For industrial use as a backing, reinforcing material or as a stiffener for different types of products from tarps and sails to asphalt shingles, scrim fabric is a cost effective and durable option.
Scrim comes all many different styles and types including the use of different materials, known as yarns, which make up the fabric. There are two basic types, woven and non-woven. With the non-woven option the yarns, which form an open mesh, are bonded to each other. The result is a perfectly square pattern with no variations in thickness and with the strength and durability that is required in many different types of applications.
Density of the Yarn
The yarn, which can be of any specific fiber type, can be configured to create a more dense type of mesh or a more open pattern. Different applications will require different densities of the yarn, with the option of creating a mesh that has up to 20 yarns per square inch in one direction.
This would form a very tight mesh, which would provide ideal backing for heavier materials that will be bonded to the scrim fabric. Less dense types of patterns are more common, with 10 yarns per square in going one direction a good average density.
Type of Yarn
The actual material that the “yarn” or the individual pieces of the scrim is made of can also be varied to meet specific needs. They are carefully chosen for each application and are typically of materials such as glass, rayon, polypropylene or polyester, and they are typically a multifilament type of yarn which adds to the strength of the final scrim.
With the choice of yarns, it will also be important to choose the right binder, which is the chemical used to fix the yarns in the mesh pattern. Heat processing, knowing as thermal bonding, is also used in conjunction with specific binders to create a very durable and long lasting type of mesh. With this type of process and the use of multifilament yarns, it is possible to create a very uniform type of mesh that is both lightweight as well as strong, corrosion and rot resistant and also resistant to damage from water, humidity or temperature extremes.
For new products or for improvements on existing products, many manufacturers work directly with the scrim fabric producer. This provides information on the latest in technology and the best options of scrim yarns, binders and densities to ensure top performance of the final product.
