Expanded Metal Mounting System - Double

Introduction

The Expanded Metal Mounting System – Double is a proven method for fixing expanded metal sheets to building façades and cladding projects. Using lightweight aluminium extrusions and carefully engineered brackets, the system allows panels to be joined seamlessly, creating a frameless appearance where the expanded metal runs continuously across the façade.

This technique is popular in large-scale developments such as car parks and partition screens, where architects want both performance and a clean, modern aesthetic.

Applications

This installation method is widely used for multi-storey car parks, where expanded metal provides ventilation while doubling as an architectural feature. It is also specified for screening, sunscreens, and rainscreens, where durability and aesthetics must work together. Architects and contractors choose this method because it delivers a continuous, frameless look, eliminating visible lines and creating a polished finish.

Beyond its visual appeal, it is a practical and cost-effective solution for covering large façades without the need for heavy or intrusive framing systems.

Technical Considerations

The system works best with aluminium expanded metal, which is lightweight and can be installed safely across several storeys. The extrusions used in the system are also aluminium, ensuring compatibility and reducing weight. Steel alternatives can be used where required, but additional substructure may be necessary.

Standard panel sizes typically reach up to 1.5 metres wide, but bespoke solutions can be designed if projects demand non-standard dimensions. Fixings are usually placed every 200–500 millimetres, with brackets secured directly through the expanded metal apertures using security screws or tech screws.

Key considerations include:

Installation Process

The installation begins with setting out vertical posts and securing them to the secondary steel structure with bolts or security fixings. Brackets are then attached to the extrusions, either from the top or bottom, and bolted firmly into place. Panels of expanded metal are fixed one by one, with brackets passing through the mesh apertures and fastening the sheets to the extrusion.

Critical precision is required when setting out the brackets — they must be perfectly horizontal, or the entire façade risks drifting off line. A shadow gap of 5mm is left between panels to accommodate expansion and tolerances, ensuring panels do not rub against one another.

Installation times vary depending on the project scale: a single façade can be completed in a day, while larger projects such as a multi-storey car park may take several weeks.

Advantages

The Expanded Metal Mounting System – Double provides a number of clear benefits:

Cost efficiency – panels require no additional framing and are installed directly to the extrusion.
Aesthetic quality – the frameless finish produces a clean, continuous pattern.
Flexibility – bespoke brackets and substructures can be designed to suit non-standard requirements.
Durability – aluminium is lightweight yet resilient, particularly when anodised for additional protection.

This combination of visual appeal, practicality, and performance makes the system a highly attractive option for architects and contractors.

Challenges & Pitfalls

Despite its advantages, the system requires careful planning. Each expanded metal mesh is unique, with its own pitch and orientation. Bespoke brackets must be designed for every project to ensure a proper fit. Designers must also account for end panels, corners, and non-standard sizes, which can otherwise be overlooked until late in the process.

To avoid issues, consultation at the earliest design stage is critical. Planning the panel layout, bracket design, and fixing methods in advance ensures projects run smoothly and costly mistakes are avoided.

The biggest appeal of this method is the frameless solution – it gives architects the clean, seamless look they want while keeping costs under control.

— Tom Yates – Sales Manager, Locker Architectural

Example Project

This technique was successfully applied at the Blackpool Central MSCP, a flagship project in the town’s regeneration scheme. The expanded metal façade was installed using custom-designed brackets to handle non-square pieces, while still achieving the continuous, frameless finish required by the client. The result was a cost-effective, visually striking façade that delivered on both technical performance and architectural ambition.

Planning a project in a demanding environment where aesthetics and performance must work hand in hand?

Contact Locker Architectural to discuss how our mesh systems can help you achieve your vision, or request a sample of our expanded aluminium meshes.

Projects using this installation technique

Here East, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Carnegie Cricket Pavilion

We are proud to work with

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FAQ

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