Understanding Architectural Wire Mesh: Will It Rust?

Architectural wire mesh is a unique design material that offers a balance of aesthetics and durability, unlike any other material. Its metallic construction allows architects to deliver a lustrous shine that makes their designs stand out.

But because it's a metallic design material that is often used for exterior applications, there are a lot of hesitations that can leave architects unsure about the practicality of architectural mesh. However, the biggest concern is whether or not architectural mesh will rust over time.

W.S. Tyler has been a prominent supplier of architectural mesh for over 20 years and strives to leverage the experience we have within our four walls to remove the roadblocks that hinder the architectural design process.

With that, this article was written to establish everything you need to know about architectural mesh and rusting. You will learn:

• What architectural mesh is

• Whether or not architectural mesh will rust

• What may cause architectural mesh to rust

• How to keep your architectural mesh in pristine condition

What Is Architectural Wire Mesh?

Architectural wire mesh is best defined as a metallic fabric comprised of individual wires that become interlocked during a centuries-old weaving process. It is considered a fully customized product as parameters like weave pattern, wire diameter, panel width, panel height, and percentage of open area are predetermined before being woven.

It should be noted that architectural mesh is available in four forms. These forms are:

Will Architectural Mesh Rust?

Architectural wire mesh is generally made from 316 stainless steel. This means that, standing alone, architectural mesh will not rust.

That said, when contaminated, all stainless steel is subject to rusting.

Fortunately, when W.S. Tyler ships our mesh, we ensure the mesh is chemical-free upon arrival. We do so by subject every architectural mesh panel fabricated to an intense ultrasonic cleaning.

This ensures any unwanted debris or chemicals that adhere to the mesh during the weaving process are washed away thoroughly.

What Causes Architectural Mesh to Rust?

There are several factors that can lead to your architectural wire mesh becoming rusted. Whenever dissimilar metals come into contact with the mesh surface, the protective layer on the mesh surface may become compromised, and corrosion/rust may soon follow.

For example, if the mesh is located next to some sort of rail station, rail dust containing various alloy particles is bound to adhere to the mesh surface. This, in turn, will cause corrosion over time and result in a rusted mesh surface.

You must also be aware of the tools being used during the installation process. If tools that are not stainless steel are in constant contact with the mesh, the same dissimilar metal effects may occur.

How Can I Ensure My Mesh Remains Rust-Free?

Unfortunately, there is no 100% guarantee that your architectural mesh will remain rust-free. This is only because you can't control the environment.

You can't control what's going on around the mesh.

This is, of course, you are applying architectural mesh to an interior application. But even interior applications can run into corrosive chemicals, such as chlorine, from indoor pools.

That said, you can periodically rinse the mesh with water or wipe it down with a damp cloth if necessary. But architectural mesh is considered a maintenance-free product because rainwater is generally enough to wash away any hazardous debris on the mesh surface.

To that end, you should take caution not to use any sort of cleaning product not intended for stainless steel use. Failure to do so may cause architectural mesh to rust at an accelerated rate.

For tips on how to properly clean and maintain your mesh, review the following article:

Understand Why Architectural Mesh Is Stainless Steel?

Architectural wire mesh is a series of stainless steel wires that become interlocked after a stringent weaving process. As these wires are made from 316 stainless steel, architectural mesh, by itself, will not rust.

That said, contaminants, such as dissimilar alloys and corrosive airborne particles, can compromise the mesh surface and raise the chances of rusting.

W.S. Tyler has been helping architects weave their vision into reality for 20 years and wants you to feel confident in your decision to incorporate architectural wire mesh into your architectural design process.

To help, we wrote the article below to provide insight into why we choose to weave our architectural wire mesh from stainless steel wires: