Anti-slip, surface finishes and grating types
Not every GRP grating is the same. The anti-slip surface, production type, and resin system together determine whether a grating is suitable for your environment. In this blog, we explain the most important variants.
Why is anti-slip so important?
A walkway without sufficient grip is a safety risk, especially in environments with moisture, grease, oil, or chemicals. GFRP gratings are equipped with an anti-slip surface as standard, but the type varies depending on the application. The right choice depends on the environment, intensity of use, and hygiene requirements.
The four most commonly used surface finishes
- Quartz grit: A quartz grit surface consists of fine quartz particles embedded in the top layer. This creates a rough, granular texture with excellent grip, even in frost, rain, or wet conditions. The anti-slip effect works in all directions and is highly wear-resistant.
Ideal for: outdoor use, walkways, marinas, offshore environments, and areas prone to ice formation. - Meniscus (concave surface): With a meniscus surface, the top of the grating bars is slightly concave. This provides permanent anti-slip performance without a granular structure, meaning no loose particles and no sharp edges.
Ideal for: indoor environments, the food industry, and areas where hygiene and easy cleaning are important. - Covered surface (covered quartz grit): This type of grating has a fully closed top surface. It prevents liquids, dust, or small particles from falling through the floor and is typically provided with an anti-slip coating.
Ideal for: workspaces where nothing may fall through the floor, drip trays, and applications requiring a flat walking surface. - Smooth surface: A smooth surface without texture or grit. Easy to clean, but not suitable as a walking surface.
Ideal for: covers, walls, or non-load-bearing applications.
In addition to the surface finish, you can choose between molded or pultruded gratings.
Molded gratings
Molded gratings are manufactured in a mould. Glass fibres are applied layer by layer and encapsulated with isophthalic polyester or vinyl ester resin. The result is a grating with equal strength in two directions and excellent corrosion resistance. This type is the most commonly used option for standard industrial applications.
- Strength in two directions
- Excellent corrosion resistance
- Available in various mesh sizes
- Suitable for most industrial environments
Pultruded gratings
Pultruded gratings are manufactured from pultruded load-bearing bars that are interconnected by cross rods. Due to this production process, they are extremely strong in one direction and particularly suitable for large spans and heavy loads.
- High load-bearing capacity over large spans
- High fire resistance
- Suitable for chemically aggressive and corrosive environments
- Used in heavy industrial applications such as petrochemical and offshore environments
Resin types: the foundation of chemical resistance
The resin type determines how resistant the grating is to chemicals, temperature, and fire. FlexxCon offers three different resin types:
- Isophthalic polyester – high chemical resistance and low smoke development in case of fire. This is the standard choice for most projects.
- Vinylester – designed for extreme chemical exposure and high fire resistance. Ideal for the chemical industry and offshore applications.
- Phenolic – maximum fire safety with very low smoke and toxic fume development. Suitable for applications with strict fire safety requirements, such as tunnels, offshore environments, and industrial installations.
Which combination is right for your project?
The right choice depends on your environment, load requirements, and safety standards. Not sure which grating type, surface finish, or resin system suits your situation? FlexxCon is happy to think along with you.