General Suggestions for Installing Trench Frames with Grating or Solid Cover

It is not practical to set trench frames in concrete without attaching the grating in the frames. Otherwise, they will not fit; they will rock and rattle. Grating bolted to its frames can be set in wood forms, and the entire floor poured at one time, however, you have to be an expert.

BUT.....

Don't bet that the grating will be straight and flush with the floor. It is difficult as to keep the grating, frames and forms from floating around every which way.

NOW, the easy way....

1. Pour your floor with block-outs.

2. Make the block-outs 8" to 20" wider than the width of the grating itself. Also, allow clearance at the ends of the trench for concrete.

3. Keep the grating bolted to the frames with the galvanized sheet metal form pan welded to the frames to insure a good job that fits well

4. Be sure the block-out is sufficiently deep to receive the form pan and its surrounding concrete.

5. Be sure the specified reinforcing steel is in place.

6. Place the assembly of grating, frames, and form pan into the block-out.

7. Next take some timber (2"x4" 's) or (4"x4" 's) and place across the width of the block-out. The timbers should be at least one foot longer than the width of the block-out. You will need two timbers per frame.

8. Cut two pieces of wire for each timber. Wire should be sufficiently strong to hold the grating and resist the vibrating of the concrete. The wire should be long enough to go around a bar of the grating and the timber with sufficient lengths on each end to hold the grate up to the timber.

9. Place some extra weight on light duty and standard heavy duty grating assemblies that have deep pans to hold them in place while the concrete is vibrated. Extra heavy duty grates are usually heavy enough to stay in place during concrete vibrating.

10. It is best to feed the concrete on both sides of the form pan. Some contractors prefer to make two placings: One, to fill the volume under the form pan, and the second to fill the two sides. It is not recommended that you take too long between the two placings.

11. Stand back and view your great job. The grating will be straight and flush with the floor.

12. When covers are used instead of grating, the only difference is that the wire will normally be looped around a frame anchor instead of the bar
of a grate. Some contractors loop the wire completely around the cover and form pan.

13. On extra heavy duty grating or very wide grating it may be necessary to lift the grating with a forklift or front end loader.

14. For EXTC Waterproof Type Trench Cover, please pay extra attention to paragraph #9 above, because the aluminum cover and frame is light weight. Also, note paragraph #12.