Composite steel grating is a type of cover plate product. It is made up of a checkered plate with a sealed surface and a steel grating that has a certain load - bearing capacity. 

Compound steel grating — also called checkered plate grating or composite steel grating — is a dual-layer panel structure: a welded steel bar grating base provides structural load-bearing capacity and span capability, while a hot-pressed checkered plate welded on top creates a fully sealed, slip-resistant walking surface. The result is a panel that delivers the strength of open bar grating with the safety and containment properties of solid plate flooring — at significantly lower material weight and cost than solid steel plate alone.

Canri manufactures compound steel grating direct from our Hebei factory.Prevent small objects from falling with our secure compound steel grating, featuring a checkered plate overlay.

How Compound Steel Grating Is Constructed

The Base Layer: Steel Bar Grating

Any standard welded bar grating type can serve as the structural base. The three most commonly specified base configurations for compound steel grating are:

JG323/40/100 (G323/40/100C)
The most widely used base type. 32mm × 3mm bearing bars at 40mm pitch, 100mm cross bar pitch. Provides a balanced combination of load capacity and material efficiency. This is the Canri default base configuration for standard compound grating panels.

JG253/30/100 (G253/30/100C)
25mm × 3mm bearing bars at 30mm pitch. Closer bearing bar spacing provides higher surface rigidity and better support for the top plate — recommended when the checkered plate thickness is 3mm and spans are medium.

JG323/60/100 (G323/60/100C)
32mm × 3mm bearing bars at 60mm pitch. Wider bar spacing reduces panel weight and material cost. Suitable for shorter spans or applications where weight reduction is a project priority.

Other base grating types can be specified on request. Canri's technical team can advise on the optimal base configuration for your load condition and span.

The Top Layer: Checkered Plate

The checkered (checker / chequer) plate is a carbon steel or stainless steel sheet with a raised embossed pattern — willow leaf, diamond, or lentil pattern — that provides slip resistance without requiring additional surface treatment.

Standard checkered plate thickness: 3mm
This is the universal default for compound steel grating in standard industrial and platform applications. It provides sufficient rigidity to resist footfall deformation while keeping panel weight manageable.

Optional thicknesses: 4mm, 5mm, 6mm
Heavier plate is specified when:

• The base grating has wider bar spacing (60mm+), requiring the plate to bridge larger unsupported spans

• The application involves rolling equipment (trolleys, carts) where 3mm plate would flex under point load

• The environment involves impact loads (dropped tools, material handling)

• The project specification requires a stiffer floor feel

Welding and Fabrication

Bearing bars and cross bars of the base grating are resistance-welded at every intersection. The checkered plate is then positioned flat on top of the base grating and welded along all bearing bar contact lines, typically using continuous fillet welds or spot welds at each bearing bar. The weld density and method can be specified to project requirements.

Edge banding (flat bar perimeter frame) is applied to all open-cut panel edges, providing a clean finish and protecting the cut edges of both the grating bars and the checkered plate from deformation or snagging.

Compound Steel Grating vs. Open Steel Grating — Which to Choose?

This is the decision most buyers face. The answer is application-driven:

Key Advantages of Compound Steel Grating

Sealed Surface — Object Fall-Through Prevention

Superior Anti-Slip Performance

High Load Capacity with Reduced Material Use

Liquid Containment and Controlled Drainage

Versatility — Multiple Surface Configurations

Lower Total Cost vs. Solid Plate

Compared to specifying solid chequer plate on full-section structural members, compound steel grating reduces:

• Material weight (and therefore freight cost)

• Foundation and structural support load

• Material cost per unit area (less total steel than equivalent solid plate)

• Installation labor (lighter panels require fewer workers and less equipment)

Why Source Compound Steel Grating from Canri?

Factory-direct, no trading company markup
All compound steel grating is manufactured in our own Hebei production facility. You deal directly with the manufacturer — no middlemen, direct quality control, and manufacturer pricing.

Full base grating + checkered plate fabrication in-house
We manufacture both the grating base and weld the checkered plate top in the same facility, under a single quality control process. We do not assemble compound panels from separately sourced components.

Surface treatment in-house
Hot-dip galvanizing, powder coating, and electro-galvanizing are performed in-house. No outsourcing of surface treatment means consistent quality and faster lead times.

Custom panel fabrication as standard
Custom dimensions, drainage cutouts, lifting handles, edge frame configurations, and non-standard checkered plate patterns are available without minimum order penalties on most configurations.

Export documentation
Material test certificates, mill reports, packing lists, and commercial shipping documentation for international buyers across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Australia.

Composite steel grating is characterized by its high strength, lightweight structure, firmly welded joints, hassle - free maintenance, appealing appearance, and long service life.

Composite steel grating is mostly used in situations where high load-bearing capacity is required and small items are not allowed to fall.

Composite steel grating is widely used in cement plants, municipal engineering, sewage treatment plants, environmental engineering, including platforms, walkways, trestles, manhole covers, well covers and other places.