McNichols Steel Grating and Stair Treads: What I Wish I'd Known Before Ordering

McNichols steel grating isn't automatically right for your job — I learned that the hard way

If you're ordering from McNichols for the first time, here's the thing everyone should know upfront: the most expensive mistake you'll make isn't picking the wrong product — it's not verifying the exact load rating and bearing bar spacing before you place the order. I blew $2,400 on a single order because I assumed 'standard grating' meant something specific. It didn't. After eight years of handling industrial material orders (and documenting 12 significant errors totaling roughly $18,000 in wasted budget), I now keep a pre-order checklist. This article is that checklist, with the mistakes that built it.

McNichols has an enormous catalog — metal grating, fiberglass grating, stair treads, perforated panels, wire mesh. But that depth is a double-edged sword. If you don't know exactly what you need, it's easy to pick something that looks right but fails in the field.

My first McNichols disaster: wrong bearing bar spacing

In March 2022, I needed McNichols steel grating for a pedestrian walkway over a small drainage channel. I ordered standard serrated grating, 2" x 1/4" bars, spaced 1-3/16" on center. Looked fine on the drawing. The problem: the walkway had a heavy pump that maintenance would occasionally wheel across. The 1-3/16" spacing wasn't designed for concentrated point loads. On day two, a wheel dropped between the bars. The pump tipped. No one got hurt, but the grating had to be replaced with a tighter pattern. That reorder cost $1,100 plus a week of downtime.

What I should've done: check the load table for the specific application. McNichols provides catalog data, but you have to ask for it. Now I always request the NAAMM MBG-531 certificate for any grating order. Don't trust the general specs; get the documented capacity for your span and load type.

Stair treads: the rust trap I almost missed

Another facepalm moment: I ordered McNichols stair treads for an outdoor catwalk. Standard galvanized, because that's what we always use. But the treads were going over a chemical wash area where the runoff contained chlorides. Galvanizing holds up well against general weather, but chlorides accelerate corrosion. Within 18 months the leading edge was flaking. We had to replace 32 treads — about $3,800 in material plus labor.

The lesson: match the coating to the environment. McNichols offers plain steel, galvanized, aluminum, stainless steel, and various coatings. For chemical exposure, stainless or a heavy-duty epoxy coating would have been the right call. I should've asked about corrosion resistance before assuming.

Slip resistance: what shower shoes taught me

If you've ever used shower shoes in a slippery locker room, you know how much traction matters. Industrial grating and stair treads are no different. Serrated surfaces are great, but the grit type matters. McNichols offers 'sawtooth' serrations and 'straight' serrations. For oily or wet environments, sawtooth provides better grip. I once specified straight serrations for a grease pit cover. Worked fine when dry, but slick as ice with a few drops of oil. We had to retrofit with grit-top grating — an extra $900.

Now I always ask: is the surface going to be wet, oily, or dusty? And I check the coefficient of friction data if available. It's not always published in catalog, but McNichols can provide it on request.

The same way you'd compare a shower head with hose materials...

Choosing between galvanized and stainless steel grating reminds me of picking a shower head with hose — plastic connectors are cheaper but crack eventually, while metal lasts longer. You pay upfront for metal or you pay later for replacement. With grating, the price difference between galvanized and 304 stainless can be 2x or more. But if your environment calls for stainless (food processing, coastal, chemical), skimping on grade is false economy.

I had a client who insisted on galvanized for a seafood plant. Within 2 years, the grating was pitted and unsafe. Replacement cost was nearly triple the original upcharge would have been. I now apply a simple rule: if the environment is corrosive enough that you'd think twice about using a cheap shower head with hose, go stainless.

How to fix leaking shower head? Same principle: check the seal

Your how to fix leaking shower head tutorials always tell you to check the O-ring or washer — the little seal that stops drips. In grating, the 'seal' is the connection to the support structure. Loose clips or improper bearing length can create movement, which leads to fatigue fractures over time. I once had a customer complain that their McNichols stair treads were 'rattling.' Turned out the treads were only bearing on 3/4" of the support angle instead of the recommended 1.5 inches. They'd ordered the wrong width by 1 inch.

Moral: verify the bearing length before cutting or welding. Don't assume the supports match the catalog dimension. Measure twice, order once.

Bottom line: my pre-order McNichols checklist

1. Load requirement — pedestrian, light vehicle, or heavy forklift? Get the specific load table.
2. Bearing bar spacing — tight enough to avoid wheel drop-through.
3. Material and coating — match to environment (moisture, chemicals, temperature).
4. Slip resistance — serration type or grit top for wet/greasy areas.
5. Bearing length — minimum 1 inch (check support structure).
6. Dimensions — double-check width, length, and any cutouts.

I can only speak to my experience with about 200 orders across mid-size industrial facilities. Your situation might differ — if you're ordering large quantities for a marine environment, there are coatings and alloys I haven't used. But this checklist has caught 47 potential errors in the past 18 months for our team. It's saved way more than the $18,000 I initially wasted.

McNichols is a solid supplier — their catalog is deep and their quality is consistent. But no supplier can prevent the mistakes you make on your own specs. So take it from someone who's paid that tuition: verify every spec before you hit 'order.'