We are Hebei Leeter Import and Export Co., Ltd ("Leeter"), a concrete reinforcing mesh manufacturer in Dingzhou, Hebei, exporting since 2006 to all three of these markets — so we build to whichever designation your drawings use. For the choice between mesh and loose bar, see reinforcing mesh vs rebar; this page is the designation reference.

Australia & New Zealand — AS/NZS 4671

Standard sheet is 6.0 m × 2.4 m (14.4 m²). Square "SL" mesh has equal bars both ways; rectangular "RL" mesh has heavy main bars at 100 mm with a constant light cross wire.

SL square mesh

Code Bar dia Pitch (both ways) Steel area (mm²/m) Mass (kg/m²) Mass / sheet
SL52 4.75 mm 200 mm 89 1.40 ~22 kg
SL62 6.0 mm 200 mm 141 2.22 ~33 kg
SL72 6.75 mm 200 mm 179 2.81 ~41 kg
SL81 7.6 mm 100 mm 454 7.13 ~105 kg
SL82 7.6 mm 200 mm 227 3.56 ~52 kg
SL92 8.6 mm 200 mm 290 4.55 ~66 kg
SL102 9.5 mm 200 mm 354 5.56 ~80 kg

The code digit is a rounded label, not the exact wire: SL72 is 6.75 mm, not 7 mm, and SL92/SL102 are 8.6/9.5 mm. Note SL81 is the only 100 mm-pitch member — don't assume 200 mm across the board.

RL rectangular mesh

The main bars sit at 100 mm; the cross wire is a constant 7.6 mm at 200 mm on every RL size — it is there for crack control and handling, not primary strength.

Code Main bar dia @100 Main area (mm²/m) Mass (kg/m²) Mass / sheet
RL718 6.75 mm 358 4.59 ~68 kg
RL818 7.6 mm 454 5.35 ~79 kg
RL918 8.55 mm 574 6.29 ~93 kg
RL1018 9.5 mm 709 7.35 ~109 kg
RL1118 10.65 mm 890 8.77 ~131 kg
RL1218 11.9 mm 1112 10.51 ~157 kg

Narrow trench mesh (L8TM, L11TM, L12TM — 7.6/10.65/11.9 mm main bars) is sold as 200–400 mm strips for footings and beams, so its mass is per strip, not per sheet.

UK & Europe — BS 4483

Standard sheet is 4.8 m × 2.4 m (11.52 m²). The key fact: the designation number is the main steel area in mm²/m — A142 is 142 mm²/m, B785 is 785 mm²/m.

A series (square)

Code Wire dia Pitch Area each way (mm²/m) Mass (kg/m²) Mass / sheet
A98 5 mm 200 mm 98 1.54 ~17.7 kg
A142 6 mm 200 mm 142 2.22 ~25.6 kg
A193 7 mm 200 mm 193 3.02 ~34.8 kg
A252 8 mm 200 mm 252 3.95 ~45.5 kg
A393 10 mm 200 mm 393 6.16 ~71.0 kg

B series (structural, rectangular)

Code Main dia @100 Main area (mm²/m) Cross dia @200 Mass (kg/m²)
B196 5 mm 196 7 mm 3.05
B283 6 mm 283 7 mm 3.73
B385 7 mm 385 7 mm 4.53
B503 8 mm 503 8 mm 5.93
B785 10 mm 785 8 mm 8.14
B1131 12 mm 1131 8 mm 10.90

The C series (long mesh, C283–C785) carries heavy main bars at 100 mm with a light cross wire at 400 mm, for one-way spanning.

United States — ASTM A1064 (WWR)

US welded wire reinforcement uses the style spacing × spacing – W/D × W/D, e.g. 6×6 – W2.9×W2.9:

  • W = smooth wire, D = deformed wire.
  • The number is the wire's cross-sectional area in hundredths of a square inch — W2.9 = 0.029 in², D4 = 0.040 in² deformed.
Style (ASTM A1064) Spacing Steel area each way (in²/ft) Approx. weight (lb / 100 ft²)
6×6 – W1.4×W1.4 6″ 0.028 ~21
6×6 – W2.1×W2.1 6″ 0.042 ~30
6×6 – W2.9×W2.9 6″ 0.058 ~42
6×6 – W4.0×W4.0 6″ 0.080 ~58
4×4 – W2.9×W2.9 4″ 0.087 ~62
4×4 – W4.0×W4.0 4″ 0.120 ~85

Lighter styles ship in rolls (typically 5 ft × 150 ft); heavier styles come as flat sheets (5′×10′, 7′×20′, 8′×20′).

