I Spent $890 on a McNichols Grating Mistake So You Don't Have To: A Story About Specs, Small Orders, and a Golden Opportunity

The Day I Learned What 'Grating' Really Means

It was a Tuesday in late September 2022. I was standing in my client's backyard, staring at a pile of Mcnichols metal grating that was supposed to be the centerpiece of their new outdoor shower. It was beautiful—perforated aluminum, anodized to a matte silver finish. It was also completely wrong.

The problem wasn't the material, the finish, or even the dimensions. I'd ordered 24-inch by 36-inch panels, and they were exactly 24 by 36. The issue was the opening size in the mesh. I'd specified a 1-inch by 2-inch rectangular pattern, perfect for anti-slip on industrial catwalks. For a barefoot outdoor shower, it was like ordering sandpaper.

That mistake cost $890—the materials, the rush shipping, and the embarrassment of admitting to my client that I'd messed up. It's a mistake I've never repeated, and I've since become the guy who double-checks every spec. Here's how it happened, and what I learned.

The Setup: A Simple Outdoor Shower

I've been handling commercial rebuilds for about six years. I'm not an architect or an engineer—I'm the guy who gets called when a client needs something built, and the specs need translating into actual materials. In this case, it was a high-end home in Austin, Texas. The client wanted an outdoor shower with a teak deck and a metal grating surface. He wanted it to look modern, drain quickly, and be easy to clean.

I'd used Mcnichols for industrial jobs before—catwalks, mezzanines, drainage covers. Their catalog is massive. I grabbed what I thought was the obvious choice: a standard 1x2 serrated bar grating. It's a workhorse. Strong, rated for 500 lbs per square foot, never had a callback on it. What I didn't account for was the user: bare feet.

I placed the order online, checking 'catalog #B-210' without thinking. The order confirmation from Mcnichols came back: 6 panels, 24x36 inches, plain finish. $340 for the material. Seemed right.

The Process: When You Forget Who's Standing On It

The panels arrived in four days. I was still framing the shower base, so I had them delivered to my shop. I unboxed one to check the dimensions. Fine. I leaned it against the wall and went back to work.

A week later, I was on site, fitting the panels into the frame. I knelt down to test the surface with my hand. That's when I realized. The bar grating has rounded surfaces, sure, but the openings are 90-degree edges. With a 1x2 pattern, you're walking on mostly metal and some open space. But the edges? They catch. On bare skin, that's not a grip feature—it's a pain feature.

I tried to convince myself it would be okay. 'It's an outdoor shower, you're standing on it, you've got water flowing—it'll be fine.' But I knew. I called the client. He was gracious, but firm: 'No way. My kids are going to be on this.'

So I called Mcnichols. Honestly, I was nervous. I'm not a big contractor. My total order was under $400. I expected to get a 'sorry, it shipped' attitude. Instead, the rep—I think her name was Sarah, but I'm blanking on details—said, 'That happens. We have a different pattern you should look at for barefoot applications.' She sent me to their page for 'Architectural Mesh' and recommended a 0.5-inch square opening, with a flat top surface. No sharp edges. She also asked about the environment: outdoor, drainage, and foot traffic. She was problem-solving, not upselling.

The Result: A Lesson Paid for Twice

I ordered the replacement panels—6 of the new style, plus a extra as a backup. $680 this time, plus $210 for expedited shipping because the client's timeline wasn't flexible. Total waste: $890. That's my number. I'll never forget it.

The new panels arrived. They were, of course, perfect. The 0.5-inch square mesh was comfortable, drained water fast, and looked like a premium product. The shower went in without another hitch. The client was happy. But I was out $890 for what? A 10-second spec check I could have done.

I should add that Mcnichols didn't charge me for the return on the first order. They accepted the material back, credited me $200 for the scrap value, and processed the restocking. That was surprising. For a company known for industrial orders, I expected a 'tough luck, it's a custom order' policy. Instead, they worked with me.

Since then, I've instituted a rule: for any project where the material will be in contact with bare skin, I order a sample first. Mcnichols sent me a 12x12 sample of that architectural mesh for free. It took 3 days to arrive. If I'd done that from the start, I'd have avoided the whole mess.

The Replay: What You Can Learn From My Blunder

So, what do I do differently? Three things, and they apply to anyone ordering from Mcnichols—or any vendor, for that matter.

1. Always order a sample for the 'feel' test. Specs are numbers. A sample is a handshake. Mcnichols has a free sample program. Use it. A $0 sample could save you $890.

2. Tell the vendor the end-use. I didn't tell Mcnichols this was for an outdoor shower. I just ordered a part number. If I'd said, 'This is for barefoot use on a residential shower,' Sarah would have flagged it immediately. The people at Mcnichols who answer the phone know their product lines. They want you to get it right. Let them help.

3. Don't discount your own intuition. I thought the 1x2 grating was wrong when I tested it. I had a bad feeling. I ignored it because 'that's what the spec said.' Trust the feeling. Test it. Get a second opinion. My first mistake wasn't the wrong product—it was ignoring my own doubt.

I still use Mcnichols. They're my go-to for grating. But I approach them differently now. I call before I click. I ask for recommendations. I order a sample. I treat small orders with the same respect as big ones, because a small order mistake is still a mistake that costs time and money.

And if you're thinking about using Mcnichols for an outdoor shower, pool deck, or anything people will stand on with bare feet? Order the 0.5-inch architectural mesh. Trust me on this.

A Final Note on Opportunity

My experience is based on about 50 to 60 orders from Mcnichols over the last 4 years. If you're working with their high-volume industrial division or dealing with a specialty product like their fiberglass grating, your experience might differ. I can't speak to that.

But I can tell you this: the vendors who treated my $200 orders seriously are the ones I still use for $20,000 orders. Mcnichols was one of them. They earned my trust by helping me out of a self-inflicted disaster.

So, to whoever reads this: if you're a small contractor, a homebuilder, or even just a guy building his own shower—don't be afraid of a big vendor. Ask for help. Order a sample. Make your mistakes on something that costs $0, not $890.

In the end, that $890 was a good investment. It taught me a lesson I still use. And it turned me into a loyal customer who tells people about the time Mcnichols saved me.