Metal Cross Channel Drains

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lambic

lambic

Well-Known Member
Hopefully someone has some advice

Installed some allegedly high quality reinforced plastic cross channel drains last year. Not really happy with their appearance or long term durability. This for drainage purposes only.

Want to replace with a very simple metal cross channel drain, almost like a mini cattle grid, less than 10cm wide and 10cm deep by around 3m.

Dont want to do any maintenance with coatings etc and needs to take weight if cars, oil tankers and 16t stone wagons.

Should I be looking at iron or steel for longevity ?

A simple U section with welded rods as a grid ?

I'll need to find a fabricator but hopefully very simple .

Cheers. Metalwork is not my area of expertise
 
Can you get hold of some Armco barrier from a motorway? Seems to work OK and is quite robust.
 
lambic said:
Hopefully someone has some advice

Installed some allegedly high quality reinforced plastic cross channel drains last year. Not really happy with their appearance or long term durability. This for drainage purposes only.

Want to replace with a very simple metal cross channel drain, almost like a mini cattle grid, less than 10cm wide and 10cm deep by around 3m.

Dont want to do any maintenance with coatings etc and needs to take weight if cars, oil tankers and 16t stone wagons.

Should I be looking at iron or steel for longevity ?

A simple U section with welded rods as a grid ?

I'll need to find a fabricator but hopefully very simple .

Cheers. Metalwork is not my area of expertise
Click to expand...
You won't find H duty channel or U section with those dimensions 100x100 (100x50 is common) but a fabricator will have no problem welding a piece of flat bar on top or (I would weld a deeper piece on the outside then add the bars, if you have it galvanized and if it is stitch welded then a good chance it will bleed rust in the gaps which are not welded. He should warn you it could bow a bit!
This was a foot traffic version as they re cast the gully and wanted a non size cover.
Tim.243

Thread 'Before & After'

All the gully's around this farm have a ledge cast in the pour so the gully frame can sit on it...
Not this time!!
Made in sections so easy to handle ( make and fit) Farmer came over as I was measuring up a job after fitting them.
Very nice Tim, I suppose that will reflect in the bill...!! Yes Charles.. :tiphat: He laughed and walked back in his office.
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lambic said:
Hopefully someone has some advice

Installed some allegedly high quality reinforced plastic cross channel drains last year. Not really happy with their appearance or long term durability. This for drainage purposes only.

Want to replace with a very simple metal cross channel drain, almost like a mini cattle grid, less than 10cm wide and 10cm deep by around 3m.

Dont want to do any maintenance with coatings etc and needs to take weight if cars, oil tankers and 16t stone wagons.

Should I be looking at iron or steel for longevity ?

A simple U section with welded rods as a grid ?

I'll need to find a fabricator but hopefully very simple .

Cheers. Metalwork is not my area of expertise
Click to expand...
The steeper the gradient the wider the H beam needs to be or the channel gets overwhelmed with debris very quickly in heavy downpours. I live at the top of 2 miles of steep dirt track and spend a good chunk of my life clearing channels before storms. Happy to chat if you DM me.
 
Thanks gents.

It is relatively shallow gradients, so flow is not too great. It is slow and steady during the wetter months. You know how it is with clay soils. It would catch Overland flow and also a small pond overflow.

A 100mm x 50mm section would be enough I think.

I guessing the H & U sections only come in steel ?

How thick steel should I look at to make sure if lasts 30 years or more ?
 
lambic said:
Thanks gents.

It is relatively shallow gradients, so flow is not too great. It is slow and steady during the wetter months. You know how it is with clay soils. It would catch Overland flow and also a small pond overflow.

A 100mm x 50mm section would be enough I think.

I guessing the H & U sections only come in steel ?

How thick steel should I look at to make sure if lasts 30 years or more ?
Click to expand...
100x50 will only be 44 inside but easy to make and galvanize also only 3m. just ring a local fab shop as they will be making it!
www.metals4u.co.uk

100mm x 50mm x 10 Steel Channel | metals4U

100mm x 50mm x 10 Steel Channel
www.metals4u.co.uk www.metals4u.co.uk
www.metals4u.co.uk

125mm x 65mm x 15 Steel Channel | metals4U

125mm x 65mm x 15 Steel Channel
www.metals4u.co.uk www.metals4u.co.uk
 
Dare I ask what the cast iron was per metre ?

The Mrs thinks the plastic is fine, but it annoys me because I installed it
 
Channel steel or just form a channel in the concrete we have done this before and works well to turn water away.
 
Form it in concrete if you can. This is one i did the other month for a larder floor.

if you want it to be rated for heavy load, the gratings/castings/ACO type channel, will need to be Cat C rated at least, ideally cat D.
 

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Spoke to my local mechanic, who is good with a welder. He seems happy enough to do a bit of welding.

Think I'll buy a thick U section (maybe 10mm thick steel and perhaps 100mm wide and 50mm deep) then get him to weld some plate and bars to form some kind of grid. Then have supports every half metre on the grid. Sound sensible ?

Doubt he can do the galvanising though.

Then I will split some stones and cut to make block work and mortar the block work either side of the metal gulley. Should look reasonably tidy.

Am I missing anything ?
 
wellyboot said:
Form it in concrete if you can. This is one i did the other month for a larder floor.

if you want it to be rated for heavy load, the gratings/castings/ACO type channel, will need to be Cat C rated at least, ideally cat D.
Click to expand...
The plastic stuff I installed last year was C250, think it was maybe German and began with a H.
 
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