The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Mon May 25, 2009 12:36 pm**

Hi,

First time poster - please be gentle!

I need to lay about 4m of linear drainage in front of some wooden patio doors (which open up the entire length).

It's light traffic only, and for a patio of about 25 sqm - so not large.

The trouble I'm having is finding anything that will look reasonable. I'm torn between SS finish and plastic but imagine the former might look a little smarter.

ANy suggestions?

I've looked at:
1 Flodrain - not sure if this will just oxidise and look cr*p after ten minutes.
2 Aco doorway drain - not sure why this has two different style grates - must be for a reason but looks overly fussy (um ... like me, at times)
3 Aco step drain - not sure if this is long enough or can be clipped together - it isn't clear.

Has anyone any direct experience of any of these or any others?

Basically, I just want something that looks good, does the job, and isn't overly complex to fit! Many thanks!

Posted: **Mon May 25, 2009 1:53 pm**

You can get the plastic channels in many colours, take a look at fernco. But it will look like plastic !

I prefer the composite channels with a black matt cast iron affect grating, they just blend in better and dont look all shiney and new.

Aco do them i think and there are a few links to suppliers on the main site

Posted: **Mon May 25, 2009 8:27 pm**

Black iron topped channels - bit OTT for the loading they will carry but at least they can be painted with smooth hammerite etc.

Posted: **Mon May 25, 2009 8:58 pm**

Iron grates will probilly double the cost of the aco channels,usually iron grates are used mainly in a heavy carpark area MSH

Posted: **Mon May 25, 2009 10:27 pm**

Totally agree with the two comments above, which is why i kind of stressed the `cast iron affect`i have seen light duty channels with thin grating that give this look.

The galvanised grates as with the plastic can stand out a bit untill weathered

Posted: **Mon May 25, 2009 10:40 pm**

i did a product test with the gaffer the other day and he was telling me about a job where they had cable tied a blue LED rope light to the underside of the grating to give an uplighting affect, tony said it looked the mutts nuts.

Posted: **Mon May 25, 2009 10:49 pm**

I can think of at least two jobs i have been on where the drainage system has been utilised as a duct for a cable, usually to save the drive being excavated.

Obvious safety issues, but suprisingly little affect on the performance of the drain.

Posted: **Tue May 26, 2009 6:39 am**

msh paving wrote:Iron grates will probilly double the cost of the aco channels,usually iron grates are used mainly in a heavy carpark area MSH

Yeah, I know that, but if the metreage for said drain wasn't too long then the costs wouldn't be too big a factor. The cast iron could be repainted annually etc and would look good.

Liking the idea of low voltage lighting in the channels!!

Posted: **Tue May 26, 2009 3:03 pm**

Many thansk for you answers on this.

I called Aco and Aco doorway is intended to lie half under the cill and half exposed as a drain - hence the two different gratings. This would be perfect for me except that there will be about 60mm of channel lying under the cill which is much longer than distance I have between the front edge of the cill and the bricks at the bottom of the threshold.

Aco don't have any 'cast iron' effect stuff, they say.

Thanks again. Will keep looking.

Posted: **Tue May 26, 2009 11:15 pm**

stainless steel looks smart and keeps its looks IME
LLL

Posted: **Wed May 27, 2009 8:56 am**

Thanks. Any recommendation on a particular type?

Posted: **Wed May 27, 2009 4:53 pm**

ACO

LLL

The Brew Cabin

Attractive linear drainage channels