What is Wire Decking and Why Do We Use Them?

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A building worker is spraying shotcrete on welded wire mesh

Welded wire mesh, or welded wire fabric, or "weldmesh" is an electric fusion welded prefabricated joined grid consisting of a series of parallel longitudinal wires with accurate spacing welded to cross wires at the required spacing.

Machines are used to produce the mesh with precise dimensional control. The product can result in considerable savings in time, labour and money.

Uses of welded wire mesh

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The welded wire mesh is a metal wire screen that is made up of low carbon steel wire or stainless steel wire. It is available in various sizes and shapes. It is widely used in agricultural, industrial, transportation, horticultural and food procuring sectors. It is also used in mines, gardening, machine protection and other decorations.

Weld mesh is the term given to the kind of barrier fencing that is manufactured in square, rectangular or rhombus mesh from steel wire, welded at each intersection.

Welded wire fabric (WWF) is also sometimes used in reinforced concrete, notably for slabs.

Types of welded wire mesh

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There are several types of welded wire mesh which can be categorized according to their structure, use, and characteristics.

Welded wire fabric (WWF) for concrete slab reinforcement

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This type of mesh is a square grid of uniformly placed wires, welded at all intersections, and meeting the requirements of ASTM A185 and A497 or other standards.[1] The sizes are specified by combining the spacing, in inches or mm, and the wire cross section area in hundredths of square inches or mm2. The common sizes are in the following table:

Imperial Size Metric Equivalent Weight Imperial Weight Metric 6x6 W1.4/W1.4 152x152 MW9.1/MW9.1 20 lb/100 sf 0.98 kg/m2 6x6 W2.1/W2.1 152x152 MW13.1/MW13.1 30 lb/100 sf 1.47 kg/m2 6x6 W2.9/W2.9 152x152 MW18.7/MW18.7 41 lb/100 sf 1.99 kg/m2 6x6 W4.0/W4.0 152x152 MW25.8/MW25.8 56 lb/100 sf 2.73 kg/m2 6x6 W5.4/W5.4 152x152 MW34.9/MW34.9 76 lb/100 sf 3.72 kg/m2 4x4 W1.4/W1.4 102x102 MW9.1/MW9.1 30 lb/100 sf 1.46 kg/m2 4x4 W2.1/W2.1 102x102 MW13.3/MW13.3 43 lb/100 sf 2.40 kg/m2 4x4 W2.9/W2.9 102x102 MW18.7/MW18.7 61 lb/100 sf 2.96 kg/m2 4x4 W4.0/W4.0 102x102 MW25.8/MW25.8 83 lb/100 sf 4.06 kg/m2 4x4 W5.4/W5.4 102x102 MW34.9/MW34.9 119 lb/100 sf 5.82 kg/m2

Electro galvanized welded wire mesh with square opening

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This type of welded wire mesh is designed for building fencing and in other infrastructural purposes. It is a corrosion resistant wire mesh that is largely used in structural building. It is also available in different forms like rolls and panels for industrial uses.

Hot dipped galvanized welded mesh

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This type of mesh wire is generally made up of plain steel wire. At the time of processing it goes through a hot zinc covering process. This type of welded mesh ware with square opening is ideal for animal cage structuring, fabricating the wire boxes, grilling, partition making, grating purposes and machine protection fencing.

PVC coated welded mesh

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PVC coated welded mesh with plastic covering is constructed with galvanized iron wire of high quality. It has PVC powder covering that is processed by an automatic machine. The smooth plastic coating on this corrosion protective wire is attached with a strong adhesive which make increases durability of the wire. It is used in fencing residential and official properties like gardens, parks, building etc. The PVC coated welded mesh which is available as both rolls and panels, is also available in different colors like white, black, green etc.

Welded stainless steel mesh

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This kind of welded mesh wire is basically used in industrial fencing purposes. It is made up of stainless steel that has high strength and integrity. This corrosion resistance meshed wire is long lasting and is widely used in transportation, agricultural, mining, horticulture, entertainment and other service sectors.

Welded wire fencing

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Want more information on Custom Wire Mesh Container? Feel free to contact us.

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This is a type of meshed wire that is available in rolls or panel for used for fencing. Also referred to as "weldmesh", it is available with or without galvanization. The non-galvanized version comes for a lower cost.

Welded steel bar gratings

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This type of welded mesh wire provides advantages like high strength, easy installation and feasible cost. It is mostly used for grating roads, making drainage coverings and building safety walls. It also has uses in chemical plantation, platform grating, metallurgy etc.

References

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   Frederic S. Merritt, M. Kent Loftin, Jonathan T. Ricketts, Standard Handbook for Civil Engineers, Fourth Edition, McGraw-Hill Book Company, , Page 8.17

Popular Pallet Rack Accessory Examined ' Wire Decking

Wire decking is a common pallet racking accessory. It is made from a metal mesh designed to fit securely between the front and rear rack beams. It forms a foundation for placing inventory, most often non-palletized products, cases, and cartons, preventing items from falling through the rack. The mesh design is unique because it allows water and light to pass through vs. solid surface products.