Old gauge callout → new W-number

You will still see the obsolete style spacing × spacing – gauge × gauge (e.g. 6×6 – 10×10). The last two numbers are steel-wire gauge, where a higher number is thinner wire — the inverse of the W-number. The mapping:

Old style New (ASTM A1064)
6×6 – 10×10 6×6 – W1.4×W1.4
6×6 – 8×8 6×6 – W2.0/W2.1
6×6 – 6×6 6×6 – W2.9×W2.9
6×6 – 4×4 6×6 – W4.0×W4.0
4×4 – 10×10 4×4 – W1.4×W1.4
4×4 – 6×6 4×4 – W2.9×W2.9

The "6×6-10/10" callout on its own is ambiguous and technically obsolete — always pair it with the W-number on a submittal.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Confusing AU "SL" with UK "A". SL72 (179 mm²/m) is not A142 or A193 — different standards, and the number means different things (AU ≈ diameter + pitch; UK = steel area).
  • Reading the designation as mass. A393 is 393 mm²/m of area but 6.16 kg/m² of mass; SL72 is 179 mm²/m but 2.81 kg/m². The number is area, never weight.
  • Assuming the digit is the exact diameter. SL72 is 6.75 mm, not 7 mm.
  • Swapping sheet sizes. AU is 6.0 × 2.4 m; UK is 4.8 × 2.4 m; the US uses rolls or flat sheets with no single standard.
  • Quoting the old gauge callout without the W-number, or reading the gauge pair as spacing.

Ordering reinforcing mesh for export

  • Give the designation and the standard (e.g. "SL72 to AS/NZS 4671" or "A142 to BS 4483" or "6×6-W2.9 to ASTM A1064"), plus sheet size and quantity — the code alone is ambiguous across regions.
  • State bar diameter and pitch in millimetres as a cross-check, since the code digit is rounded.
  • Confirm the finish (bare, galvanized or epoxy) and whether you need sheets or rolls; to convert a designation to shipment weight, our mesh weight calculation guide shows the method.

As the manufacturer we produce reinforcing mesh to AS/NZS 4671 (SL/RL), BS 4483 (A/B/C) and ASTM A1064 (W/D), in standard and cut sheet sizes, bare or coated — send the designation, standard and sheet size and we confirm the wire diameter and mass before production.

Frequently asked questions

What does SL72 mesh mean?

SL72 is an Australian/New Zealand square reinforcing mesh (AS/NZS 4671) with 6.75 mm bars at 200 mm spacing both ways — a steel area of 179 mm²/m and a mass of 2.81 kg/m², or about 41 kg for a standard 6.0 × 2.4 m sheet. The "72" is a rounded label for the bar and pitch, not an exact 7 mm wire; the actual diameter is 6.75 mm.

What is A142 mesh and how much does it weigh?

A142 is a UK/European square mesh (BS 4483) made of 6 mm wire at 200 mm spacing, giving a steel area of 142 mm²/m — which is exactly what the "142" means. It weighs 2.22 kg/m², or about 25.6 kg for a standard 4.8 × 2.4 m sheet. In BS 4483 the designation number always equals the main steel area in mm²/m.

How much does 6×6 welded wire mesh weigh?

It depends on the wire size, which the W-number gives. A 6×6 mesh weighs about 21 lb per 100 ft² in W1.4 (old 10-gauge), about 42 lb in W2.9 (old 6-gauge), and about 58 lb in W4.0. "6×6" alone only sets the spacing — you must also state the W-number or old gauge to fix the weight.

What does W mean in welded wire reinforcement?

In ASTM A1064, W means a smooth (plain) wire and D means a deformed wire, and the number is the wire's cross-sectional area in hundredths of a square inch — so W2.9 is 0.029 in² and D4 is 0.040 in² deformed. It replaced the old steel-wire-gauge callout, where a higher gauge number meant thinner wire.

Are SL, A and W/D mesh interchangeable?

No. They are three separate standards — AS/NZS 4671 (SL/RL), BS 4483 (A/B/C) and ASTM A1064 (W/D) — with different sheet sizes and different meanings for the code. SL72 is not the same as A193 or a US W-style, even where the steel areas look similar. Always specify the designation together with its standard so the mesh is built correctly.

Sources