A grille screen has to do two things at once — flow enough air to keep the car cool, and stop the stone that would otherwise hole a radiator core. Get it wrong in either direction and you either choke the cooling system or pay for a new intercooler. Since 1938, Howard Wire Cloth Co. has supplied builders, restorers, fabricators and race shops with woven, perforated and expanded metal in aluminum, stainless and specialty alloys. As a family-owned manufacturer and distributor in Hayward, CA, we cut every panel to your exact dimensions — USA-made, quote-based, with free samples so you can hold the pattern up to the opening before you commit.
Where Automotive Relies On Wire Mesh
Grille & Intake Inserts
Woven, perforated and expanded panels for front grilles, side intakes and bumper openings — the visible screen that still has to move air.
Radiator & Intercooler Screens
High open-area mesh that stops stone strikes and road debris ahead of radiators, intercoolers and oil coolers without restricting flow.
Speaker Grilles & Interior Trim
Fine perforated sheet, usually aluminum, for acoustically transparent speaker covers and finished interior panels.
Heat Shielding & Engine Bay Screens
Stainless woven and perforated panels for shielding, vent screens and covers that sit near exhaust components and sustained heat.
Air, Oil & Fuel Filtration
Fine-count woven wire cloth for intake, oil, fuel and hydraulic filtration where a defined micron rating matters more than appearance.
Rock Guards & Off-Road Protection
Expanded metal and heavy woven mesh for skid protection, light guards and radiator screens on trucks, off-road and service vehicles.
Why Wire Mesh For Automotive
Airflow You Can Calculate
Open area is the number that decides whether a screen cools or chokes. A panel at 30% open area presents roughly half the flow path of one at 60% — and you can work it out before you buy.
A Finish That Shows
Grille and trim panels are seen from three feet away. A consistent pattern and a clean cut edge are the difference between a factory look and an obvious repair.
Heat And Corrosion Tolerance
Stainless holds up near exhaust and under road salt; aluminum resists corrosion without plating and keeps weight down. The right alloy depends on where on the car it sits.
Cut To Your Dimensions
We cut to the size you specify rather than selling fixed panels, so you can order to the opening you are actually filling and keep your offcuts to a minimum.
Recommended Mesh & Materials
Spec The Screen Before You Cut The Grille
Send your opening size, pattern and alloy — we'll cut it to size and get free samples in your hands. Quotes from our family-owned Hayward, CA shop, manufacturing since 1938.
Common Questions
What open area do I need in front of a radiator?
It depends on how much cooling margin the vehicle has and what you are protecting against. The trade-off never changes — a smaller opening stops smaller debris but, at a fixed open area, restricts more flow. A fine opening at high open area protects better and flows better than a coarse opening at low open area. Our open area calculator will give you the number for any pattern you are considering.
Woven, perforated or expanded for a grille insert?
Perforated sheet is the most forgiving for a visible flat panel — it holds its shape and takes a clean cut edge. Woven mesh forms around curves and reaches finer openings, but its perimeter needs capturing in a frame or a fold. Expanded metal is the stiffest and best where the screen also has to take impact. Our expanded vs. perforated comparison goes into more depth.
Should I use aluminum or stainless?
Location on the car decides it. Aluminum is light, corrosion-resistant and easy to work, which makes it the conventional choice for grilles and intakes. Stainless is stronger and far more heat-tolerant, so it belongs anywhere near exhaust components or under sustained temperature — and 316 is worth it in road-salt and coastal conditions.
Do you make finished grille inserts for specific vehicles?
No. We supply the material by the sheet or the roll, cut to the size you specify. Fitting, forming and mounting are done by you or your fabricator. Nothing we supply is a specification for a part forming any portion of a vehicle's safety, structural or emissions systems — those decisions belong with whoever is responsible for the vehicle.
Can I get samples before ordering a full sheet?
Yes — we provide free samples so you can hold the candidates up to the opening and check the pattern, wire diameter and finish before committing. Everything is quote-based and made in the USA at our Hayward, CA facility, family-owned since 1938.