KENYA STANDAR D                    KS 2177:  2017 
                
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Weld mesh — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
©KEBS 2017                         Second Edition 2017 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 KS 2177: 2017                                                                                                            
 
ii                     © KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved  TECHNICAL COMMITEE REPRESENTATION  
 
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee:  
 
1. Architectural associat ion of Kenya  
2. Blue Nile group of companies   
3. Brollo Kenya Limited  
4. Consumer Information Network  
5. Dedan Kimathi University Of Technology \ 
6. Devki Steel Mill Ltd  
7. Doshi & co(H) Ltd  
8. Howard Humphreys  
9. Insteel Limited  
10. Kenya Association of manufacturers  
11. Kenya Institute  of Research and development   
12. Kenya National Accreditation Services     
13. Nails and Steel Products  
14. National Housing Corporation  
15. Palak international limited  
16. Steel Makers Ltd  
17. Tononoka Steels  
18. University of Nairobi  
19. Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
 
In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya Standards shall be regularly reviewed. Suggestions 
for improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, 
are welcome . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 20 17 
  
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 12 of 2001  of the Laws of Kenya, copyr ight 
subsists in all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 26 of thi s Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bureau of 
Standards may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means without prior permission in  writing 
from the Managing Director . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 KENYA STANDARD                                  KS 2177 : 2017 
                
 © KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved            iii  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Weld mes h — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS)  
 
Head Office:  P.O. Box 54974, Nairobi -00200, Tel.: (+254  020) 605490, 602350, Fax: (+254 020)  604031  
E-Mail: info@kebs.org,  Web:http://www.kebs.org   
 
Coast Region     Lake Region          Rift Valley Region  
P.O. Box 99376, Mombasa -80100   P.O. Box 2949, Kisumu -40100        P.O. Box 2138, Nakuru -20100  
Tel.: (+254  041) 229563, 230939/40  Tel.: (+254 057) 23549, 22396        Tel.: (+254 051) 210553, 210555  
Fax: (+254  041) 229448    Fax: (+254 057) 2 1814         
 
 
 KS 2177: 2017                                                                                                            
 
iv                     © KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved  Foreword  
 
This Kenya Standard was revised  by the Steel  Technical Committee, under the guidance of the standards 
Projects  Committee, and it is in accordance with the procedures of the  Kenya  Bureau  of Standards .  
Weld mesh  is widely used in th e country in many applications  and there exists a great potential for its 
development and use. This standard lays down the specifications of weld mesh and emphasis is laid on the 
mesh sizes and wire diameters It was noted that technology has changed and th e weld mesh is produced at 
different sizes as in edition 1. This second edition  thus gives the latest information on mesh wire . 
 
 
               
© KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved                      1 KENYA  STANDARD                         KS 2177:  2017 
 
Weld mesh  — Specification  
 
1 Scope  
 
This Kenya standard covers the req uirements for weld mesh  for general engineering works.  
 
2 Definitions  
 
For the purpose s of this standard, the fo llowing definitions shall apply:  
 
2.1 
elongation  
the increase in length of  a tensile test piece under stress  
 
2.2 
mesh size  
the pitch or centre  to centre distance of  line and  cross wires  
 
3 Types  of weld mesh  
 
Weld mesh  shall be of the following types ; 
i)  welded ; 
ii) weaved . 
4 Designations and description for ordering purposes  
 
When ordering weld mesh to this standard, the purchaser shall give  the following requirements in the 
same sequence:  
i) mesh size ;  
 
ii) mesh reference ; 
 
iii)  the number of sheets .  
 
5 Quality of steel  
 
All weld mesh shall be manufactured from hard -drawn steel wi re in accordance with KS 02 -105, Specification 
for hard -drawn steel wire for reinforcement of concrete . 
 
6 Manufacture  
 
The weld mesh shall be formed by spacing the main and the cross wires, which shall be fixed at points of 
inter-section by fusion welding or interweaving, so as to be sufficiently stable to withs tand normal handling in 
transport and during fixing without displacement.  
 
