What Is Rolled Welded Mesh?
Most people are familiar with welded wire mesh panels, which are often used for prison fencing and other high-security fence applications.
However, what you might not know is that there are also rolled welded mesh products available that can be installed on tubular steel fence frameworks similar to what you might build for chain link fence or diamond mesh fencing. Here’s what you need to know about rolled welded mesh.
What Is Rolled Welded Mesh?
Rolled welded mesh, as the name suggests, is a welded wire mesh product that is sold in rolls rather than in panels. This kind of welded wire mesh is often more cost-effective and easier to install to a tubular steel fence framework, and it’s usually also faster to install than welded mesh panel systems.
What Is Rolled Welded Mesh Made Of?
Like welded wire mesh panels, rolled welded wire mesh products are made from galvanised steel wire that is electrically welded at the intersection of each horizontal and vertical wire.
Rolled welded wire mesh is usually made from either 2.5mm or 3.15mm diameter galvanized wire, but it may also be made from other wire diameters when required.
What Mesh Apertures Does Rolled Welded Mesh Come In?
As you probably already know from working with other types of wire mesh, aperture size plays a big role in the security of any mesh fence. The larger the mesh apertures are, the less secure it is, and the smaller they are, the more secure the fence will be.
Like most kinds of mesh for fencing, rolled welded mesh is available in a variety of apertures, with some of the more common being:
- 100 x 50mm or 4 x 2”
- 50 x 50mm or 2 x 2”
- 50 x 25mm or 2 x 1”
Other sizes may be available from specific manufacturers, or if you need something custom and are buying large quantities, you may be able to have it manufactured for your project.
The Pros and Cons of Rolled Welded Wire Mesh
Like every kind of fencing, there are pros and cons to rolled welded wire mesh fences. Let’s take a closer look, starting with the pros:
- Like welded mesh panel fence, cutting through a rolled welded wire mesh fence requires much more effort than woven wire mesh fences, which makes it more secure
- Rolled welded wire mesh fences usually cost less than welded wire mesh panel fences
- Rolled welded wire mesh fences are more rigid than chain link, which offers additional fence design options
Of course, there’s always a downside when you’re choosing a fence, and rolled welded wire mesh is no different. Here are a few of the negative aspects:
- You can’t weave welded wire mesh together as you can with chain link, so you will have to overlap each roll and join the ends vertically
- Unlike chain link fence or diamond mesh, as it’s also known, rolled welded wire mesh fences don’t flex or follow the ground, so if you have an uneven site, it could be complicated to install your fence
- Rolled welded wire mesh costs more than chain link in a similar height
How Is Rolled Welded Wire Mesh Sold?
Rolled welded wire mesh is usually sold in rolls that are 30 meters or about 100 feet.
Where Can You Buy Rolled Welded Wire Mesh?
Rolled welded wire mesh is made by a large number of fence manufacturers around the world, although it’s more popular in some places than others. This kind of welded mesh is still fairly unfamiliar in North America, for instance, so you might need to do a little more searching to find it there.
Who Can Install Rolled Welded Wire Mesh?
Rolled welded wire mesh is easier to install than welded mesh panel fences, but it still takes some skill.
You will probably want to hire a fence company that has some experience with this type of fence, so that you can get a quality result in a reasonable time frame.
