How to Safely Cut Woven Wire Mesh

When you order woven wire mesh products from Cal-Wire, we always work to provide you with the exact product you need and will custom-cut it to your specifications.  However, sometimes, you need to make alterations after the fact.  Alternatively, perhaps you want to order uncut lengths of wire mesh to use as you see fit.  We’re happy to oblige!

Either way, sometimes you need to cut and reshape the mesh, and that can be a bit tricky.  Depending on the size of the product, you might need some reasonably serious hardware to cut through it.  (After all, being hard to cut is one of the benefits of a wire mesh fence!)

So, here are some tips for cutting woven wire mesh.

How To Cut Various Types Of Wire Mesh Fencing

First of all, always keep safety in mind!  Even for weak meshes, you should always wear thick gloves and eye protection.  It’s very easy for pieces of metal to go flying, even if you aren’t using high-powered hardware to cut.

I. Thin mesh

At the thinnest end of the spectrum, there’s fine wire mesh which is usually used to protect small and vulnerable items.  At up to .20mm gauge, this can generally be cut with nothing more than a decent pair of office scissors.  

However, few businesses will be working with mesh this thin, aside from perhaps plant nurseries and operations along those lines.

II. Medium mesh

China Wire Mesh for chemical

From approximately .22mm to 1.20+mm, the wire can be cut using dedicated snippers or wire cutters.  When cutting, try to position the snippers as close to the overlap or weave points as possible.  You don’t want to leave a lot of loose ends since those can easily snag on clothes, skin, and do much damage.

The thickness cutoff here is a bit vague since it will largely depend on the strength of the snippers and your hand strength.

III.  Thick mesh

Above roughly 1.50mm, there’s no chance of cutting woven wire mesh by hand.  You’ll need an angle grinder, at the least – with a cutting disc of at least .9mm.  Remember to use hearing protection, and keep bystanders well away from the cutting area.

Plasma torches work even better, but it’s rare to have one of those lying around.