Fiberglass mesh is a neatly woven, crisscross pattern of
fiberglass
Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass cloth ...
thread that is used to create new products such as tape and filters. When it is used as a filter, it is not uncommon for the manufacturer to spray a
PVC coating to make it stronger and last longer. The most common place to find fiberglass mesh is in
tape products.
Drywall
Drywall (also called plasterboard, dry lining, wallboard, sheet rock, gypsum board, buster board, custard board, and gypsum panel) is a panel made of calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum), with or without additives, typically extruded between thick ...
finishers use the mesh frequently. In fact, it is common to replace the paper tape used to float the joint between two pieces of drywall. The mesh that drywall finishers use comes on a roll just like paper drywall tape. The added benefit for the drywall finisher is to roll out the mesh over a great distance before having to apply the first coat of
joint compound
Joint compound (also known as drywall compound, drywall mud, or mastic) is a white powder of primarily gypsum dust mixed with water to form a paste the consistency of cake frosting, which is used with paper or fiber ''joint tape'' to seal jo ...
. Not only does it help them in this manner, but it also causes a stronger bond between the joint compound, the tape and the wall.
Drywall finishers also use this tape to patch holes. The most common hole in the drywall generally occurs where a doorknob has hit a wall too many times. If it is only slightly damaged, a couple of short pieces of the tape will be formed into a square and placed over the hole. A joint compound will then be applied directly to it. If the hole is too large to patch with fiberglass mesh alone, a piece of metal flashing can be added behind the tape before applying joint compound.
Construction
Construction is a general term meaning the art and science to form objects, systems, or organizations,"Construction" def. 1.a. 1.b. and 1.c. ''Oxford English Dictionary'' Second Edition on CD-ROM (v. 4.0) Oxford University Press 2009 and com ...
work is not the only use for fiberglass mesh.
As a
filtering system, alkali resistant fiberglass mesh works really well. As the water flows through it, the mesh catches even the smallest impurities. In addition to this use, it can also be used as a
mosquito net
A mosquito net is a type of meshed curtain that is circumferentially draped over a bed or a sleeping area, to offer the sleeper barrier protection against bites and stings from mosquitos, flies, and other pest insects, and thus against the di ...
.
Finally, fiberglass mesh is sometimes woven into
protective clothing
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, ele ...
used by those who work with dangerous chemicals or firefighters. Tightly woven mesh is put together and shaped into jackets that firemen wear when they are battling a blaze. It protects them from any fire that might ignite their clothing while fighting a fire. Fiberglass mesh can also be used in mold making and as protection against
corrosive
A corrosive substance is one that will damage or destroy other substances with which it comes into contact by means of a chemical reaction.
Etymology
The word ''corrosive'' is derived from the Latin verb ''corrodere'', which means ''to gnaw'', ...
s.
Fiberglass mesh is a C glass fiber yarn as a base cross, is coated with an alkali-resistant latex, excellent alkali resistance, warpage, and has a tensile strength characteristics of the weft.
Fibre-reinforced composites