Construction materials benefit from innovation and time.
Older materials still find use, as they are tried-and-true, but also get new spins from modern techniques. If The 3 Little Pigs were told today, you would need a lot more pigs to reflect the personalities of today’s wolf-stopping materials.
It’s hard to say which material would do best, but perforated metal certainly has some advantages. Modern construction doesn’t typically need to wolf-proof an abode (except maybe in Alaska), but the material has plenty of uses.
Read on to learn how modern construction incorporates this versatile building material.
Perforated Metal Uses
Construction projects need to be built quickly and stay standing for a long time while resisting the elements.
The demand for construction projects is forecasted to exceed $776 million in 2020.
Where will you find perforated steel in those projects?
1. Stair Treads
Perforated metal sheets or fiberglass grating work well for stairs both indoor and outdoor. The material offers superb load-bearing qualities for its weight.
It’s easy to clean and offers a unique look that can be customized by choosing different hole shapes and sizes.
For external use, it sluices water straight through and has a gripping texture. This keeps water off of important stairs and walkways while also providing purchase during rain and snow.
2. Decking
Speaking of weather resistance, perforated corrugated metal makes an excellent deck material. It keeps the deck from accumulating water and snow in the winter and provides ventilation in the summer.
Of course, coated varieties are used to keep the metal from heating up in direct sunlight, but what deck project is complete without an argument over the varnish/stain/coating?
3. Exterior Screens
Why settle with just a deck when you can build a balustrade around it?
With decorative perforated sheet metal, you can wrap your deck or balcony in a decorative motif. The semi-transparent material is easy to see out of up close, but becomes nearly opaque at a distance.
4. Exterior Facade
No deck or balcony? Perforated screens can be wrapped around a wall to create a decorative facade.
With a little computer know-how, you can create images and pointillism shadowboxes that move across a wall with the passing of the sun. These are found in public works and corporate buildings the world over.
These facades also make sound baffling windscreens that limit echoes in plazas and mezzanines.
5. Solar Shading
Shaped and angled panels of perforated metal make efficient cooling sun shields.
Ergonomic engineers can measure the angle of light and then diffuse it with perforated metal screens. This lowers the temperature of the window while still allowing light to come through.
With automation or adjustable fixtures, thees solar shades can be moved throughout the day or year to provide maximum protection with minimum materials.
Now You Know
Whether you are building a garden escape, an industrial complex, or a storybook home, perforated metal materials help you achieve your goal. The combination of strength, weight, and versatility is hard to beat.
For more information and factoids about things of interest, keep coming back for more articles.