What are antisplash grilles, where are they used and what are their pros and cons, the main types of products and features of choice, installation rules in various ways. A dirt guard is a device that is installed at the entrance to a building in order to remove most of the dirt from a visitor's shoes. As a rule, they are installed on objects where the level of traffic is high. The grilles are made from different metals and can have different designs and shapes.
Area of application of anti-pollution gratings
Dirt-protection grilles are designed for installation in buildings with a high level of traffic. For this reason, high strength metal is used for their manufacture.
The structure is an aluminum or steel frame made of profiles connected by galvanized cables. Depending on the purpose of the device, different elements can be inserted into the profile: a brush, textiles, a scraper, rubber spikes.
The main purpose of the entrance screen is to trap most of the sand, dust, moisture and debris. In addition, it has another function: it protects the floor covering from scratches and abrasions due to the constant presence of earth particles on the floor.
Most often, these products can be found in large commercial and public facilities such as shopping centers, sports complexes, children's educational institutions, hospitals, apartment buildings, office centers, hotels, and so on. They are in demand when arranging any buildings where it is necessary to prevent a large amount of dirt from entering the room.
In domestic conditions, such grilles are rarely installed, since a dirt-protective coating at the entrance is usually sufficient to maintain cleanliness inside the house. If there is a need to install a mudguard grill in a private house, then you can pick up a product that is small in size.
Advantages and disadvantages of anti-slip grids
Well-made and correctly installed dirt-protecting metal grilles have a lot of undeniable advantages. Their design is reliable, they are absolutely safe in operation. The soles do not slip even in wet conditions, and the heels do not get stuck.
Other advantages of the products:
- Good cleaning performance even with heavy traffic.
- They are not subject to corrosion due to metal processing with special protective compounds.
- It is easy to care for and clean them with simple cleaning equipment.
- Most screens provide for replacement of worn-out or damaged cleaning inserts with new elements.
- A wide range of configurations, product sizes.
- Long service life.
By purchasing a mudguard from a reliable manufacturer, you get a design that has good wear-resistant characteristics. It will have a stylish design and will not lose its appearance for many years, withstanding the traffic of over 7 thousand people every day. Aluminum and steel dust grids have their own disadvantages, which are important to consider before installing them:
- The relatively high price of both the grille and the work on its installation.
- The need for time-consuming preparatory work before installing the product. Depending on its design, it may be necessary to create a pit, a water drain system, install a pallet, a strong frame and other operations.
- The complexity of the installation of the most dust-proof grille due to its large weight.
The main types of anti-slip grids
There are many types of mudguards. Their choice depends on the purpose of the installation, financial capabilities, the area of the entrance space around the door, and operating conditions.
First of all, the grilles are divided into two large groups according to the type of installation. These are fixtures that are laid on top of the floor (outdoor) and recessed. In the first case, it is not necessary to additionally equip a pit. The grille is installed directly on the floor and is framed by a special skirting board. As a result, it protrudes above the surface, and collects dirt and moisture in its own tray.
Recessed grilles require the creation of a technical recess in the floor, which will collect water and debris. Such products lie flush with the floor surface and are considered more convenient to use, and therefore more in demand.
Structurally, the dirt-protecting grilles are in the form of typesetting systems. In addition to the metal base, they contain devices for cleaning the soles of shoes.
Inserts in dirt-protecting grids can be as follows:
- Rubber with different relief … Lattices with this type of inserts are the most popular and are considered the basic model. They are durable and do an excellent job of cleaning dry and damp dirt from shoes.
- Vinyl … Such inserts prevent slipping on the wet surface of the grate.
- Plastic … The material for the mudguards is used with increased strength, which is excellent for rooms where the traffic is not very intensive.
- Brush or pile … These inserts not only clean the dirt from the shoe sole, but also absorb moisture.
- Aluminum scrapers … They are usually installed on gratings that are used in buildings with a high level of traffic.
If the mudguards are installed at the entrance to a commercial building or any other high traffic building, then a three-zone installation is used. The entire area around the door is divided conditionally into three parts. Each of them has different types of gratings, which differ not only in size, design, but also in the material from which they are made. This is done taking into account the fact that the person entering will take at least 3-4 steps in each of the zones and completely clean the sole of dirt. Let's consider the types of gratings for each of these zones in more detail:
- The first zone is a part of the territory immediately in front of the entrance to the building … Here it is important to clean off and retain large particles of debris, which make up about half of the total volume of dirt brought into the room on shoe soles. The best cleaning effect is provided by large galvanized steel gratings, which are installed on the frame in a specially created pit (100-400 millimeters deep).
