Find answers to all the most common technical questions about trench drains, catch basins, and accessories as well as installation tips and chemical resistance guidelines. Be informed before you buy.
If you don’t find the answer to your questions, call our experts at 610-638-1221.
If you are located in Southeast Michigan or Northern Ohio feel free to stop by our location to pick up what you need for your drainage projects. We are located two miles from Exit 91 off of the 80/90 turnpike.
We are open Monday – Friday and accept walk-ins from 8-4pm.
Light Traffic, Residential Use, Gardens, Patios, Landscapes, Pedestrian Areas, Bicycles, Carts, Pools
Domestic Cars and Light Trucks, Small Planes, Light Traffic Parking Lots, Driveways, Sidewalks, Parks and Recreation
Forklifts/Pneumatic Tires, Medium Sized Vehicles, Commercial Parking Lots
Commercial Airliners, Parking Lots, Warehouses, Main Roads
Industrial Areas, Construction Equipment/Vehicles, Loading Docks, Heavy Aircraft, Airports, Cargo Handling Yards
Highway Traffic, Roads, Airports, Terminals, Docks, Extreme Weight Conditions
With smooth interior and radiused bottom, trench drain channels drain surface water effectively regardless of slope. For installations with infrequent water, slopes provide momentum to assist the water drainage to the outlet.
Many trench drain systems that offer sloped channels also have neutral (non-sloped) channels at various depths. In such cases, specify whether you need non-sloped channels.
Trench Drain Systems is proud to offer project consultations for all interested contractors, architects, and engineers. Our technical specialists are trained in chemical resistance, load rating, and flow rates for NDS trench drain, Polycast trench drain, Popular metric trench drain systems, MEA-Josam, ABT Trench Drain, Zurn trench drain, and more.
Please call a Trench Drain Systems technical specialist at 610-638-1221.
Trench Drain Systems requires all customers purchasing pre-sloped trench drain systems to sign off on a project layout. This ensures that outlet depth is correct, preventing costly errors and allowing us to ship your order more efficiently.
We have a variety of package and freight carriers we work with. The size of your order will dictate which carrier we use. We pack your order in the best manner to assure safe delivery to your job site.
Whether it’s boxes or pallets, our experienced staff is ready to pack and handle shipping for your order.
All in-stock orders require 2-3 business days for processing. Items that are not in stock, or require drop-shipment from a supplier, may incur further processing time. Delivery times will vary based on the size of the order and the distance from our warehouse to your job site.
If the grate is not already in stock, Baked on Oil Finish (BoOF) grates may take 2-3 weeks to ship due to the time needed for the BoOF process.
Be sure it is noted that there is damage when you sign for the shipment. Without this notation, we have very little recourse with the carrier.
Trench Drain Systems is not responsible for damage occurring during delivery. However, we are happy to assist our customers with freight claims.
Trench Drain Systems charges a 25% restocking fee on all returned orders. Systems that are manufactured to specification or considered to be custom, as well as closeout items, cannot be returned and are not eligible for a refund.
View our full Shipping/Returns Policy
All in-stock orders require 2-3 business days for processing. Items that are not in stock, or require drop-shipment from a supplier, may incur further processing time. Delivery times will vary based on the size of the order and the distance from our warehouse to your job site.
If the grate is not already in stock, Baked on Oil Finish (BoOF) grates may take 2-3 weeks to ship due to the time needed for the BoOF process.
Polyester resin polymer concrete is able to safely handle temperatures up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit without structural damage. For applications with higher temperatures, Polycast manufactures special vinyl ester polymer concrete channels that withstand greater heat.
We’re often asked what the best material is for pool grates for a ‘cooler’ option for bare feet. There isn’t a definitive answer to this because every material reacts differently to sunlight. Other factors include time of day, regional climate, indirect vs. direct sunlight and heat absorbed from other nearby surfaces such as mulch or concrete. That said, plastic surfaces can reach temperatures well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius.
Polycast 600 Series, Polycast 500 Series, and Polycast 900 Series utilize a 6.25″ (OD) polymer concrete channel. With a 4″ interior channel width, these drain systems have thicker walls than the competition and use the same 5.25″ wide trench drain grates.
The Polycast 400 Series, Polycast 800 MAXI, and the low profile Polycast 500 Series are non-sloped drainage systems.
Polycast 600/700 Series and 900 Series have a built-in .65% slope. These Polycast systems also offer neutral channels to extend the length of the run.
Frames reinforce a trench drain’s channel body, protecting the polymer concrete from exposure that stresses the drainage system. With a frame, Polycast polymer concrete trench drain systems can handle heavier loads, earning them a higher load rating. Polycast fiberglass channels incorporate integral frames, which increase durability over competitive brands such as ACO trench drain, MEA-Josam, and Zurn trench drain.
Many of NDS’s channel drain systems offer decorative grates. The NDS Mini Channel and Spee-D Channel systems provide decorative plastic grates as well as decorative cast-iron grates. The NDS Dura Slope system offers decorative iron grates and perforated stainless steel grates.
Because NDS grates rest inside the lip of the channel, there is an edge line where the channel is visible. New decorative plastic grates for the Mini Channel and Spee-D Channel eliminate the edge line, which lends the drain systems more decorative appeal.
NDS Dura Slope and Pro-Series channel drains can withstand load traffic on driveways with proper grating. The NDS Spee-D Channel can be installed in low-traffic driveways if it is recessed 1/4″ in the concrete.
The Micro Channel and Mini Channel systems are not rated for vehicle traffic.
Because they do not feature tongue-and-groove connection mechanisms, the Mini Channel and Spee-D Channel by NDS use a plastic coupler to connect channels together.