frp structural shapes | fiberglass grating

What are Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Structural Shapes, and what are they used for?

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FRP I-Beam
FRP I-Beams were used in this restaurant as it looks great and compliments the beautiful design.

FRP Structural Shapes are Beam, Angle, Channel, Plate, Rod, Tube and other Custom Shapes/Sizes made with pultruded Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic instead of traditional materials like steel. This gives them certain advantages that are similar to our Molded and Pultruded FRP Grating.

At National Grating we don’t just sell FRP, we sell FRP solutions. Part of that offering is in the form of FRP Structural Shapes like Fiberglass Beam, Fiberglass Angle and Fiberglass Tube. On this page we will go over what these FRP products are, and what they are used for.

National Grating FRP Structural Shapes

Benefits of FRP Structural Shapes from National Grating:

Corrosion resistant: FRP won’t rot, rust, or corrode.

Strong, yet lightweight: Choosing FRP ensures savings on transportation and installation costs, since heavy duty equipment is seldom needed.

Virtually maintenance-free: Durable and weather-resistant for a longer life cycle.

Fire-retardant and nonconductive: Creates a safer environment free of electrocutions and fire related injuries.

Dimensionally stable: Won’t shrink, swell, warp, or bow.

Highly consistent: Strength, appearance, and quality are the same from piece to piece.

Easy to fabricate and install: FRP can be cut, drilled and assembled with standard tools and is lightweight, eliminating the need for heavy duty construction equipment.

Non-leaching: Does not require environmentally hazardous preservatives to maintain visual integrity.

Fast turnaround: Most in-stock orders are shipped within the next business day.

What are FRP Structural Shapes used for?

lightweight FRP I-Beam
FRP Shapes are Lightweight! Pictured here is an FRP I-Beam at 6″ x 3″ x 3/8″ x 26.25′ weighing in at only 49 Lbs!

• Industrial and Commercial Settings: FRP shapes are employed in industrial and commercial settings for applications such as railings and ladder systems. They offer durability and resistance to corrosion, making them suitable for heavy-duty use.

• General Construction: The lightweight yet durable nature of FRP shapes makes them suitable for general construction applications where a high strength-to-weight ratio is required.
FRP shapes can be used in various structural applications to provide long-lasting, corrosion-resistant solutions.  They are often utilized to reinforce wooden structures, strengthen columns and beams, and retrofit structures for seismic resistance.

• Structural Engineering: FRP profiles such as tubes, rods, channels, and angles, are used in structural engineering applications for new construction, as well as for reinforcing and strengthening existing structures.
They are employed in the construction of beams, columns, walls, and façade systems due to their high strength, lightweight nature, and corrosion resistance.

• Seismic Retrofitting: FRP shapes are utilized for seismic retrofitting to enhance the resistance of structures to earthquakes.
They are applied to increase the seismic resistance of concrete columns, beams, walls, and floors, thereby improving the overall strength and durability of the structures.

• Infrastructure Components: FRP shapes find application in the construction of various infrastructure components such as tanks, manhole covers, and bridge rehabilitation.
Their resistance to chemicals, durability, and low-maintenance properties makes them ideal for infrastructure applications.

FRP Ladder C-Channel
Here, C-Channel FRP Beams are used for the safety cage of this ladder while square FRP tubing is used for the construction of the ladder.

• Corrosive Environments: Fiberglass structural shapes are well-suited for use in corrosive environments, such as in the chemical processing industry, water treatment plants, and marine applications, due to their excellent corrosion resistance. Water parks and theme parks utilize FRP structures and grating for its ability to stand up to chlorinated water without rotting or corroding.

• Electrical and Telecommunications: Fiberglass I-beams and C-channels are non-conductive, making them suitable for use in applications where electrical currents or electromagnetic interference are a concern, such as in telecommunications infrastructure.

• Safety Applications: FRP Structural shapes are popular in safety industry applications such as ladders, safety cages, safety railings, and platforms due to their light weight and strong nature.