- The second zone is the interdoor space (vestibule) … In this place, sand, fine dirt and moisture are retained. Aluminum mudguards effectively cope with the functions in this area. They are less durable than galvanized ones and can only be used indoors. They are equipped with various cleaning inserts - thorns, pile, scrapers. They are also placed in a pit up to 20 millimeters deep or framed on the floor surface with a special plinth edging.
- The third zone is in the lobby … This is the last step in shoe cleaning. The main task of the devices installed in this place is to finally collect the remnants of moisture and sand from the soles so that those entering the room do not leave traces. It is optimal for this area to choose aluminum or PVC gratings with pile inserts.
Features of the choice of anti-slip grids
In order for the product to effectively cope with the tasks of cleaning shoes, it must be selected based on some recommendations:
- Whenever possible, select mudguards at the design stage of the building. Then it will be possible to create an additional pit at the entrance.
- Consider the traffic intensity. This will make it possible to predict the level of the average load on the grid. As a rule, manufacturers indicate this parameter on the product.
- Pay attention to the type of pollution that is inherent in your area. This will help you predict how quickly the grate will clog and how often it will need to be cleaned. It will also allow you to choose a product with suitable inserts.
In addition, you should be careful about the quality of the material and joints used in the lattice. The following manufacturers of these products have proven themselves well:
- Kroso … The most popular and budgetary antisplash grilles on the domestic market. The manufacturer offers a wide range of products from aluminum, galvanized steel with inserts from various materials.
- Topwell … Mainly made of aluminum. They have rubber inserts, bristly, in the form of scrapers. The minimum cost is about 10 thousand rubles per square meter.
- ACO VARIO … These are the most expensive mudguards. They are made of aluminum and have quality felt inserts. For example: the price of a product of this brand measuring 75x50 centimeters will be about 15 thousand rubles. Grilles with rubber inserts are more expensive.
Mounting technology for anti-pollution grids
The installation of these products is carried out in two main ways: in the pit and on the floor surface. In this case, the size of the dirt protection grid should be taken into account. The first option is more laborious and suitable for large-sized devices, but the operation of such structures is safer and more convenient, because it is impossible to stumble over them. The second option is simpler and is suitable for the installation of small products with special ready-made pallets in buildings with low traffic.
Installation of a dirt protection grill on the floor surface
First of all, care should be taken to ensure that the floor surface where the outer grille will be installed is absolutely flat. The difference in height cannot exceed 3 millimeters per linear meter.
Along with the anti-pollution product, you also need to purchase aluminum profiles (skirting boards). The latter should have a special bevel, which will prevent the incoming ones from stumbling. We carry out work according to the following scheme:
- We mark the floor according to the size of the lattice.
- The load-bearing strips of the product should be across the movement, which will allow the grate to collect as much dirt as possible.
- We drill holes in the floor for fasteners with a drill. We use dowel-nails as the latter.
- We fix the lattice on the surface.
- We attach the edging profile to the floor covering or directly to the mudguard grill, depending on the design.
Installing a dirt guard in the pit
The first step in the installation of the grating in this way will be the creation of a technical pit. It can be equipped with a hammer drill with a special function. Its depth depends on the structure of the grating. On average, it is 15 to 30 millimeters. The base must be completely flat. In addition to the lattice, it is necessary to purchase a special frame, L-shaped and T-shaped profiles.
We act in this order:
- We install the corner L-shaped profile along the perimeter of the recess.
- In the direction of travel, perpendicular to the width of the recess, we put the T-shaped profile downward with a horizontal base, and upward with a vertical protruding part.
- At the corners of the pit, cut the L-shaped profile at an angle of 45 degrees to connect the joints.
- We connect them with fasteners: L-shaped plates with threads and self-tapping screws.
- We fasten the frame with dowel-nails or self-tapping screws. To do this, we drill holes in the concrete pavement using a perforator with a step of 60-100 millimeters.
- After the frame is installed in the pit, sometimes there is a difference between the concrete pavement and the inner surface of the corner of the structure. With proper installation, it should be within 5 millimeters. It is recommended to fill it with a solution and treat it with waterproofing.
- After the mortar has dried (after 24 hours), you can start laying out the mudguard grid. It does not need additional fixation. If the depth of the pit exceeds the height of the lattice, then it will be necessary to install support structures on the bottom of the recess.
How to install a dirt guard - watch the video:
Galvanized and aluminum mudguards are a reliable way to clean the soles of shoes entering a building from the street. Their use is especially important in conditions of intensive traffic - in commercial and public institutions.