Butt joints in the wires of the weld mesh shall be fusion welded and the joints shall be staggered or the 
trailing wire shall be made to reach the leading wire at the breakage poin t.  
 
7 Dimensions  
 
The preferred mesh references and wire sizes shall be as shown in Table 1.  
 
 KS 2177: 2017  
            
                              © KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved  2 Table 1 — Weld mesh dimensions  
 
 
Mesh 
reference  Size Box Size (Pitch 
of wires,mm)   Wire diameter 
(mm)  Sheet Size (mm)  Overhang  Number of Wires 
nominally  Mass 
per 
Sheet 
(Kg) 
Main  Cross  Main  Cross  Lengt
h  Width  Main  Cross  Length  Width  Nom  
Nom  Nom  Nom  Nom  Nom  Nom    cross  main  
WM 5030  50×50×3  50 50 3.0 3.0 2440  1220  25.0 25.0 48.0 24.0 6.5 
WM 5035  50×50×3.5  50 50 3.5 3.5 2440  1220  25.0 25.0 49.0 24.0 8.9 
WM 5040  50×50×4  50 50 4.0 4.0 2440  1220  25.0 25.0 49.0 24.0 11.7 
WM 5040  60×60×3  60 60 3.0 3.0 2440  1220  30.0 30.0 41.0 20.0 5.5 
WM 5040  60×60×4  60 60 4.0 4.0 2440  1220  30.0 30.0 41.0 20.0 9.7 
WM 6530  65×65×3  65 65 3.0 3.0 2440  1220  32.5 32.5 38.0 19.0 5.1 
WM 65×65×3.5  65 65 3.5 3.5 2440  1220  32.5 32.5 38.0 19.0 7.0 
WM 6540  65×65×4  65 65 4.0 4.0 2440  1220  32.5 32.5 38.0 19.0 9.1 
WM 7525  75×75×2.5  75 75 2.5 2.5 2440  1220  37.5 37.5 33.0 16.0 3.1 
WM 7530  75×75×3  75 75 3.0 3.0 2440  1220  37.5 37.5 33.0 16.0 4.4 
WM 7535  75×75×3.5  75 75 3.5 3.5 2440  1220  37.5 37.5 33.0 16.0 6.0 
WM 7540  75×75×4  75 75 4.0 4.0 2440  1220  37.5 37.5 33.0 16.0 7.8 
WM 7540  75×75×5  75 75 5.0 5.0 2440  1220  37.5 37.5 33.0 16.0 12.2 
BM 5030  50×50×3  50 50 3.0 3.0 1830  915 25.0 25.0 37.0 18.0 3.7 
BM 5035  50×50×3.5  50 50 3.5 3.5 1830  915 25.0 25.0 37.0 18.0 5.0 
BM 5040  50×50×4  50 50 4.0 4.0 1830  915 25.0 25.0 37.0 18.0 6.6 
BM 6530  65×65×3  65 65 3.0 3.0 1830  915 32.5 32.5 28.0 14.0 2.8 
BM 6535  65×65×3.5  65 65 3.5 3.5 1830  915 32.5 32.5 28.0 14.0 3.9 
BM 6540  65×65×4  65 65 4.0 4.0 1830  915 32.5 32.5 28.0 14.0 5.1 
BK 5030  50×50×3  50 50 3.0 3.0 1830  915 25.0 25.0 37.0 15.0 3.1 
BK 5035  50×50×4  50 50 3.5 3.5 1830  915 25.0 25.0 37.0 15.0 4.2 
BK 5040  50×50×4  50 50 4.0 4.0 1830  915 25.0 25.0 37.0 15.0 5.5 
BK 6530  65×65×3  65 65 3.0 3.0 1830  915 32.5 32.5 28.0 12.0 2.4 
BK 6535  65×65×3.5  65 65 3.5 3.5 1830  915 32.5 32.5 28.0 12.0 3.3 
BK 6540  65×65×4  65 65 4.0 4.0 1830  915 32.5 32.5 28.0 12.0 4.3 
Rectangular  mesh  
 