FRP Structural Shapes Sizes, Shapes and Colors from National Grating

All standard FRP Structural shapes come in 20’ lengths, SPFR resin, and grey color.

Other options, sizes and colors are available upon request.

A shipment full of grey FRP square tube, C-Channel and Angle.

National Grating Customer Service

National Grating prides itself on providing exceptional customer service to all customers, big and small.

Reach out to us today for your next FRP Project!

Sales@NationalGrating.com / 1-844-599-0260

National Grating Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Grating Solutions:

structural FRP I-beam
FRP I-Beams were used as structural building material for the construction of a warehouse.

national grating frp stair

Fiberglass FRP Stair Tread Covers Revitalize Old Stairs

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metal stairs
Before: These unsightly metal stairs needed improvement. FRP Stair Tread Covers were the perfect solution!

Fiberglass FRP Stair Tread Covers easily install over existing metal, wood or concrete stairs to instantly improve safety, usability, visibility, and aesthetics.

National Grating recently assisted a small business in Ontario to revitalize their old steps with Fiberglass FRP Stair Tread Covers.  The outdoor staircase provides access to the Yoga Studio on the second level of the building.  The old stairs were rusting and becoming unsightly and hazardous.  Fiberglass FRP Stair Tread Covers were easily installed over the existing metal stairs.

Entrances are the first impression for customers approaching your business.  The unsightly stairs leading to the Yoga Studio not only provide access to clients, but they are also the first thing people see before they enter the business and the last thing they see when they leave. The rusting, old stairs looked terrible and presented a bad first impression for clients. The Yoga Studio decided it was time for an update!  New National Grating Fiberglass Stair Treads cover up old stairs without need for a new rebuild, while providing added safety through bright yellow nosing and a grippy anti slip coating. 

People use FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic) stair tread covers for several reasons, including safety, durability, and ease of installation. FRP stair tread covers are known for their non-slip properties, which enhance safety on stairs. They are lightweight, making them easy to install, and fiberglass-reinforced plastic is durable and resistant to corrosion, making it a suitable material for enhancing stair safety.

metal stairs
Before: Outdoor Metal Grating staircases rust and corrode. FRP Plate is another perfect solution to cover up unsightly metal with a grippy top.

Fiberglass FRP Stair tread covers from National Grating have been widely installed over metal, wooden, and concrete stairs with ease.

FRP Stair Tread Cover Benefits

The benefits of using FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic) stair tread covers over traditional materials include:

  • Safety: FRP stair tread covers are known for their non-slip properties, which enhance safety on stairs.
  • Durability: Fiberglass-reinforced plastic is durable and resistant to corrosion, making it a suitable material for enhancing industrial stair safety.
  • Ease of Installation: FRP stair tread covers are lightweight, making them easy to install.
  • Versatility: They can be used on various surfaces such as step ladders, concrete, wood, and metal stairwells.
  • Cost-Effectiveness: They can cover worn-out or outdated steps, saving money by avoiding the need for expensive rebuilds.
national grating frp stair treads
Fiberglass FRP Stair Tread Covers create a beautiful finished product.

Overall, the use of Fiberglass stair tread covers offers advantages in terms of safety, durability, ease of installation, versatility, and cost-effectiveness compared to traditional materials.

FRP Stair Tread Cover Applications

FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic) stair tread covers have various applications due to their beneficial properties. Some of the common applications include:

  • Interior and Exterior Use: FRP stair tread covers are suitable for both interior and exterior applications, making them versatile for use in different settings.
  • Industrial Settings: They are used in industrial settings to enhance safety on stairs, walkways, and platforms, especially in heavy traffic areas where anti-slip surfaces are essential.
  • Outdoor Walkways: FRP stair tread covers are ideal for outdoor walkways due to their anti-slip surfaces, providing an important safety feature in areas with heavy foot traffic.
  • Various Substrates: They can be used on a variety of substrates such as concrete, wood, stone, metal, and brick stairs, making them suitable for different types of stairwells.
  • Safety Enhancement: These covers are designed to reduce accidents caused by slips and falls, making them a practical and affordable solution for protecting steps.
national grating frp solutions
Fiberglass FRP Stair Tread Covers are attractive and functional.

