Category Archives: Special Projects

Special projects about decorative grates and decorative cast iron

There’s no such thing as the best brewery drain.

brewery drains, trench drains for breweries, brewery floor drains

A craft or microbrewery is a labor of love. Just as with the mash tun and fermentation vessels, owners want the best brewery drain for their brewhouse. If you are a brewer – or even a contractor planning a brewery construction – you understand that big decisions are made at every stage of construction. One of […]

Cast Metal Grating in Singapore Trench Drains

singapore trench drains, singapore cast grating, singapore drainage systems,

Last year I reported on common designs for bar grating found in Singapore but not necessarily the United States. Now, over a year later, I want to discuss the cast metal grating I saw during my visit. I personally prefer cast metal grating over bar or sheet metal grating. Part of this is prejudice because […]

The Skinny on Slot Drain

trench drain system, slot drain system, trenchdrain, iron grating, trench drain grates

Slot drains are a growing segment of the drainage market, but they haven’t broken into popular use – in America at least. Compared to trench drain systems, little is known about this type of drainage system. There are a few slot drain systems in the American market. More likely, trench drain manufacturers offer accessories that […]

Contractor Builds Stairs out of Cast Iron Grating

cast iron grates, cast iron drain grates, trench drain grates, iron drain grates, cast iron trench grating

Check out this beautiful south Hollywood stairwell constructed by Agave Designs, a creative construction company based in Los Angeles, California that primarily works with design firms. After speaking with the project designers, project manager Chris Walters and his boss constructed this South Hollywood nightclub stairwell using leather belts and 6” wide cast iron grates to […]

Made in America: POLYCAST® Trench Drain

polycast drain, poly drain, polymer concrete drain, polycast trench drain, 600 series, poly 600, polycast 600

POLYCAST® is a leading American manufacturer of polymer concrete trench drains and high volume fiberglass drainage systems. Started in Fargo, North Dakota almost 32 years ago, POLYCAST® grew its line of drainage products and became an instrumental part of the U.S. trench drain industry. The company’s product offerings recently expanded after Hubbell, a multinational company headquartered […]

Singapore Trench Drain: Not Your Average Bar Grating

flat steel grating, steel hinged grating, steel bar grates

Hinged bar grating is cool, but it’s not offered in the United States. The ability to open a drain for cleaning (which this drain needs) is essential. If drain grates are locked into place with a locking mechanism or if the grates are the bolt-down style, opening the drain becomes more problematic. But when the […]

Visiting Singapore: A Look at Bar Grating

Singapore skyline, singapore trench drain, asian trench drain, bar grating, trench drain bar grate

The climate is always warm and wet in Singapore, a small island nation in Southeast Asia with a bustling economy and a diverse and growing population. Geographically, Singapore is located 3 degrees north of the equator at the intersection of some pretty old trading routes. Singapore receives over 90 inches of rainfall a year. (Compare […]

Horse Barn Drain Install – Econodrain #4

Removing Econodrain form

In this case, a drain was previously installed and deemed later to be inadequate for several reasons. The owners decided to replace the old drain with a product called Econodrain #4. This trench drain system is formed and utilizes a disposable foam mold to shape the channel in concrete. Using a trench forming system is […]

Trench Drain Sightings at Kauffman (Royal) Stadium – Kansas City, MO

I was in Kansas City on business, but it would have to wait. It had been 10 years since I had been to a professional baseball game and even longer since I had been to a game in my hometown of Kansas City, Missouri. The Oakland A’s, an old rival of the Kansas City Royals, […]

Planter Stand made from Iron Age Stair Step

painted iron grates, decorative painted grates,

Meet the 12” x 20” Locust grate by Iron Age Designs.  This grate is made for custom Iron Age frames and is typically used in suspended walkways and stairs. We had a sample available and brainstormed about innovative ways to use trench drain grates. Ultimately, we decided to custom paint the grate and use it as […]