Howard's Blog
Field notes, spec deep-dives, and shop-floor know-how from the people who’ve been cutting wire mesh in Hayward, California. Mesh counts, alloys, finishes, and the jobs they end up on — written plain.

- // Editor The Howard Wire Crew
- // Cadence Published When It Matters
- // Topics Specs · Materials · Applications
- // Loc. Hayward, California
Featured Read
Our most recent long-read — the one we’d hand a new buyer before they pick a mesh count.
Featured
Getting Ready for El Niño in the Bay Area: Gutters, Downspouts, Drains, and Rain Barrels
NOAA gives a greater than 90% chance of a very strong El Niño this winter, and California is already under a preparedness emergency. It tilts the odds toward a wet Bay Area winter without guaranteeing one, and getting...
All Notes
Everything we’ve filed from the shop floor — sorted newest first.
// 03
The Quiet Shift to Aluminum: Why Lightweight Mesh Is Showing Up in More Specs
Aluminum wire mesh is gaining ground in architectural and industrial specs. Here's where it makes sense to switch from steel — and...
Read Note →
// 04
How to Read an Expanded Metal Spec: 1/2" #16 Decoded
Expanded metal is specified as a diamond size and a gauge number — and neither one is the size of the hole....
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// 05
How to Read a Perforated Metal Spec: 1/4" Hole on 3/8" Staggered
Perforated sheet is specified as hole size on centre distance, in a staggered or straight pattern. The second number is the one...
Read Note →