FRP stair tread covers are widely used in industrial, outdoor, and indoor settings to improve safety, protect steps, and provide anti-slip surfaces on various substrates.

How to Install FRP Stair Tread Covers

To install FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic) stair tread covers over metal stairs, the following general steps can be followed:

  • Contact National Grating to speak with an experienced individual to help you make the best decision. 
  • Measure: Take measurements of the stair treads so the National Grating fabrication team can size your stair tread covers for a perfect fit.  Assess how many stair tread covers you require.
  • Preparation: Ensure that the metal stairs are clean, dry, and free from any debris or protrusions that could affect the installation.
  • Attachment: Use stainless steel or zinc plated saddle clips and domed or flat head bolts suitable in length for the depth of the FRP tread covers. Pre-drill the FRP to the proper hole size for the screws being used.
  • Installation: Pre-position the FRP covers in place to ensure the fit, then install screws about 6 inches from the ends of the piece, and additional screws every 2 feet as needed.
how to install fiberglass frp stair tread covers
A large washer with a nut and bolt is used here to securely hold the FRP Stair Tread to the existing metal step.

Once installed, ensure that the covers are securely and firmly attached and provide a non-slip surface for safe use before opening to the public.

how to install frp fiberglass stairs
Above the stair treads a flat head bolt is used to create a flat walking surface.

Other Fiberglass FRP Stair Options from National Grating

Fiberglass FRP Stair Treads

fiberglass frp stair tread
Fiberglass FRP Stair Treads are made from molded FRP with a heavy duty nosing section that can be marked yellow for added safety. The grated design is perfect for outdoor application as water, ice and snow simply falls through for no buildup or maintenance

National Grating also has full FRP Molded Stair Treads for situations when the existing stair needs to be replaced or for new staircase construction. 

Fiberglass stairs are the best solution for outdoor anti-slip stairs. They outlast traditional building materials and are easy to install. Stair treads made of FRP grating are lightweight, easy to fabricate, and highly durable.

Fiberglass stair treads are available as molded FRP treads with yellow nosings and a gritted top surface for all weather grip, for the ultimate in safety. Non-slip stair treads are corrosion resistant and lightweight.

Fiberglass stairs can be fabricated from fiberglass grating, which opens up the options enormously for color, resin, grit, mesh size, and whether molded fiberglass grating or pultruded FRP grating is more suitable.

Fiberglass FRP Railing

Fiberglass Railing Systems are a natural accompaniment to fiberglass stairs for corrosive environments – all components will outlast and outperform steel, stainless steel, wood, or other traditional materials.

FRP railing is non-conductive and in cold environments does not become cold to the touch like metal.

Fiberglass FRP Plate

FRP Plate for stairs walkways
FRP Plate can be easily fitted over old metal or steel stairs and walkways to provide a solid, grippy surface.

Fiberglass Plate is a large sheet of FRP that comes in a variety of colors with an anti slip, grippy coating. FRP plate is perfect to cover unsightly landings and platforms with a solid anti slip surface.

FRP Plate comes in thicknesses ranging from 1/8″ to 3/4″ and various resin systems. Plate can be installed on fiberglass grating, metal or concrete, for heavy loads and complete flooring system with all the benefits of fiberglass reinforced panels.

National Grating Customer Service

National Grating prides itself on providing exceptional customer service to all customers, big and small.

Reach out to us today for your next FRP Project!

