304 Stainless Steel Benefits & Applications I Wire Mesh & Sheet

21 Jul.,2025

 

304 Stainless Steel Benefits & Applications I Wire Mesh & Sheet

304 stainless steel is a stainless steel alloy with excellent formability, drawing, and machining characteristics. It's a popular material choice for a wide variety of wire mesh products, metal sheeting, and other fabrications. With exceptional corrosion resistance, high strength, and low weight 304 SS wire meshes and sheets are suitable for broad-ranging applications and use cases. With over half a century in the steel industry, Marlin Steel is committed to providing excellent 304 stainless steel mesh and sheet products for our clients.

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Common Industrial Applications of 304 SS Wire Mesh and Sheet

304 SS wire meshes and sheets are a reliable, versatile material that can handle a wide variety of tasks and applications throughout consumer, commercial, and industrial markets. Some popular applications of our wire mesh and sheet products are:

  • Filtration applications, including liquid filtration, particle sieving, petroleum refining, and chemical processing
  • Production of security screens, baskets, and decorations.

Some of the industries we serve include:

  • Aerospace
  • Architecture
  • Chemical
  • Food production and processing
  • Mining
  • Petroleum
  • Pharmaceuticals

Benefits of 304 Stainless Steel

Stainless steel alloys are versatile materials that resist corrosion from exposure to chemicals and moisture. Every stainless steel alloy has a unique mix of favorable characteristics and strengths. The key properties of 304 stainless steel include the following:

  • Durability: 304 stainless steel is a strong, durable metal that can resist mechanical and chemical damage.
  • Chemical Resistance: This alloy resists corrosion and oxidation, making it a good choice for filters and other products that will come into contact with water and chemicals. It has a relatively low carbon content, further reducing its vulnerability to corrosion. It can even withstand saltwater and oxidizing acids.
  • Workability: 304 SS is very formable, easy to fabricate and shape, and simple to clean without causing damage. It can be safely sanitized through different methods such as steam cleaning and dry vapor cleaning.
  • Strength and Mechanical Resistance: 304 SS is well-regarded for impact resistance and ability to perform well and retain its physical characteristics in low-temperature environments.
  • Nonferrous Properties: 304 stainless steel is not magnetic.

Common Uses for 304 Stainless Steel Wire Mesh and Sheets

304 SS wire meshes and sheets are popular materials for use in the production of a wide array of goods. At Marlin Steel, we fabricate meshes and sheets used to produce the following goods:

304 Stainless Steel Wire Mesh Products

  • Architectural and decorative trims
  • Chemical handling equipment
  • Equipment for commercial textile dyeing operations
  • Food processing and handling equipment, such as sieves
  • Oil refinery still tubes
  • Parts for household appliances, such as filters, traps, and cages
  • Steam piping parts and components
  • And more

304 Stainless Steel Sheet Products

  • Automobile components
  • Chemical containers for commercial and industrial use
  • Dyeing equipment for textiles and more
  • Food processing equipment
  • Heat exchanger parts
  • Hollowware such as saucepans and sinks
  • Machinery parts for general industrial applications
  • Water filtration devices

Contact Marlin Steel for Premium Wire and Steel Products

Marlin Steel is a leading provider of high-quality stainless steel and wire products of all types, such as wire meshes, racks, sheets, and standard and custom wire baskets. For over 50 years, we have provided Fortune 500 companies and international brands with custom-engineered products. Today we fabricate custom products from 304 SS, 316 SS, 330 SS, Grade Steel, Plain Steel, and Inconel. Our company is ISO : certified as part of our commitment to product quality assurance and excellent customer service throughout every stage of production.

Helpful hints for buying wire mesh

Other Frequently Asked Questions

Edward J. Darby & Son, Inc. has developed a list of answers to some of the most asked questions we have received over the years. For questions and answers not discussed here, please contact us for more information. For questions related to wire mesh, please visit the wire mesh glossary or the wire mesh overview pages.

Do you offer blind shipments & drop shipments?

Edward J. Darby & Son, Inc. has been a major player in the wire mesh industry for over 160 years, and as a result, we have earned a reputation for honesty and trust. To that end, Darby offers both blind shipments and drop shipments. These special shipments ship directly from our facility to our customer’s customer, which saves both of them time and money. Blind shipments are ideal for customers who do not want to reveal the source’s name to their customers. We have worked with UPS and various motor freight carriers to enhance our customized blind shipment program. This program allows us to set up and schedule blind shipments and keep sensitive information private. We routinely use generic shipping labels and can easily use our customer’s own, if desired.

What is your cancellation policy?

Once an order is placed – verbally, via purchase order, or through e-commerce—Darby immediately begins to fill your order. Darby requests that you double check your specifications, quantity and dimensions before placing your order.

Orders that can be cancelled may be subject to a minimum cancellation charge of 25%. However, certain orders, including custom manufacturing, fabricated parts and cut-to-size pieces, are non-cancellable.

What is your chemical & physical certification policy?

Edward J. Darby & Son, Inc. can offer chemical and/or physical certification for most any woven or welded wire mesh. A request for Darby’s standard chemical and/or physical certification must be clearly stated on your official written purchase order. Unfortunately, in most cases, we are unable to provide certifications more than 60 days after the order ships.

For any non-standard or specialized certification, including, but not limited to, statements of DFAR and/or USA manufacture, Country of Melt, ROHS compliance, Conflict of Materials (Dodd-Frank), LEED, magnetic permeability, or a particular industrial specification, the request must be clearly communicated in the original request for quote (RFQ) and clearly stated on the official purchase order. In order to comply with these special certification requests, additional charges may apply. Please speak to a sales person or a quality control representative for more information.

