Brass mesh is having a moment – and not just for its elegant aesthetics. In projects where original architecture must be respected yet modern performance delivered, architects and contractors are increasingly relying on brass mesh for heritage restorations as an easy way to reintroduce period detailing and features.

Timeless and sophisticated, brass mesh provides the perfect balance of authenticity, strength, and versatility in a single product, bringing precision and integrity to restoration work while meeting listed and heritage building requirements.

Here’s a closer look at how it can be used – and why brass mesh never goes out of style for all kinds of projects that need to nod to the past.

Why brass mesh for heritage restorations

Brass mesh has the sought-after combination of durability, heritage suitability, and design adaptability. Its warm tones and classic weaves align naturally with the materials and detailing of historic Australian buildings, particularly those from the Victorian period.

Key advantages of brass mesh for restoration projects include:

Visual authenticity

Brass was commonly used in original fixtures and fittings. Mesh panels replicate the character of the period while supporting modern requirements for airflow, safety, and screening.

Structural performance

Brass is corrosion-resistant, strong, and easy to fabricate, making it essential for elements such as balustrades and grilles in high-traffic areas and landmark buildings.

Design versatility

Mesh can be cut to suit a wide range of applications, from ceiling panels and cabinetry to window screening – especially useful for protecting delicate or fragile heritage features.

Compliance and integration

Brass mesh meets a range of safety and compliance needs in public infrastructure while addressing heritage guidelines.

How to use brass mesh for heritage restorations and projects

Brass mesh is often specified for restoration projects involving:

Balustrades and staircases: Blending safety compliance with heritage detailing
Joinery and cabinetry: Used in libraries, churches, commercial fitouts and restoration cabinetry where visibility and ventilation are needed
Grilles, vents and panels: Offering passive ventilation while maintaining decorative features
Window protection: Adding security and safeguarding glasswork without compromising visual appeal and historic charm
Public transport infrastructure: Used in heritage station upgrades and refurbishments where aesthetics and durability are critical.

Designs and styles of brass mesh

Arrow Metal’s latest brass mesh release – a collection of pre-aged antique finish brass mesh – has quickly become a bestseller for restoration projects and settings where new polished brass would look out of place.

Matching the lived-in look of original heritage metalwork, the antique finish gives instant patination without the wait, available in flat weave, crimped, woven and double-woven styles.

Other designs of brass mesh include thick and thin profiles and tight and open weaves, ensuring a brass mesh style for every type of project and visual goal.

Explore our full brass mesh range on our website. Sample packs with detailed specification information are available on request.

Brass mesh for heritage restorations: Case studies

Here’s how Arrow Metal brass mesh has restored period detailing to some of NSW’s historic buildings:

Queen Victoria Building, Sydney

The heritage-listed QVB is one of Sydney’s CBD’s most well-known landmarks. Its restoration required period-appropriate materials that would meet heritage requirements and match the building’s beautiful features. Our brass mesh was used to reinstate decorative grille detailing in its historic lifts while ensuring longevity and shopper safety in a high-traffic retail environment.

St Paul’s Church, Armidale

At St Paul’s Church in Armidale, our brass mesh was selected to protect the newly restored stained-glass windows of the historic building, which dates back to 1882. Brass mesh was the perfect complement to the Gothic architecture, cut perfectly to fit the arched windows.

Petersham Station, NSW

The heritage-listed Petersham Station required a material that could integrate with the site’s late Victorian architecture and withstand daily commuter use. Our double-weave brass mesh, installed over the windows of its new modern extension, linked the new addition to the past, adding protective elegance whilst bringing the aesthetics together.

Work with us on your next heritage project

We work with architects, specifiers and contractors to supply custom brass mesh solutions tailored to the unique demands of heritage and restoration projects. All mesh can be cut to size to meet your project brief, with short lead times for in-stock profiles and technical support at every stage.

Main image: Arrow Metal’s brass mesh was used to reinstate decorative grille detailing in the historic lifts of the heritage-listed Queen Victoria Building in Sydney’s CBD

Architecture & Design Team

Arrow Metal

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