AIANO manufactured bespoke flue guards Porthmeor artists’ studios in St Ives, Cornwall. Picture courtesy of Long & Kentish

AIANO supplies wire mesh covers to a wide range of customers across the country.  Architects Long & Kentish approached AIANO to provide some very special bespoke flue guards for the Porthmeor Artists Studios project in St Ives, Cornwall.  AIANO manufactures wide range of standard and bespoke wire guards, ranging from radiator guard with special cut-outs and size requirements, to machine guards, to work for artists and film companies. AIANO’s wire working, fabrication and product engineering skills are second to none.

AIANO bespoke flue guards — the design challenge

The inside of Porthmeor artists’ studio showing the wood burning stove pipes that required wire mesh pipe guards

In this case, Long & Kentish asked AIANO to provide guarding shields around the flue pipes of some wood burning stoves in an artist studio. The pipes passed from the ground floor up through the ceiling to the floor above. The flues needed to be protected from accidental touching. Due to the varying installed position of the flues in each of the studios, all three flue guards would have a different dimensions.

The architect had some very definite requirements for the guards. They had to be absolutely finger safe for even the smallest of fingers, because artists would be living in the cottages with their families that might include small children. They were therefore insistent that the guards be made of 1/4” x 1/4” mesh. Secondly, the guards had to be attractive and stylish in keeping with the interior design and character of the cottages, whilst ensuring adequate health and safety protection. AIANO works with a wide range of different meshes, as well as weaving its own mesh for specialised work such as church window guards and machine guards.

The AIANO solution

AIANO bespoke flue guards to go around the flues of wood burning stoves in artists’ cottage in St Ives

Because of the smallness of the mesh aperture, the guards would need to be made from a very fine mesh indeed. In fact, AIANO senior engineer designed each guard to be made in two pieces with horizontal support bars to hold the mesh in position. The bespoke flue guards were made from 22swg weld mesh, which is less than a millimeter thick (0.77mm).

Handling and working with such fine mesh is challenging and delicate work at every stage in the fabrication process—cutting, bending, welding and so on. Each pipe required a guard of a slightly different proportions—each one was unique.  After manufacture the bespoke flue guards were powder coated in a light grey to match the ‘bleached’ sea-scape type interior of the cottages. AIANO offers a wide range of options for materials and coatings.

AIANO Bespoke solutions

AIANO bespoke flue guards in 2 pieces made from 1/4” x 1/4” x 22swg mesh. The mesh was less than a millimetre in thickness which presented a design challenge for our senior engineer

You can find other stories on our blog of AIANO bespoke wire guard solutions, including supplying storage heater guards for Dollis Junior School in North West London, and our supply of Bespoke Quartz heater guards to a Laurencekirk Scout group in Aberdeenshire.

Please call Scott or Kate on 020 7987 1184 or email us if you would like to discuss your requirements, or for further information or advice on AIANO heater guards.