What is your damaged shipment policy?

Upon receipt of your wire mesh shipment, it is the customer’s responsibility to inspect the package for any external damage. If external damage is found, the delivery receipt and other associated paperwork must note the damage before accepting the delivery. A photo in these instances is highly recommended. After opening the package, if the material is damaged, a claim must be made with the carrier. Filing the claim and requesting an inspection in a prompt fashion are the responsibilities of the customer.

Do you offer expediting services?

Darby understands that there are times when our customers “need material yesterday.” As a result, we offer numerous expediting services including same day shipments, rush delivery, pick-ups, and expediting fabrication. Because of our extensive inventory and devoted staff, we routinely ship stock material out the day your order is placed. We utilize UPS World Ship which allows us to ship material out Express Critical, Next Day Air, Second Day Air and UPS Ground. We also work closely with various motor freight carriers and same day courier services to make sure our customers receive material when it is needed. Surcharges may apply to some expediting requests; please contact us with your expediting requirements.

Because we understand today’s business climate, Darby also provides quick turnaround on most quotations.

What are your quality standards?

Most wire mesh that Darby supplies adheres to the standard specification for industrial woven wire cloth, namely ASTM-E-11. It is important for any purchaser of wire mesh and wire cloth to be familiar with this specification, which can be accessed online at www.astm.org. This specification discusses quality standards within the wire mesh industry.

ASTM E--11 states that wire cloth “shall be woven with first-class workmanship, although some blemishes or defects are inherent in the weaving process.” Darby understands its role as a major supplier of wire mesh and wire cloth and abides by a specially designed quality initiative that aims to consistently provide its customers with high quality wire mesh.

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Wire mesh is an industrial product and is intended for use in industrial applications, where functionality is the primary objective. Because mesh is an extremely versatile product, it is often used in applications not related to industrial use, for example in instances where appearance is critical.

Generally speaking, Darby is unable to guarantee perfect, or defect-free, material. Blemishes or defects are inherent in the weaving process and are virtually impossible to avoid. We encourage all customers who may have stringent quality requirements to discuss them with a sales representative and to review the permissible blemishes detailed in ASTM E--11, if applicable. We routinely work with these types of customers and have been largely successful in meeting their requirements.

What are your quantity tolerances?

Most wire mesh that Darby supplies adheres to the standard specification for industrial woven wire cloth, namely ASTM-E-11. It is important for any purchaser of wire mesh and wire cloth to be familiar with this specification, which can be accessed online at www.astm.org. This specification discusses tolerances in the wire mesh industry, in detail.

Two of the more popular discussion points related to quantity tolerance are full roll purchases and fabricated parts.

ASTM E--11 designates that a standard roll shall be 100 linear feet, +/- 10 linear feet; the roll may consist of up to three pieces, no pieces less than 10 linear feet. For example, an acceptable roll can consist of 1 piece, 50 feet, 1 piece, 30 feet, and 1 piece, 20 feet.

On custom manufactured items, including, but not limited to discs, cut-to-size pieces, and fabricated parts, there is a quantity variance of +/- 10%. All other variances must be agreed to prior to the acceptance of a purchase order.

Should a customer have any specific quantity tolerances, it should be discussed with Darby. For a more detailed look into tolerances, please visit www.astm.org.

What is your return policy?

From its inception in to today, Edward J. Darby & Son, Inc. has been committed to supplying high quality, industrial grade wire mesh. After receiving material and before cutting to size, fabricating or shipping, it is important that Darby’s customer inspect material to confirm it is received as ordered. Darby is unable to accept a return on any mesh that has been processed or modified.

Should the quality of mesh be in question, the disparity must be noted in writing within 10 days of delivery date. At that point, Darby will have the option to issue a Return Goods Authorization with shipping instructions. The customer is responsible for shipping costs back to Darby, unless the dispute is an error in Darby’s fulfillment of the order.

Darby reserves the right to inspect material before issuing credit, refund or replacement. Darby will inspect the material for non-conformance, including tolerances, defects and blemishes referenced in ASTM E--11, or other applicable industrial standards. After inspection, should the material not conform to the applicable industrial standard, Darby issue a refund for /replacement of material and reasonable transportation costs.

Full, unprocessed, rolls that are authorized for return will be subject to a restocking fee. Darby may be unable to accept returns on incorrectly ordered items, mesh that has been cut, fabricated parts or custom manufactured items.

Do you offer special packaging requirements?

Often times, users of wire mesh require special packaging for their material. Some of the more popular packing requirements include: individually packaged and marked shipments, flat shipments, shipment with extra protection, consolidated shipments and customized boxed. Please contact us to discuss your special packaging requirements. Extra charges may apply.

Do you offer wire mesh analysis?

If you have a piece of mesh that you are looking to identify or even replicate, look no further than Edward J. Darby & Son, Inc. Our team of knowledgeable and experienced technicians has the ability to identify virtually any woven or welded mesh you may have.

We commonly identify mesh count, diameter wire, opening size and percentage of open area. We are happy to offer this service, free of charge. We also have the capabilities to distinguish specific alloys and chemical compositions; additional charges for this service may apply.

Can you make specific wire mesh recommendations?

This website has been designed with the goal of providing website visitors with all of the detailed information we have learned from our broad range of customers over the years. More importantly, this website has been developed to serve as a guide to assist in the decision making process for the purchase of wire mesh.

We are unable to make specific wire mesh recommendations for a specific application. If you are unsure about what mesh will work best in your application, we suggest sampling, prototyping or speaking to an expert or engineer in your particular industry.

Sample Policy

To learn about our Sample Policy, please visit here: