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Cattle Guard Description
When your project calls for a single-span cattle crossing for a very wide roadway, this 20' cattle guard is designed for you. This is the longest available one-piece single-span guard available. It's engineered for the HS-20 highway rating of 16 tons per axle and is available in both 6' and 8' depths. There's also the more economical private property design, which we estimate has a load capacity of 12 tons per axle. That's plenty for fully-loaded semis, and it's our most popular cattle guard.
Cattle crossings are available with many different options to allow vehicles to cross pasture fence lines effortlessly. 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 - a crossing without a foundation
The beauty of the 'boxed' design is the ease of installation and the 'portability' of the grate itself. This style is designed to lie directly on the ground without digging a vault or pouring a foundation. The welded skirt around the perimeter helps keep the dirt from 'creeping in' under the top rails, and with a simple dirt ramp on either side, traffic can cross with ease.
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. Customers will sometimes bury railroad ties to mount the grate and help prevent movement.
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. Without having to pour or remove a concrete foundation, they can just be picked up and taken away.
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. Below is a generic spec sheet for cattle guard footings just to provide a visual presentation of how a typical installation can look. A local, qualified contractor should be used to ensure a proper foundation is built.
