5-Step Checklist for Ordering McNichols Plank Grating (Without the Headaches)

What This Checklist Is For

If you're the person tasked with sourcing industrial grating—say, for a mezzanine floor, a walkway replacement, or a drainage cover—you've probably landed on McNichols as a supplier. Their catalog is massive, which is both a blessing and a curse.

This checklist is for the administrative buyer who isn't a structural engineer. You need to order McNichols plank grating, get it right the first time, and not cause a delay on the job site. There are 5 steps here. Step 3 is the one most people skip, and it's the one that usually causes problems.

Let's get into it.

Step 1: Confirm Your Load Requirements (Don't Assume)

This sounds obvious, but I've made this mistake. I once ordered stock grating based on a verbal "this should work" from a site foreman. Turned out the forklift traffic was heavier than expected. We had to swap out 12 panels at a rush premium.

Before you call McNichols or send a quote request, have the following ready:

• Uniform load (PSF): How much weight per square foot? e.g., 250 PSF for light industrial walkways, 500+ PSF for heavy machinery access.
• Concentrated load: Is there a point load from a wheel or a machine leg? This changes the bar size.
• Span: The distance between supports. This dictates the depth of the plank you need.

I'm not a structural engineer—I'm an office administrator—but I learned to get these numbers in writing from whoever is responsible for the floor's safety. A quick call to McNichols' technical sales (they're surprisingly helpful) can save you a headache. Don't hold me to this, but I've found that giving them span and load is way faster than asking them to guess based on the application alone.

Step 2: Pick Your Plank Series (Grip, Type, Material)

McNichols has several series of plank grating. This is where their catalog depth can feel overwhelming. Based on the keywords I see people searching, you're likely looking at one of these:

McNichols Plank Grating: The Usual Suspects

• Standard Plank (e.g., 9R or 11R): Most common for general walkway use. Galvanized steel is the default. Good for 90% of industrial interior applications.
• Snap-Lock Plank: If you need something that installs without bolting down every piece. Saves time, costs a bit more per square foot.
• McNichols Eco Mesh: This is a newer option. It uses a different manufacturing process. In my experience, it's lighter but still meets high load specs. It's a good choice if weight is a concern for shipping or if the supporting structure is lighter. I used it on a mezzanine project in 2024 and the contractor commented on how much easier it was to carry.

Material matters too. Galvanized steel is the workhorse. Aluminum is for corrosive environments (but costs 2-3x more). Fiberglass (FRP) is for electrical safety areas.

Quick tip: Don't assume the cheapest option is galvanized. Sometimes a specific aluminum profile comes close in price because of manufacturing efficiencies. Price check at least two material options.

Step 3: The One Everyone Forgets—Verify Bearing Bar Direction & Side Protection

Here's the mistake that cost me an extra $1,200. I ordered grating for a platform extension. The plan view looked fine. What I didn't verify was which direction the load-bearing bars needed to run relative to the support beams.

The load-bearing bars are the deep ones. They must run perpendicular to the supports. If you order it so they run parallel, the grating has no structural strength. It's basically a mesh sheet.

This is super obvious to an engineer. It was not obvious to me as a buyer. You need to confirm:

1. Support orientation. What direction are your steel beams running?
2. Grating orientation. The bearing bars should cross the supports.
3. Ends. Do you need banding (flat bar welded across the ends) to give it a clean edge, or are the ends getting welded to the structure?

McNichols' catalog sheets show this. I now highlight it on the PDF and send it to the site foreman with a simple question: "Does this orientation match what you need?" That took me 5 minutes and saved a return shipping headache.

Step 4: Get a Quote with a Clear Lead Time & Shipping Method

This is where my experience as an administrative buyer kicks in. The quote is not just a price. It's a contract.

Things I now check before placing an order with McNichols (or any metal supplier):

• Lead time: "Standard" in the catalog is often 3-5 business days. On my project in 2024, a specific aluminum plank size was 10 business days. Always confirm.
• Shipping method: Grating is heavy. It ships via truck freight (LTL). The delivery truck will have a lift gate, but you need a dock or a forklift to offload it. I assumed a lift gate meant it could be dropped on the driveway. It can, barely. For my 2024 project, the truck had a lift gate but couldn't get close enough to the dock, and we had to hand-carry 800 lbs of steel. Not ideal.
• Partial shipments: If you're ordering for a phased project, can they ship half now, half later? Yes, but it costs more in shipping fees. Worth knowing upfront.

Per FTC guidelines (ftc.gov), claims about delivery times should be truthful, but they aren't always guarantees in a B2B context. Ask if their quoted lead time is an estimate or a guaranteed delivery date. I know 48 Hour Print guarantees their turnarounds, but for heavy fab metal, it's less common. Get it in writing regardless.

Step 5: Do a Visual Check on Delivery (The 5-Minute Inspection)

When the truck arrives, don't just sign the delivery receipt. This sounds like a pain, but it's way less of a pain than dealing with a filed claim a week later.

Here's my 5-minute checklist, which I learned the hard way after a shipment of McNichols stair treads arrived with a bent nose section:

1. Count the bundles. Does the count match the bill of lading?
2. Check for obvious damage. Bent panels, crushed edges, broken welds. With galvanized steel, look for scratches that expose raw steel (it will rust).
3. Check the cut dimensions. I carry a tape measure. Pick one piece at random. Is it the length you specified? I once received pieces that were 3 inches short. The difference was within their spec, but it didn't match my purchase order. Because I checked, we caught it before installation.
4. Confirm the finish. If you ordered Eco Mesh or a specific coating, does it look right? The texture should be consistent.

If something is wrong, note it on the delivery receipt. Write "subject to inspection" and take photos. The driver expects this. Honestly, they prefer it because it reduces disputes later.

A Few Extra Pointers

I can only speak to my context—mid-size B2B operations with predictable ordering patterns. If you're a one-person shop ordering a single panel, the calculus might be different. You might do better buying from a local metal distributor who can shear to size while you wait.

Also, this was accurate as of early 2025. The metal market changes fast. Steel prices fluctuate with tariffs and demand. Verify current pricing before budgeting.

And seriously, about that bearing bar direction—don't be like me. Double check it.