The Texas BBQ Forum

I made the standard cooking grate for my pig roaster with Expanded stainless steel flat 3/4 diamond #9 and 1x1 1/4 angle iron. This is the standard grate like many smokers have

The diamonds point the length of the grate. The grate is 2x5 and I have supports, running the width every 10" or less.


My issue is I have added 6 burners to turn it into a grill and when Iheat it over 400 degrees, the grate bows up and down like a wave. There is at most like 9" betweent eh supports and it is still flexing when hot.

All I can think of is to cut the supports out and put in at least 3 length wise. All the pictures I see on the web don't have this many supports and I know some have to use high heat. Is this a common issue? I had supports wider then it flexed then when I added more, it was worse.


Maybe is the way the run of the diamonds length way that means it's how I have to support.



Anyone use their grates with high heat and have this issue. The below link is to the grate type I made.

http://www.smokymtbarbecue.com/avactis/ ... ker_24.jpg


So, will the length wise helo this? I don't see any google search grates with it this eay.

No one has had this issue? No ideas?

Most of here are LowNslow, wood/charcoal types.

Does the frame bow up as well or just waves in the expanded metal?

I would like to see a pic of the grate in question if you can post one.

I'll get a shot of it. it's just the expanded

This unit is 2' x 5'


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Yes that will always happen with that type of grate after a certain temp point, very common on grill type cookers, the metal expands with the heat even if your brace it very sturdy.

since the expanding /wave is length wise, I am thinking of removing the width supports and adding length supports, 3 so I only have 6" of space to each of them

I will change from 3/4 angle int he middle to 1" and because 3 it will be okay that it hangs 1/4" below the frame, it will be able to sit well

I hope that will cut the wave.

Hope that helps, I have had the diamonds both ways and it still happens with high heat. They always go back to original form though unless they are older and have stretched a few times too many. I use a pear burner to clean my gratse at times and you can see the grates bulge and flex then they settle back as they cool off.

I agree with RWBTEX, putting that much heat to #9 flat expanded is going to cause waves no matter what way it is placed.
You would be better off using raised expanded for this application, the metal is thicker and a lot more sturdy. If you go with raised make sure the long end of the diamonds run with the width and not the length.

Thts very typical with stainless steel, moves twice as much as carbon steel with heat. U will be a little better off putting ur cross members long ways as u were saying but u will still get alil warp