 50×25×2.5  50 25 2.5 2.5 2440  1220  25.0 12.5 98.0 24.0 6.9 
 50×25×3  50 25 3.0 3.0 2440  1220  25.0 12.5 98.0 24.0 9.9 
 50×25×4  50 25 4.0 4.0 2440  1220  25.0 12.5 98.0 24.0 17.6 
 75×25×2.5  75 25 2.5 2.5 2440  1220  37.5 12.5 98.0 16.0 6.1 
 75×25×3  75 25 3.0 3.0 2440  1220  37.5 12.5 98.0 16.0 8.8 
 75×25×4  75 25 4.0 4.0 2440  1220  37.5 12.5 98.0 16.0 15.6 
 75×30×3  75 30 3.0 3.0 2440  1220  37.5 15.0 81.0 16.0 7.6 
 75×30×4  75 30 4.0 4.0 2440  1220  37.5 15.0 81.0 16.0 13.6 
 
a)    WM denotes weld mesh.  
 
b)    BM and BK denote bed mesh  
 
 
 
 
8  Sizes and t olerances  
 
The tolerance on the wire diameter of the w eld mesh shall be ± 2.5 %  of the nominal diameter.  
 
8.1 Size of sheet   
 
The dimensions of the sheet shall be as shown in T able 1 and shall have tolerances of ± 25  mm. 
 
8.2 Size of mesh   
 
The number of spaces between the external wires in sheet shall be determined by the nominal pitch. The 
centre distance between two adjacent wires shall ±2.5 %  from the nominal pitch.  All sides of sheets shall 
have overhang on the meshes equal to one half th e pitch.  
 
8.3  Tolerance on mass of fabric                           KS 2177: 2017  
 
 
© KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved          
     3 
 The tolerance on the mass of the fabric shall be ±6 % 
 
Note:  
 
9 Standard sheet sizes  
 
9.1 The standard sheet size of the weld mesh shall be 2.44  m x 1.22  m, 1.83  m x 0.915  m and 1.83  m  x 
0.76 m.  
 
9.2 The lengt h/width of sheet shall be measured from the tops of the overhangs . 
 
10 Strength of weld  
 
The manufacturers shall ensure  that where the inter -sections are welded, all such welds shall be capable of 
withstanding a load in a shear .   
 
Shear test shall be carr ied out to determine the strength of the weld . 
 
11 Shear test  
 
11.1 Test pieces  
 
The test specimens for the shear test shall be cut from the weld mesh so that each specimen conforms to 
Figure 1.  
 
                                                                                                                       All dimensions in mm . 
 
                                                  
  
 
 
Figure 1 — Shear specimens of welded mesh  
 
 
11.2 Method of test  
 
The test specimen shall be firmly gripped in the test devic e shown in Figure 2 in such a  manner that the  
pulled bar is loaded centrally and rotation of the anchoring bar prevented  as far as possible. The upper free  
end of the pulled  bar shall be so supported (e.g. by means of rollers) that the measured shear fo rce is not  
increased by friction  forces.  The rate of loading shall not exceed 10 N (mm2.s).  
  KS 2177: 2017  
            
                              © KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved  4 
 
 
KEY:  
 
1 Pulled bar  
2 Anchoring bar  
3 Extension for grips of testing machine  
4 Clamp for anchoring bar  
5 Rest for anchoring bar  
6 Support to prevent bending of pulled bar  
7 Low- friction sliding surface or roller bearing.  
 
Figure 2 — Device for performing shear test  
 
Damage to the ribs can be avoided by the use of an aluminium sheet insert placed between the specimen 
and the former . 
 
12 Packaging and marking  
 
12.1 Packaging  
 
The weld mesh shall be secured in bundles for ease of transportation.  Wiremesh should be secured in 
bundles of minimum 5 pieces.  
 
12.2 Marking  
 
When the weld mesh is delivered in bundles, the manufacturer shall attach a indelible and dura ble label 
bearing the following:  
 
i)         manufacturer’s name /trade mark , if any ; 
 
ii)        size of weld mesh ; 
                          KS 2177: 2017  
 
 
© KEBS 2017 — All rights reserved          
     5 
 iii)        mesh reference .