A Tale of Two Foot Grilles at Hudson Highschool, MA Posted: Aug 2011 Posted by: Mats Inc.

The town of Hudson spent $50 million when they built the beautiful and still very contemporary public high school building in 2004.  The modern architecture featured natural lighting throughout the building, a second floor library with a wall of windows overlooking the cafeteria and an indoor walking track over the gymnasium. Sparing no expense, they included a state-of-the-art lecture theater, an oversized auditorium and high end stainless steel foot grilles at the entrances.  The foot grilles were included in the design so that when used with interior matting, they would reduce maintenance time and expense, as well as improve the longevity of the interior flooring.

As the doors opened in September, the stainless steel foot grilles were shiny and beautiful but were not sitting level in the recessed wells. The grilles’ raised corners and edges were tripping hazards and their shiny surfaces proved to be slippery when wet. Facilities Supervisor for Hudson Public Schools, Brad Parker, reacted immediately to eliminate the tripping and slipping dangers by bolting down the unlevel grilles and covering the surfaces with walk-off matting during rain and snow. Manufacturers of stainless steel grilles typically recommend locking down the large,
heavy panels to avoid such issues and it had not been done during installation. With the stainless steel grille panels permanently bolted into the frames, lifting them to easily clean away the debris underneath the drop-through construction, was no longer a feature. Dirt and leaves were trapped beneath the grilles spoiling the clean and attractive appearance of the building’s exterior.

Enduring several years of unattractive entryways, extended interior maintenance routines and potential liabilities, Mr. Parker proposed replacing the stainless steel foot grilles. He was successful in his quest for funding and in 2008, Mr. Parker set out to find an appropriate replacement. Mats Inc. representative, Erica Morgan, recommended the Design Track aluminum foot grille from the Mats Inc. Pro Track Series to fit the building’s aesthetic and eliminate the slipping problem with its anti-slip, ADA compliant surface. Erica assured Mr. Parker that the modular aluminum panels are the strongest and longest lasting foot grilles available and that they would allow for easy, one person lifting and debris removal. “I was skeptical at first,” said Brad Parker, “but it has been several years and the aluminum panels have not had to be bolted in place, they are lighter and a more manageable size for underneath cleaning, and they still look great.”

To view our entire selection of foot grilles click here

Categories: Architect & Designer News, Dealer News, Education Flooring, Foot Grilles