SHOP ALL THE ROUND RAIL CATTLE GUARDS
Round-Rail Cattle Crossings
This 20-foot round-rail cattle guard provides a one-piece crossing for wide farm roads, ranch entrances, and pasture fence lines. Choose a 6-foot or 8-foot depth, and the configuration suited to your site and intended traffic.
An HS-20-rated configuration and a separate private-property design are available. The private-property design has an estimated capacity of 12 tons per axle; this estimate is not an engineered highway rating or confirmation of suitability for loaded semis. For the HS-20 option, confirm the selected guard's engineering documentation, support requirements, and intended vehicle loading before ordering. Public-road use also requires acceptance by the responsible authority. Below are the descriptions of the various configurations to choose from, as well as the specifications for this long 20' grid. To see all of our round, top rail cattle grids, or if you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to ask.
Cattle Guard Specifications
- 20 feet long by 6' or 8' deep
- Heavy-duty C-Channel Beams are 8 inches by 11.5 lbs.
- Top rails measure 3.5" OD
- Distance between top rail walls is approximately 3.11"
- The standard finish is gray enamel, but it's also available in 'safety yellow'. See pictures below
- The ends of the top rails are weld-sealed with 12-gauge steel
- Construction is fully welded
- See our entire Cattle Guard selection of styles, ratings, and types!
Boxed Cattle Guard and Site Preparation
The boxed configuration is intended for installations that may not require a conventional excavated vault or poured concrete foundation. It still requires a suitable level bearing surface, drainage, stable approaches, and support appropriate to the selected guard and traffic. Confirm the installation requirements for your site before placement. The perimeter skirt helps limit soil movement beneath the rails; it does not replace the load-bearing support.
A word of warning about crossing without foundations: Proper drainage is very important, and a level area is a must.
To help with drainage and prevent erosion that can compromise a solid setup, a bed of crushed gravel is recommended. If water run-off is allowed, it can erode the surrounding soils and permit movement when vehicles cross. This will create an unsound and unsafe condition.
If the area is not level, and the guard is not 'tied to the ground', it may be free to slide or move over time to lower ground. These small movements can allow the crossing to become unstable. Have the installer determine suitable support and anchorage for the ground conditions and expected traffic.
Below are two common uses for this set-on-the-ground design.
Equipment Cleaner for Construction Sites
Operators of large equipment will use the grid as wash racks or rumble strips to remove debris from equipment before allowing it back on the public road. They're also handy for keeping the entrance to the site from getting beaten up and rutted, especially when wet.
Best of all, when it's time to move to the next job, the grates can be taken along. Where the approved installation does not require a poured foundation, the guard can be lifted for relocation using suitable equipment. Prepare the receiving site to the same support and drainage requirements.
Remote and low-traffic sites
The removable box cattle guard feature allows you to lift out the central guard without disturbing the surrounding installation. Below is a picture of the steel skirt with the grate being lifted away. Please note that the horizontal bars are included for the stability of the skirt only. The cattle guards do not rest on the skirt or those two supporting members. All of the weight is transferred to the beams below and then to the ground. This is a popular option that allows for a much easier cleaning-out process.
Cattle Guard with Wings Attached
Cattle guard wings are necessary to connect your fence line seamlessly to the cattle guard. If you were to just run your fencing to a post at the end of the grid, your cows could merely step around the post and avoid the crossing altogether. The steel triangular wing carries your fence directly down to the edges of the grate and completes the physical barrier between the two. This helps prevent the 'step-around' maneuver.
The wings and the grids are pre-drilled, so you may bolt them together in the field. The vertical post allows you to tie your fencing directly to the wing for a seamless connection.
Cattle Guard Wing Diagrams
Cattle Guard Foundation Diagram
Nothing is more important than a solid foundation for any building project to rest on. Without it, any structure will deteriorate rapidly. The diagram below illustrates a typical foundation arrangement and is not a site-specific installation plan for every 20-foot guard configuration. Have a qualified installer review the selected guard's requirements, bearing conditions, drainage, frost conditions, and approach grading before construction.
