What bearing bar depth do I need for a 36-inch span at 100 psf?

A 1 x 3/16 inch bearing bar in welded 19-W-4 pattern provides 195 psf allowable, nearly 2x the design load, and satisfies L/240 deflection.

Are these load values for carbon steel or stainless steel?

Values assume carbon steel Fy = 36 ksi. For stainless 304/316 (Fy ~ 30 ksi), multiply by 0.83. For aluminum 6061-T6, deflection controls; request a dedicated table.

Does banding affect load capacity?

Banding restrains the bearing bars at the panel ends and is standard on welded panels. It does not change the tabulated allowable uniform load; unbanded panels may lose about 10 percent near the free edges.

Can I use uniform load tables for concentrated wheel loads?

No. A 300 lb concentrated load over a 4 x 4 inch footprint is roughly equivalent to 500 to 700 psf uniform on a typical walkway panel. Use the Wiberg Load Calculator for mixed loading.

What is the difference between welded and press-locked bar grating for load capacity?

Press-locked (swage-locked) bar grating delivers approximately 92 to 95 percent of the welded allowable uniform load for the same bearing bar geometry. Welded grating remains the baseline for industrial heavy traffic.

Home Engineering Load Tables Standard Duty

Standard Duty Load Tables

Load and span data for welded and press-locked bar grating. For walkways, platforms, and light-duty applications.

Design basis

Material: carbon steel, ASTM A1011 / A36-equivalent, F_y = 36 ksi (250 MPa).
Pattern: welded 19-W-4 (bearing bars on 1-3/16" / 30 mm centers, cross bars on 4" / 100 mm centers).
Bearing bar thickness: 3/16" (5 mm).
Allowable bending stress: 0.66 F_y = 24 ksi (165 MPa) per AISC ASD.
Deflection reference: L/240 for walkways, L/360 for office / public access.
Support condition: simple span, two ends, banded panel.

Allowable uniform load — welded 19-W-4, 3/16" bearing bar

Maximum allowable uniform load (psf) — welded 19-W-4 bar grating, 3/16" thick bearing bars, Fy=36 ksi, bending-stress controlled, simple span.
Bearing bar depth	24" (610 mm)	30" (760 mm)	36" (915 mm)	42" (1065 mm)	48" (1220 mm)	60" (1525 mm)
1" × 3/16"	440	280	195	143	110	—
1-1/4" × 3/16"	665	425	295	217	165	106
1-1/2" × 3/16"	930	595	415	305	235	150
1-3/4" × 3/16"	1260	805	560	412	315	200
2" × 3/16"	1620	1040	720	530	405	260

Values are in pounds per square foot (psf). Bending-stress controlled per AISC ASD; verify deflection for long spans. 1 psf ≈ 47.9 N/m² (0.0479 kPa).

Typical walkway selection — 100 psf uniform

Recommended welded bar grating for a 100 psf uniform design load at various spans.
Span	Recommended bearing bar (standard duty)	Product series
24" (610 mm)	1" × 3/16"	19-W-4
36" (915 mm)	1" × 3/16" or 1-1/4" × 3/16"	19-W-4
48" (1220 mm)	1-1/4" × 3/16" (verify deflection)	19-W-4
60" (1525 mm)	1-1/2" × 3/16"	19-W-4
72" (1830 mm)	1-3/4" × 3/16" or 2" × 3/16"	19-W-4 or heavy duty

Press-locked grating (swage-locked)

For press-locked bar grating using the same bearing bar geometry, allowable uniform loads are approximately 92–95% of welded values shown above. Select next deeper bar if deflection is close to the limit.

Typical applications

Industrial walkways, catwalks, and access platforms (100 psf uniform + 300 lb concentrated).
Mezzanines and equipment platforms (75–125 psf uniform).
Trench and pit covers with light pedestrian loading.
Architectural sunscreens, ventilation grilles, and facade infill.

FAQ — standard duty load tables

What bearing bar depth do I need for a 36" span at 100 psf?: A 1" × 3/16" bearing bar (19-W-4) provides 195 psf allowable — nearly 2× the design load — and satisfies L/240 deflection.
Are these values for carbon steel or stainless?: Values assume carbon steel F_y = 36 ksi. For stainless 304/316 (F_y ≈ 30 ksi), multiply by 0.83. For aluminum 6061-T6 (F_y ≈ 35 ksi but E ≈ 10,000 ksi), deflection controls — request a dedicated table.
Does panel banding affect capacity?: Banding restrains the bearing bars at the support and is standard on welded panels. It does not change allowable uniform load in the table; unbanded panels may reduce capacity by ~10% near the edges.
Can I use the same table for concentrated loads?: No. A 300 lb concentrated load over a 4" x 4" footprint is roughly equivalent to a 500–700 psf uniform load on a typical walkway panel. Use our Load Calculator for mixed loading.
What tolerance applies to span?: Tabulated values assume clear span between support flanges. If the panel overhangs the support, effective span is center-to-center of bearing plus half bar depth each side. Request a project-specific load verification.

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