG EcoClean^TM – Stainless Steel: A secondary cleaning for stainless steel to ensure a uniform, clean, aesthetically appealing finish.

To place an order or to learn more about our dovetail press-locked grating, please contact us today.