About Expanded Metal
Common terms used in describing expanded metal:
Style Designation
A combination of numbers, letters, and abbreviations permitting proper specifications of dimension, gauge, style, and weight. In expanded metal products, the first number designates nominal dimension, short way of design. The second number completes the designation and may specify the gauge of metal, weight per 100 square feet, or may have some other significance. Grating products are designated by weight of finished product per square foot.
Standard Expanded Metal
Standard expanded metal as it comes from the press. The strands and bonds are set at a uniform angle to the plane on the sheet. This gives added strength and rigidity, as well as skid-resistant surface. Standard expanded metal is abbreviated XM.
Flattened Metal
Flattened expanded metal is manufactured by passing the standard expanded sheet through a cold roll reducing mill. Flattened expanded metal turns the strands and bonds down to provide a flattened surface, reducing the thickness (gauge) and elongating
the pattern. Thickness may vary plus or minus 10% from published dimensions.
Grating
Grating is a standard expanded metal pattern produced from heavier gauge low carbon steel plates. Strands and the openings of grating are considerably larger than other meshes. It is ideal for use wherever a strong, durable, lightweight surface is needed. Although used primarily for pedestrian traffic, grating can accommodate heavier loads if properly supported.
Alro Steel stocks expanded metal sheet. this sheet has been slit and expanded up to 10 times its original width. This results in an increase in the strength and rigidity of the basic sheet. Often used in industry or the home where there is a drainage problem or a need for free passage of air and light.
In Standard Expanded Metal, the strands are set at sharp angles to the plane of the sheet. In the Flattened Expanded Metal, the strands have been cold rolled to bring them into one plane, thus providing a flat surface.
