A drainage system built around stainless steel drains is the simplest way to keep commercial and industrial premises safe, compliant and easy to clean. Get this decision right and your site runs better: fewer shutdowns, faster cleaning, and lower lifetime cost.
What your building really needs from its drainage system
Commercial environments are tough on drainage. Your system must handle:
- High flows without ponding or backflow.
- Hygiene-critical areas (food prep, labs, pharma) with seamless, easy-to-sanitise finishes.
- Water drainage and foul kept separate and compliant.
- Thermal shock from hot washdowns and cold rooms.
- Chemicals from detergents and disinfectants.
- Heavy traffic from pallet trucks, trolleys and forklifts.
- Serviceability: easy access for cleaning, basket removal and rodding.
Design this in at the start and you avoid retrofit headaches later!
Why specify stainless steel drains
Stainless is the proven choice for modern commercial drainage. Here’s why:
- Corrosion resistance: Handles detergents, sanitisers and saline washdowns far better than mild steel or galvanised alternatives.
- Hygiene: Smooth, non-porous surfaces reduce bacterial harbourage and speed up cleaning.
- Strength: Excellent load-bearing capacity when detailed to EN load classes, ideal under racking, kegs and trolleys.
- Thermal stability: Tolerates rapid hot–cold cycles common in food factories and breweries.
- Longevity: Fewer failures. Fewer replacements. Lower lifecycle cost.
- Sustainability: Fully recyclable and built to last.
For kitchens, breweries, dairies, healthcare and clean processing, stainless is the standard for good reason.
Types of drainage systems we design and install
Different spaces, different solutions. Typical types of drainage systems include:
- Linear channels with removable gratings for production lines and wash bays.
- Slot drains for minimalist, hygienic finishes in corridors and retail back-of-house.
- Point gullies (trapped, with baskets) at equipment or hose-down points.
- Grease management upstream of public sewers in commercial kitchens.
- Pumped systems where gravity falls aren’t possible.
- External yard/roof drainage coordinated with SuDS and discharge rates.
- Interfaces to sewage treatment plants where sites treat effluent on premises.
Here’s a useful guide:
| Zone or use case | Recommended stainless drain type | Typical grating | Typical load class | Primary reason to specify | Maintenance access |
| Food production lines | Deep linear channel with built-in falls | Ladder or wedge wire, heel-safe | C250 to D400 | Rapid capture along long runs, easy washdown | Removable gratings, debris baskets, rodding eyes |
| Commercial kitchens | Trapped point gullies plus narrow slot channels at cooklines | Heel-safe anti-slip mesh | B125 to C250 | Hygiene and grease management in high splash areas | Lift-out baskets and trap access for daily cleaning |
| Breweries and taprooms | High-flow linear channel with thermal-shock tolerant design | Wedge wire, heel-safe | D400 | Chemical resistance and hot water shocks during CIP | Full-length removable sections and basket strainers |
| Healthcare and labs | Continuous slot drain with minimal crevices | Heel-safe slot | B125 to C250 | Cleanability and low bacterial harbourage | Flush access ports for inspection and swabbing |
| Cold rooms and thresholds | Shallow slot drain at door lines | Slot, heel-safe | B125 | Prevents meltwater pooling and ice at entries | Quick-lift slot covers for routine checks |
| Retail back of house and corridors | Slim slot drain parallel to traffic flow | Slim slot | A15 to B125 | Discreet drainage that avoids trip points | Localised access points for fast rodding |
| External service yards | Heavy duty linear channel, stainless body with appropriate grating | Ductile iron or heavy ladder | D400 to E600 | Forklift and HGV traffic with high runoff | Silt baskets and large rodding chambers |
Details that slash downtime and cleaning time
Small choices make a big difference:
- Built-in falls and correctly screeded floors so water finds the channel.
- Anti-slip gratings matched to your traffic and cleaning regime.
- Debris baskets and rodding eyes for fast maintenance.
- Vapour-tight seals at floor–drain junctions; coved skirtings into channels for true washdown.
- Backflow protection and robust covers in forklift lanes.
