Buyer's guide / Mesh and nets

Expanded Metal Mesh (Jali): What It Is, Where It Goes and How to Order

Expanded metal mesh is cut and stretched from a single steel sheet. See the uses for gates, grills, plaster, stairs and cable trays and how to specify it.

Shop owner showing rolls of expanded metal mesh

Published 12 Sept 20263 min readHM Ibrahim & Co, Siyaganj, Indore, since 1939

Expanded metal mesh at our counter.

Expanded metal mesh is a strange product. It looks woven but is not. It is not welded either. It is made from a single sheet of steel that is slit and stretched, so the metal opens into a diamond pattern without a single join.

That is where its strength comes from. There are no welds to break and no wires to slip.

How it is made

A sheet of mild steel passes through a machine that makes slits in a staggered pattern while pulling the sheet open. The slits become diamond holes. The strands stay joined at every corner because they were never cut apart.

The result is a rigid, one-piece mesh that weighs less than the sheet it came from.

Diamond pattern of expanded metal mesh up close

Standard and flattened

Standard (raised). The strands sit at an angle. It is stiffer, has a rougher surface, and gives some privacy and shade when seen from the side.
Flattened. Rolled flat after expansion. It is smoother, gives a flat face and lets more light through.

Raised and flattened are different products with different thickness and opening figures. Order one or the other, not "expanded mesh" alone.

Where it is used

Use	Why expanded mesh
Plaster and render	The diamond holes key the plaster and help control cracking
Gates, grills, window guards	Harder to cut through than light wire, and hard to see through
Fences and security panels	Rigid, with no wire to unpick
Walkways, platforms, steps	Can give grip and drain water, but only in the right grade, strand size, support and design. Ask a structural engineer
Machine guards	See through; suitability depends on the opening size, strand and fixing the guard design requires
Cable trays and racks	Light, ventilated
False ceiling grids and screens	Neat, with open area
Cooler panels	Cheap and robust

Expanded mesh roll standing in the stock room

How to specify it

Four things describe the mesh:

Strand thickness and width, in mm.
Diamond size: the long and short way of the diamond (LWD and SWD). These are measured centre to centre of the strands, like a pitch, so the clear opening is smaller. Say which you mean.
Sheet or roll size.
Material: mild steel, galvanised, aluminium or stainless.

If you have a sample, bring it. Measure the long way of the diamond with a ruler and tell us the thickness of the steel.

Expanded mesh vs welded mesh vs wire mesh

	Expanded	Welded	Woven wire
Joins	None	Welded points	Woven crossings
Rigidity	High	High	Low to medium
Weight per area	Light	Medium	Light
Best for	Plaster, guards, grills	Fencing, cages, slabs	Screens, sieves

If the job needs a flat, rigid, one-piece panel, expanded mesh is hard to beat. If it must be flexible and rolled, woven wire is better. For slabs and fences, see welded mesh.

Paint or galvanise

Plain mild steel mesh rusts outdoors. For external use, ask for galvanised, or paint it with a primer and enamel before it goes up.

Order from us

We keep expanded mesh in rolls and cut sheets. Send us the use, the size and the quantity and we will confirm what is in stock. See wiremesh and expanded metal mesh.

FAQs

What is expanded metal mesh used for?
Gates, grills, guards, plaster reinforcement, walkways and fences.

Is expanded mesh stronger than wire mesh?
It is more rigid, because it is a single piece with no weld points. Which is stronger for a job depends on the strand size, the material and the design.

Can expanded mesh be galvanised?
Yes, it is available galvanised for outdoor use.

What is the difference between standard and flattened?
Standard has angled strands and a rough surface. Flattened has a flat face and is smoother.

Do you sell expanded mesh by the roll or by the sheet?
Both. Tell us the size.