Advantages:

1. Versatile storage option
2. Improved employee safety
3. Helps support broken or bad pallets
4. Ideal for hand-stacked applications (non-palletized)
5. Supports odd-sized pallets
6. Meets fire safety requirements
   • Mesh material allows fire to be detected quickly
   • Improves sprinkler effectiveness
   • Can reduce insurance premiums

There are a variety of wire gauge options available depending on your inventory needs. Gauge options range from 2, 4, 5 and 6. You can also choose from several finishes including powder coat, oven-baked enamel, hot-dipped galvanized, pre-galvanized, or electro-zinc plated. Choosing your finish will depend on the environmental conditions within the warehouse.

Types of Wire Decking

Wire deck design is divided into two general types ' Flared Channel Deck and Step Deck. Flared channel deck is used for structural or box beams and occasionally for step beams. Step decks uniquely fit step beams, as the name suggests. Within those two categories are specific channel designs that serve as the supports for the deck. The channel options vary with the types of pallet rack beams on which they are installed, such as, step, ledge, box or structural.

An example of a standard wire deck is: 42' deep x 46' wide for step beam with three channels and a stated capacity of 2,500 pounds. The standard number of support channels is typically 3, and 4 for wider decks. See below for measurement steps to determine the appropriate deck size.

Your rack type and application will determine which style of wire deck you need. Here are some ideas to help you choose the right configuration for your application:

Flared Channel Deck:

Flared channel deck is a waterfall design where the wire wraps around the outside of the beam, but the underneath support is flared out and rests upon the top of the beam.

 

 

Step Deck Options:

• Outside waterfall deck is a standard design where the wire wraps around the outside of the beam but the underneath support rests on the step inside the beam.
• Inverted channel deck also has the wire wrap around the outside of the beam, but the underneath support is flipped over (as opposed to standard deck) so that the support is not open to the top. This style is often used for food storage and other clean applications.
• Inside waterfall deck allows for the beam face to be unobstructed and the wire deck and channel are rested upon the inside step of the beam. Tek screws are used to adhere the deck in both the front and back positions to prevent the deck from falling through.
• Flush (or drop-in) deck is similar to the inside waterfall deck but without the bent edge.
• Upturned deck is designed with the waterfall facing up upon the rear beam to serve as a backstop for the pallets or cartons.

 

Flue Decking:

Wire decking can be used between back-to-back rack configurations to prevent products from falling through the flue space in the rear of the racks. See photo below.

The channels that run beneath are a significant element of the wire decking application. They provide the primary determinant of the rated capacity of a given deck and support for odd-sized pallets and point loads.

There are two designs for the channels. They are either V-shaped or U-shaped.

 

Wire Decking Styles

As there are several wire mesh decking design styles, there are also several common patterns to satisfy your inventory needs. Here are the most common:

1' x 2'
1' x 4'
2' x 2'
2' x 3'
2' x 4'
4' x 4'
2 ½' x 4'

Measure & Secure for a Snug Fit

The deck must fit securely between the front and rear beams, this is how to properly measure to install your deck:

1. Measure the length of pallet rack beam
2. Measure your upright front to back ' done by measuring from the outside of one end of the upright to the outside of the other end of the same upright.
3. Measure the width of the top of your beam.
4. Measure the depth of your beam step. (Not necessary for box or structural beams).
5. Determine if there is any point loading. Wire decking is rated at a UDL (Uniform Distributed Load). If you have point loads or the pallet is resting on the deck NOT the beams, then the wire deck must be designed to support this. (Contact the wire deck manufacturer or a rack design engineer to discuss a point or line-load application).
6. Secure the wire deck to the rack with Tek screws in both the front and rear positions

Tips for Loading

The main determinants of wire decking stability are the load dimensions, shape, and size/density. Stock decks are designed and rated for a 'uniformly distributed load' (UDL), however, custom decks should be used in cases where load specifications are outside of the UDL (see point loading, below). The UDL is established when the load is set over all the support channels and the majority of the deck surface and comes within 2' of the front and rear load beams.

Point loading (or line loading) is defined as any load that has its weight concentrated on individual points versus uniformly distributed as described above. Think, for example, of footed pallets or containers as opposed to standard GMA pallets with horizontal boards. If all points are not resting evenly over the wire deck it could cause deflection and potential failure.

Wire Decking Accessories

There are several options to help provide unique storage and picking areas on the wire decking shelf. Organized SKUs provide more efficient and accurate put-away and picking.

• Hanging dividers ' hook to the deck above
• Freestanding dividers ' clip to the deck and protrude up
• Carton stop ' provides a divide between cartons

If you have any questions about wire decking or other pallet rack accessories and applications, give the Apex team a call. We have a large inventory of new and pre-owned Quick Ship Rack Accessories that may be just right for your needs and your budget.