- Compatible finishes with resin, vinyl or tiled floors to stop cracking at interfaces.
Our trusted product partner: Component Developments
For top-tier stainless channels, slot drains and gullies, we specify Component Developments. Their engineered drainage hardware is precise, hygienic and built for commercial duty. Combine that product quality with Octego’s detailing and installation, and you get systems that simply work.
How Octego delivers (design to aftercare)
We don’t just install drains. We solve operational problems.
Survey & plan
- Site assessment, flow modelling and capacity checks.
- Separation of water drainage and foul streams; discharge coordination with landlords or authorities.
- Tie-ins to interceptors, grease traps and sewage treatment plants where required.
Design & coordinate
- Channel layouts around equipment, door thresholds and traffic routes.
- Integration with floor falls, hygienic wall cladding and cold rooms.
- Detailing load classes, gratings and clean-out points to match your operation.
Install & commission
- Experienced teams, tidy sites, clear sequencing.
- Pressure testing, trap verification, and commissioning documentation.
- Training your team on daily and weekly cleaning routines.
Maintain & improve
- Planned maintenance to keep equipment running and drains flowing.
- Rapid response for maintenance and repair when the unexpected happens.
- Upgrades when processes change or volumes increase.
Where stainless steel drains excel
- Food & drink: washdowns, CIP, hot oils, salt and sugar.
- Breweries & taprooms: chemical resistance, keg traffic, safe floors.
- Healthcare & labs: hygiene-first with easy sanitisation.
- Commercial kitchens & restaurants: grease management and safe, fast cleaning.
- Industrial production: robust, low-downtime drainage under heavy use.
Ready to get started with your new drainage system?
Need a drainage system that’s hygienic, robust and easy to live with? Talk to Octego about stainless solutions that fit your process, floor and cleaning regime.
Explore our Drainage services, or call our team on 01444 405269.
Looking for another good read? Take a look at our recent blog on how we support industrial parks!
FAQs
What Is A Commercial Drainage System?
A commercial drainage system collects, conveys and discharges liquids from production areas, kitchens, yards and roofs. It separates water drainage and foul streams, protects floors and structures, and keeps operations safe and compliant.
Why Choose Stainless Steel Drains In Commercial Buildings?
Stainless steel drains are hygienic, corrosion resistant and strong. They clean quickly, tolerate thermal shock, and outlast galvanised alternatives, lowering lifetime cost while improving uptime.
Which Types Of Drainage Systems Suit Industrial Sites?
Common types of drainage systems include linear channels, slot drains, point gullies, grease management lines, pumped systems and external yard drainage. Selection depends on flow rates, traffic loads, hygiene class and cleaning regime.
Can You Keep Water Drainage And Foul Separate In One Design?
Yes. We design dedicated networks for water drainage and foul flows with correct falls, traps and backflow protection. This safeguards hygiene and meets landlord or authority discharge rules.
How Do Stainless Steel Drains Improve Hygiene Compliance?
They have smooth, non-porous surfaces with minimal crevices. With correct falls and removable baskets, stainless channels and gullies reduce bacterial harbourage and speed daily washdown.
Do You Integrate With Sewage Treatment Plants And Interceptors?
Yes. We size connections, balance flows and coordinate pre-treatment, grease management and discharge to on-site sewage treatment plants or public sewers, as required.
What Maintenance Is Needed For A Stainless Drainage System?
Plan routine basket emptying, visual checks, periodic rodding and scheduled deep cleans. With good access points and clear maintenance plans, stainless systems stay reliable and easy to service.
Which Brands Do You Specify For Stainless Channels And Gullies?
For top-tier performance we specify engineered stainless systems from Component Developments, matched to your load class, hygiene needs and cleaning methods.
Can Octego Design, Supply And Install End To End?
Yes. We survey, model flows, specify stainless steel drains, coordinate floors and cladding, install, commission and provide aftercare, so your drainage system runs cleanly and compliantly.
Quick Answers
Are stainless drains worth the premium? Yes – reduced failures, faster cleaning and longer life typically beat cheaper installs within a few years.
Retrofit or new build? Both. We routinely phase retrofits to keep lines running.