Decorative woven meshes can be layered to increase opacity, with a fine mesh fitted behind a larger-holed open grille. This setup enhances concealment, making it more effective at obscuring what lies behind the grille compared to using the grille alone. This approach is popular when a coarse mesh panel is desired, but a high level of obscuration is also required—typically to hide radiators or air conditioning ducts.
However, when a woven panel is designed as a decorative dividing screen, visibility through it may be preferred. The secondary finer mesh, known as a backing mesh, has smaller holes and thinner wires. From a distance, it can appear almost like a solid surface.
There are two standard types of backing mesh: fine (16 holes per inch) and coarse (8 holes per inch). Unless specified otherwise, the backing mesh is usually finished to match the front grille. Additional decorative effects can be achieved by using contrasting colored meshes, either through sprayed finishes or different materials. A popular choice is a brass front grille paired with a black backing mesh for enhanced visual appeal.
