Steel Road Plates vs. Plastic Road Plates
Road plates allow you to keep roads you’re working on open for drivers and are a great investment for a number of different road and transportation projects. Both steel and plastic road plates can get the job done, and both types of road plates come with both advantages and disadvantages. Here’s what you should know about the pros and cons of each option:
Advantages of Steel Road Plates
- Have been used for longer, and many crews are more familiar with installing them
- Larger, requiring less plates for larger projects
- More durable and can typically be used for longer (and on a greater number of projects, if reused)
Disadvantages of Steel Road Plates
- Become slippery when it’s raining or snowing (unless coated with something to increase traction)
- More likely to damage the tires of cars that don’t slow down when driving over them
- Often require special machinery to transport and install
Advantages of Plastic Road Plates
- Come with an anti-slip surface for extra safety
- Lighter in weight, which simplifies transporting them
- Usually don’t require special equipment to transport/install
- Safer to place in the road because they are bolted to the concrete (or tarmac)
Disadvantages of Plastic Road Plates
- Smaller, so more are required for larger projects
- Often come in bright colors, such as yellow or orange, which enhance visibility, but which can also be viewed as undesirable for some projects with aesthetic concerns in mind