Flat-Bottom or Hopper-Bottom Silos

It’s one of the first decisions you’ll face when planning a grain storage system, and it’s worth getting right. Flat-bottom or hopper-bottom? The two designs serve different purposes, and the wrong choice affects how your grain flows, how you unload, and how the silo performs day to day over its working life.

Should I Purchase a Flat-Bottom or Hopper-Bottom Silo?

Choosing between a flat-bottom silo and a hopper-bottom silo depends on your storage needs, unloading preferences, and budget. Our expert team can guide you through the best silo selection and provide structural design advice to ensure the right fit for your operation. 

That said, understanding the core differences between the two helps you go into that conversation with a clearer idea of what you’re looking for.

What Is a Flat-Bottom Silo? 

A flat-bottom silo sits directly on a concrete floor and is designed for high-volume, long-term grain storage. Because the base is flat, grain doesn’t discharge by gravity alone. Unloading typically requires a sweep auger or similar mechanical system to move grain to a central discharge point. 

Flat-bottom silos are well suited to: 

• Large-scale, long-term grain storage on farms and co-operatives 
• Situations where maximum storage volume is the priority 
• Operations where grain handling equipment is already in place or being installed as part of the wider system 

Franklin Hodge flat-bottom Brice-Baker silos are available in diameters from 3 metres to 25 metres, offering significant capacity for both smaller farm operations and large commercial grain handling facilities.

What Is a Hopper-Bottom Silo?

A hopper-bottom silo is raised off the ground on a supporting frame, with a cone-shaped base that allows grain to be discharged by gravity through a central outlet. No sweep auger is needed, making unloading faster and more straightforward in many operations. 

Hopper-bottom silos are typically used for: 

• Shorter-term or temporary grain storage, including wet grain held before drying 
• Operations where speed and simplicity of unloading is important 
• Sites where a sweep auger system isn’t practical or preferred 

Franklin Hodge hopper-bottom silos are available in diameters from 3 metres to 12 metres, with multiple discharge angles available to suit different handling setups.

Which One Is Right for Your Operation?

There’s no single answer that applies to every site. The right choice depends on the volume you need to store, how often you’re loading and unloading, the grain types you’re handling, and the infrastructure already in place. Franklin Hodge’s team can work through those requirements with you and provide structural design input to make sure the silo is specified correctly for your site. 

View the full Brice-Baker silos range or explore our complete silos offering to see what’s available. When you’re ready to discuss your project, contact us or request a quote.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sizes are flat-bottom silos available in? 

Franklin Hodge flat-bottom silos are available in diameters from 3 metres to 25 metres as part of the Brice-Baker range. 

What sizes are hopper-bottom silos available in? 

Hopper-bottom silos are available in diameters from 3 metres to 12 metres, with multiple discharge angle options. 

Do flat-bottom silos require mechanical unloading equipment? 

Yes, because the base is flat, grain doesn’t discharge by gravity. A sweep auger or similar system is typically used to move grain to the discharge point. 

Can Franklin Hodge provide structural design advice for silo selection? 

Yes, our team can provide structural design guidance to ensure the silo you choose is correctly specified for your site and storage requirements. 

Are both flat-bottom and hopper-bottom silos available as Brice-Baker silos? 

Yes, both designs are manufactured under the Brice-Baker brand by Franklin Hodge, the exclusive manufacturer of Brice-Baker galvanised steel silos.