Rigid Mesh Fencing

Why choose welded mesh fencing from Jacksons?

Welded mesh fencing lends itself to applications where good visibility, quicker installation speeds, and lower cost are primary requirements.

Looking at the most popular mesh designs, it’s easy to assume that there is little to choose between them; on paper, they look much the same and share similar wire spacings, reinforcing folds and wire sizes. But that’s far from the reality.

There are many factors that will distinguish a mesh panel fence capable of providing security and a long service life from those that can’t. Here are some points to consider if you want a welded mesh fence that will remain fit for purpose throughout a long life cycle:

QUALITY STEEL

All welded mesh fence panels start as coils of steel wire. As with all steel products, the quality and durability of the finished product results from starting with a good material, and that’s largely a factor of the wire manufacturing process. Where possible, check that the steel wire being used by the fence panel manufacturer is of a good grade to ensure consistency and adherence to material specification and tolerances.

WIRE DIAMETER (GAUGE)

Rigid welded mesh fence panels are almost always sold with a protective coating covering the wire – whether pre-galvanised (Galvanised Before Welding), Galvanised After Welding (GAW), Zinc-Alloy coated or plastic coated. Some manufacturers measure their wire diameters after the coating is applied. A smaller diameter wire with a heavier layer of coating will not provide the same structural strength and resistance to cutting as a product made from heavier diameter wire, even though both will be show as being the same diameter. Jacksons provides all of its wire mesh measurements as readings taken before coating, to provide an accurate representation of strength. The coating provides additional thickness on top of the measurement specified.

MESH PANEL COATING

The mesh fence will be manufactured with wire that has been pre-galvanised with a zinc coating before being welded together. During manufacturing, each intersection of horizontal and vertical wires is welded to form the mesh panel. However, the welding process effectively removes the protective layer of zinc, leaving the wire unprotected and subject to corrosion at precisely the points where it needs to maintain its integrity.

Rigid mesh fence panels galvanised with a zinc coating after the wires are welded into place are inherently more durable than panels manufactured from pre-galvanised wires. The manufactured panels are typically hot dip galvanised for full coverage of the zinc coating. The downside of this process is that it requires significant ‘fettling’ after manufacture to remove surface imperfections and sharp zinc spikes which adds to the cost.

The notable exception to the rule is with panels manufactured with Galfan® or similar zinc alloy coated wire to British Standard (BS EN 10244-2:2009). The higher aluminium content of Galfan® coated wire allows the join to ‘heal’ under welding temperatures and as a result, maintain protection against corrosion.

Jacksons supplies both galvanised with a powder coating and Galfan® coated mesh fencing.

Polyester powder coating to British Standard BS EN 13438 is applied to a galvanised or zinc alloy coated substrate to provide a decorative finish in a virtually limitless range of colours. Additionally, powder coating enhances the durability of a mesh fence by providing a further protective layer. We have our own powder coating facility at our headquarters in Kent to ensure a high level of control and premium architectural grade finish.

Thermoset powder coatings (including polyester powder coating) are sprayed onto a galvanised or zinc alloy substrate and are particularly effective in applications where the fence is exposed to harsh or corrosive atmospheres, such as coastal areas, deserts, and industrial facilities. The combination of a thermoset coating on a galvanised substrate provides maximum surface protection to a mesh panel fence.

Posts and the mechanical fixings of welded mesh panels to posts are essential to the safety and security characteristics of mesh fencing, and some manufacturers are happy to down-spec posts to save costs; so it’s worth a closer look. Jacksons mesh fencing employs at least two vandal-proof mechanical fixing points per clip.