Mesh and Wire Sizing Chart

This reference guide covers everything you need to know about mesh and wire sizing for vibratory screening. Use it to understand mesh designations, compare wire grades, convert mesh counts to micron openings, and find the right screen specifications for your application.

Interactive Mesh & Wire Sizing Reference Chart

Use the interactive chart below to look up U.S. Standard Sieve specifications, wire diameters, opening sizes in inches and microns, and percent open area across Market Grade, Mill Grade, and Tensile Bolting Cloth configurations. Scroll horizontally and vertically to view all data.

Open full chart in Google Sheets for easier viewing on mobile or for printing.

Understanding Mesh Designations

A mesh number indicates the number of openings per linear inch of screen material. For example, a "20 mesh" screen has 20 openings per inch. However, mesh count alone does not determine the actual opening size — the wire diameter plays an equally important role.

Two screens with the same mesh count but different wire diameters will have different opening sizes. This is why wire grade (Market Grade, Mill Grade, or Tensile Bolting Cloth) matters when selecting a replacement screen.

Mesh 101 Video

Mesh-to-Micron Conversion Chart

The table below shows common mesh sizes with their corresponding opening dimensions in both inches and microns across the three standard wire grades. Opening size decreases as wire diameter increases for the same mesh count.

Mesh	Market Grade Opening (in / µm)	Mill Grade Opening (in / µm)	TBC Opening (in / µm)
4	0.187" / 4,750	0.187" / 4,750	—
8	0.093" / 2,362	0.097" / 2,464	—
10	0.065" / 1,651	0.070" / 1,778	—
14	0.046" / 1,168	0.051" / 1,295	—
20	0.034" / 864	0.036" / 914	0.039" / 991
30	0.023" / 584	0.024" / 610	0.027" / 686
40	0.015" / 381	0.016" / 406	0.019" / 483
50	0.012" / 305	0.012" / 305	0.015" / 381
60	0.009" / 229	0.010" / 254	0.012" / 305
80	0.007" / 178	0.007" / 178	0.009" / 229
100	0.006" / 152	0.006" / 152	0.007" / 178
120	0.005" / 127	0.005" / 127	0.006" / 152
150	—	0.004" / 102	0.004" / 102
200	—	0.003" / 76	0.003" / 76
250	—	—	0.002" / 61
325	—	—	0.002" / 44
400	—	—	0.001" / 37

Wire Grade Comparison

The same mesh count is available in different wire grades. Each grade uses a different wire diameter, which directly affects the opening size and the screen's performance characteristics.

Wire Grade	Wire Diameter	Opening Size	Best For
Market Grade	Thickest	Smallest (for given mesh)	Heavy or abrasive materials where durability is the priority
Mill Grade	Medium	Medium	General-purpose screening with balanced durability and throughput
Tensile Bolting Cloth (TBC)	Thinnest	Largest (for given mesh)	Fine powders and light materials where throughput efficiency is the priority

Common Mesh Sizes by Application

Application	Typical Mesh Range	Recommended Wire Grade
Scalping / De-lumping	4–10 mesh	Market Grade
Granular Classification	10–40 mesh	Market or Mill Grade
Safety / Check Screening	20–60 mesh	Mill Grade or TBC
Fine Powder Separation	60–200 mesh	TBC
Ultra-Fine / Pharmaceutical	200–400 mesh	TBC
Liquid / Slurry Straining	40–325 mesh	TBC

Mesh Alloys

ScreenerKing screens are available in multiple alloys to meet different process requirements:

Alloy	Properties	Common Uses
304 Stainless Steel	Standard corrosion resistance, good all-around performance	General industrial, food, chemical processing
316 Stainless Steel	Superior corrosion resistance, especially against chlorides	Pharmaceutical, marine, harsh chemical environments
T430 Stainless Steel	Nickel-free, magnetic, passes through metal detectors	Food processing with magnetic detection QC systems
High Carbon Steel	Maximum abrasion resistance, not corrosion resistant	Aggregates, minerals, highly abrasive dry materials

Bonding Methods

The mesh is bonded to the lip ring using epoxy. The bonding method and any additional treatment affect the screen's suitability for different applications.

Encapsulation adds a secondary layer of epoxy over the outer edge to seal any small imperfections where mesh wire may protrude through the primary epoxy layer. This is typically required for food-safe and pharmaceutical applications. Confirm with your internal Quality Manager whether encapsulation is needed for your process.

Mesh Diagram Reference

The diagrams below illustrate mesh patterns from coarse (Mesh 1) to fine (Mesh 10), showing how wire count and opening size change as mesh number increases.

Screen Size Specifications

The table below shows the physical dimensions for each nominal screen diameter. Use these measurements to verify that replacement screens will fit your vibratory screener.

Nominal Screen Diameter	Screen Surface Diameter	Lip Ring Diameter
18"	16"	17"
24"	22 5/16"	23 5/16"
30"	29 15/16"	30 15/16"
36"	34 1/8"	35 1/8"
40"	37 5/8"	38 5/8"
48"	45 9/16"	46 9/16"
60"	56 15/16"	57 16/16"

Screen Surface Diameter — fits inside the frame above the screen.

Lip Ring Diameter — sits atop the frame below the screen.

Lip Ring Profile — cross-section of the lip ring specifications used in screen production.

How to Read Mesh Designations on Your Screen

When ordering a replacement screen, you will need to identify the mesh count and wire grade from your existing screen. Here is where to look:

• Stamped metal plate — Many screens have a small metal tag embedded in the epoxy with the mesh number and wire specification stamped into it.
• Outer edge engraving — Some manufacturers engrave the specifications on the outer edge of the lip ring.
• Center ring markings — On some screens, the mesh information is stamped or engraved on the center ring or hub.

If you can locate the numbers but are unsure what they mean, contact ScreenerKing at (866) 265-1575 and we will help you identify the correct mesh size and wire grade for your replacement screen.

Opening Size vs. Wire Diameter

The relationship between mesh count, wire diameter, and opening size follows a simple formula:

Opening Size = (1 ÷ Mesh Count) – Wire Diameter

For example, a 20 mesh screen with 0.016" Market Grade wire:

• 1 ÷ 20 = 0.050" (distance between wire centers)
• 0.050" – 0.016" = 0.034" opening (864 microns)

The same 20 mesh with 0.011" TBC wire:

• 1 ÷ 20 = 0.050" (same distance between wire centers)
• 0.050" – 0.011" = 0.039" opening (991 microns)

This 15% larger opening with TBC wire translates directly to higher throughput, which is why wire grade selection matters as much as mesh count when specifying replacement screens.