Linear or Point Drainage — Which to Choose

Choosing between linear and point drainage is one of the first design decisions for industrial floors, car washes or wet zones. Both solutions remove water, but they do it in completely different ways — and the right choice determines effectiveness, safety and maintenance costs.

What is the difference

Point drainage is a single gully collecting water in one spot. The floor is then shaped with slopes from multiple directions “to the point” so water flows toward the grate. You will most often find them where water volume is moderate and the area is small.

Linear drainage collects water along the entire length of the channel. This allows a single slope (one- or two-sided) toward the channel, so water does not have to travel long distances across the floor. The solution dries the surface faster and handles larger flows better.

When to choose linear drainage

Linear drainage is ideal wherever large amounts of water appear across the full width of the room or the floor must dry quickly:

• Food industry — easy-to-clean channels help maintain HACCP compliance.
• Production halls and warehouses — where trafficability and hygiene matter and floor areas are large.
• Showers and wet zones — a single drainage channel eliminates awkward four-way slopes.
• Vehicle washes and industrial washing bays — water flows in a wide front and the channel captures it along the entire line.

In trafficked areas, slot channels with a narrow inlet (8–20 mm gap) work especially well, as they pose no risk to wheels of trolleys and pallets. Where a larger cross-section and cleaning access are needed, classic drainage channels with gratings are used.

When point drainage is sufficient

Point drainage is simpler, cheaper to install and logical where water appears locally and in smaller quantities:

• Single workstations, process sinks, equipment connected to a grate.
• Small sanitary and welfare rooms.
• Local discharge points — e.g. under a specific machine or tap.

In such locations, ready-made professional gullies made of stainless steel collect water at one point without the need to run a long channel across the entire floor.

Slopes and floor construction

The difference between the two systems is most visible in the slopes. With point drainage the floor must be formed from several directions toward one point — the larger the area, the greater the level differences and the more difficult the execution. Linear drainage simplifies the geometry: usually a single uniform slope to the channel is enough, making it easier to lay resin floors and maintain a flat, smooth surface.

Material and load class

Regardless of whether drainage is linear or point, durability depends on the material and correct load selection. In humid and aggressive environments, V2A (1.4301 / AISI 304) stainless steel is used; where chlorides, salts or acids are present, V4A (1.4404 / AISI 316L) with added molybdenum offers better resistance. All our products hold PZH and 3.1 mill certificates according to EN 10204; the company is also an EHEDG member.

Load class is selected according to traffic — from B125 in pedestrian and light-traffic zones up to F900 in the heaviest wheel-load areas. The drainage should be compatible with the floor finish, e.g. epoxy or polyurethane-cement Ucrete resistant up to 120 °C.

How to choose — quick checklist

• Water volume and distribution — large and across the whole width → linear; local and point → point.
• Floor size and geometry — large surfaces are usually easier to drain linearly.
• Traffic on the floor — forklifts and heavy loads → slot channel or appropriate load class.
• Hygiene — food and wet zones → smooth, easy-to-clean stainless steel surfaces.
• Chemical environment — chlorides and acids → V4A material.

Most facilities combine both approaches: linear drainage in wet and trafficked zones, point drainage at individual machines. If you need help selecting the right solution for your floor and loads, see our stainless steel drainage systems — we design complete systems from gullies to channels from a single source.