Sales@NationalGrating.com / 1-844-599-0260

National Grating FRP for World Trade Centre New York

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National Grating Supplies FRP Structural Shapes for WTC Transportation Hub

Reaching three levels underground, the 800,000-square-foot World Trade Center transportation hub will link the PATH trains with Hudson River ferries to New Jersey, and 11 city subway lines. Hundreds of workers are busy around the clock building the nearly $4 billion steel-concrete-and-glass structure, set to open in 2015.

world-trade-center-transportation-hub frp structural shapes by National Grating

WTC Transportation Hub Construction

 

Through New York based Broad Construction National Grating supplied FRP structural shapes used in building the Transportation Hub.

Currently under construction are the two wing-like sections forming the East-West Connector, to be separated by a special feature: a skylight that will open like a huge eye.. On each Sept. 11, this “oculus” will be aligned so direct sunlight will shine through the glass at 10:28 a.m.—the time when the second tower collapsed in 2001, according to the article.

Towering over the hub is One World Trade Center, the centerpiece of the rebuilt 16-acre trade center site. And right above the complex lies the 9/11 Memorial plaza with its reflecting pools.

National Grating is pleased that our FRP structural shapes are part of this important facility.

Bulk and Wholesale Discounts Available on Large Orders

Contact Our Industry-Leading Service Dept for Quotes and Support

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Our frp structural shapes ship across America, including New York City.

All our frp structural shapes meet required frp specs Fast Delivery via our Superior Logistics Network

National Grating provides frp structural shapes to ALL major cities including:

Texas: Houston, Dallas / Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, Arlington, Dallas, and Brownsville
New York: Buffalo, Rochester, Monroe, Yonkers, Westchester, Syracuse, and Albany.
Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Reading, Scranton, and Bethlehem
California: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, and Oakland
Florida: Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and St. Petersburg
Illinois: Chicago , Aurora, Rockford , Joliet , Naperville, Springfield , Peoria, and Elgin
Ohio: Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo, Akron, Dayton , Parma , Canton, and Youngstown
Georgia: Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, Savanna, Athens, Sandy Springs, and Roswell
Nort Carolina: Charlotte, Raleigh , Greensboro , Durham , Winston-Salem , Fayetteville , and Cary
Michigan: Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren , Sterling Heights, Lansing Eaton & Ingham , and Ann Arbor
New Jersey: Newark , Jersey City, Paterson, Elizabeth, Edison, Woodbridge, and Lakewood
Virginia: Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Richmond, Newport News, Alexandria, Hampton
Massachusetts: Boston, Worcester, Providence, Springfield, Bridgeport, New Haven, Hartford
Indiana: Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, South Bend, Carmel, Fishers, Bloomington, Hammond

We can ship frp structural shapes within 2 business days to the following Locations:
Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Phoenix, Tucson, Scottsdale, Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, St. Louis, Kansas City, Baltimore Annapolis, Frederick, Birmingham, Mobile, Huntsville, Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, Colorado Springs, Bolder, Fort Collins, Columbia, Charleston, Mount Pleasant, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Louisville, Lexington, Frankfort, Portland, Eugene, Bend, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman, Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, Des Moines, Cedar Rapid,

Iowa City, Jackson, Biloxi, Gulfport, Waterbury, Roanoke, Gary, Little Rock, Fayetteville, Hot Springs, Salt Lake City, Park City, St. George, Wichita, Topeka, Henderson, Carson City, Albuquerque Santa Fe, Charleston, Morgantown, Huntington, Boise, Nampa, Meridian, Idaho Falls, Bangor, Augusta, Manchester, Portsmouth, Concord, Providence, Newport, Warwick, Missoula, Billings, Bozeman, Wilmington, Dover, Newark, Sioux City, Rapid City, Fargo, Bismarck, Anchorage, Juneau, Fairbanks, Burlington, and Cheyenne

Our pricing and service experts are standing by to help to find the best product for your project. With many varieties in stock and expedited shipping, we can supply your project with frp structural shapes at the best possible price with the lowest freight charges.