How to Order McNichols Plank Grating: A Buyer's Checklist (Without the Headaches)

If you're an office administrator who just got handed the task of ordering 'McNichols plank grating' and you're not a structural engineer, this checklist is for you. I've been placing orders for industrial products since 2020, managing relationships with 8 vendors and handling 60–80 orders a year. I report to both operations and finance, so I feel the pain when a PO is late or the invoice doesn't match.

This is a practical, seven-step walkthrough for getting McNichols plank grating ordered correctly the first time. No theory—just what I've learned from about 200 orders, including the ones that went sideways.

Step 1: Nail Down the Exact Product Specs

Plank grating is not one SKU. It comes in different materials (galvanized steel, aluminum, stainless), different plank depths, and different bar spacings. When you call McNichols co, they'll ask about bearing requirements, width, length, and the type of installation.

If you don't know the specs, start with the original PO or the engineer's drawing. From the outside, it looks like grating is grating—the reality is that a 2-inch-deep plank handles very different loads than a 4-inch-deep one. I once had to eat a $1,800 reorder because the depth on the spec was 3/16 inch when it should have been 1/4 inch. So measure twice, order once.

Step 2: Evaluate the Site Conditions

Is the grating going over a trench, a drain, or a raised platform? Will it be walked on by people or driven over by a forklift? Site conditions drive the surface treatment. You may need serrated (anti-slip) grating or a heavier load class.

Take photos. Write down the opening dimensions. Note whether it's an interior or exterior application. One question that most buyers skip: 'What is the drainage requirement?' We learned that the hard way in a parking-area trench cover that had no slotted openings for water. The reorder cost us two weeks.

Step 3: Decide If You Need Custom Fabrication

A standard plank grating panel can ship quickly. But once you need cut-to-size panels, edge banding, or welded treads, you're talking about a fabricated product. McNichols has a fairly fast fabrication operation, but it still takes time.

Don't assume the 3-day lead time for stock items applies to custom work. I'm not 100% sure of current lead times across all their plants—they've shifted since 2021—so ask upfront. And always confirm whether the fabrication tolerance works for your opening. (Should mention: most tolerances are around 1/8 inch, which is fine for most jobs.)

Step 4: Ask for Load Documentation and Certifications

Here's something admin buyers don't think about: the engineering department won't approve the material without documentation. You need load tables, product data sheets, and maybe material certifications. If the supplier can't provide those, your project will stall.

The question everyone asks is 'what's your price?' The question you should ask is 'what's included with the material to get it approved by an engineer?' It's easier to request the documents upfront than to chase them later.

Step 5: Get the Delivery Date in Writing—And Pay for Certainty

This is the step where I've changed my thinking over the years. When I first started in procurement, I'd pick the vendor with the lowest quote and the most optimistic ship date. After getting burned twice by 'probably on time' promises, I now budget for guaranteed delivery when the project has a hard deadline.

In March 2024, we paid $400 extra for rush delivery on a custom-run order. The alternative was missing a $15,000 event installation. I'm not saying you should always pick the rush option—only that you should consciously decide how much the certainty is worth.

From the outside, it looks like expediting just means the supplier works faster. The reality is that true rush orders require reserved manufacturing slots and inventory allocation. If a vendor says 'we'll try to get it there,' that's not a date. Ask them to quote a guaranteed delivery window. For deadline-critical work, I'd rather pay a premium than sit at a site with a crew and no grating.

Step 6: Get an Itemized Quote, Not Just a Price Per Panel

Grating is sold by the piece or by weight, but the total cost includes more than the base price. There's freight, possible cutting fees, banding, paperwork, and sales tax. Some suppliers list these separately; some hide them. I've seen a quote that was 30% lower than a competitor's, but after shipping it ended up 10% higher.

Ask for a full line-item quote: material, fabrication, freight, and estimated lead time. Then compare on total cost, not piece price. That's the 'total cost of ownership' idea, and it's saved us from a few expensive mistakes.

Step 7: Check the Order Confirmation and Verify Invoicing

When the confirmation arrives, check part numbers and quantities against your PO. I've caught wrong thicknesses and missing edge bands more than once. Also—if you're a smaller company—make sure the vendor can issue a proper invoice with a purchase order number.

In 2021, I ordered from a brand-new supplier because their price saved us 15%. They delivered, but the invoice was handwritten scraps. Finance rejected the expense, and the cost came out of my department budget. Now I verify invoicing capability before placing any order.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Most buyers focus on per-unit price and miss the 30–50% of extras hiding in shipping, setup, or rework. The way I see it, a low quote only helps if it survives a line-item review.

Another error is waiting until the last minute to order custom grating. It almost always needs fabrication time. If you're already under the gun, call the sales rep and ask about expediting. But expect to pay a premium—it's the price of certainty.

Finally, take this with a grain of salt: my experience is based on mid-size commercial projects, not massive industrial installations like refineries or petrochemical plants. Those jobs involve much stricter engineering specifications. This checklist is a starting point, not a substitute for a qualified engineer.

If you landed here while searching for a check valve or sound proofing panels—that's not what this article covers. McNichols is a metal products distributor, not a valve manufacturer. They do carry various perforated and acoustic-style panels, but plank grating is the structural backbone. And if you were actually wondering 'how much do door dashers make'... I can't help you there.