Blog

At Coco Architectural, we’ve worked tirelessly over the past century to provide excellent customer satisfaction in all of our metal projects. From mind-blowing custom metal projects to perfect installations of mud-in bar grilles, our customers have loved what we’ve done for generations.

We want to keep growing our incredible community of contractors, architects and manufacturers into the future, and we also want to share what we’re working on with our extended professional family. We’d love to have you join that family as well! Simply fill out the form below and you’ll be signed up for our periodic newsletter updates. In those, we’ll share recent useful guides and case studies from our ongoing projects with the hope of inspiring fresh ideas and sharing our expertise. 

In the world of architectural metalcrafting, we’ve had more than a hundred years in business to work out the best metals to use in many different situations. However, it’s always good to have a starting point for your ideas. When anyone comes to us for bar grilles or a custom metals project, they always have an idea in mind. However, there’s more than one way to fabricate the ideal metal solution. For example, if you want a clean, modern and sturdy application, how would you decide between aluminum and stainless steel? There are a lot of similarities in their appearance, but what sets them apart — to the benefit of your project?

We’ve created an infographic highlighting the similarities and contrasts between the primary metals we work with: bronze, brass, stainless steel and aluminum. For most projects we deal with, there are three defining strengths and weaknesses for each type. Your main concerns should always be weight, corrosion resistance and, of course, material cost.

Being that all of these metals have specific variants and hybrids, this guide is meant to be a general rule-of-thumb and jumping off point for your project, not the perfect truth for every occasion. We hope you find it helpful, and feel free to contact us for a quote or learn more about our offerings in our catalog

Coco has been building custom fabricated projects for our clients for nearly a century. In this time, we’ve learned a lot about what kinds of metal are fit for each job. If you’re looking for custom metal fabrication, stainless steel fabrication is one of the most versatile options for your project. Not only does the metal have inherent benefits like strength, hygiene, and natural corrosion resistance, but the variety of finishes available enhances those characteristics.

Stainless steel sheet metal fabrication from Coco Architectural is easy to maintain after installation, and it results in a high-quality appearance. Our stainless steel custom fabricators understand the benefits of each finish type and can assist you in selecting the right finish for your project every time. Check out our infographic below for more information about the benefits of stainless steel fabrication!

Whether you're renovating a classic building or constructing a new modern space, choosing between linear bar grilles and perforated grilles is very much on a per-project basis. The type of project or look you’re going for will greatly affect your decision. However, no matter which style you pick, there’s a lot you need to consider when choosing architectural grilles. One of the major decisions you need to make is how to select the dimensions of your grille.

In this guide, we’ll go over a few of the major types of architectural grilles you’ll have to choose from, and then dive deep into understanding the correct way to measure your openings to achieve a perfect fit. Certain grilles are measured differently depending on your frame and other factors. You can find more information on our architectural grilles and frame options in our catalog.

Linear Bar Grilles

For linear bar grilles, the most important starting point is to understand what kind of frame your model of grille uses. There are two types of linear bar grille offered at Coco Architectural: flangeless and flanged. They can be measured similarly. However, flangeless requires a bit less breathing room, as it will be mostly flush with the wall or floor it is installed into.

Flangeless (flush-mounted) bar grilles

For a flangeless bar grille frame — such as our A, D, E, and Core Only options — the best choice is to cut your wall or floor opening 1/16” larger than the overall grille size. In the image to the right, the grille size is represented by X for length and Y for height.

Flanged bar grilles

For a flanged bar grille like our B and C frame, we recommend that the opening be cut 1/8" larger than the specified neck size. Neck size is the width of the bars only, not counting the frame around it. In the image to the right, the grille size is represented by X for length and Y for height.

Perforated Grilles

For perforated grilles, things get dicier. But the expert craftsmen and engineers here at Coco Architectural can help you every step of the way and offer guidance if you need assistance. Below is a brief run-through of the process of cutting the appropriate opening size for your perforated grilles.

First, measure your wall, floor, or ceiling opening for the proper length (X) and height/width (Y). When specifying your perforated grille, you will need to include a perimeter border dimension for the height/width and length dimensions. If you have any issues getting the right border dimensions, we would love to help you. Making sure this step is right will allow for any required features, such as mounting holes and provide you with an aesthetically pleasing result.

Looking for a cleaner, more streamlined grille construction in your project? L-Bead grilles from Coco Architectural might be the ideal solution for you. The flush finish provided by this implementation leaves your walls looking pristine, while still allowing for incredible airflow and efficiency. It transforms your linear bar grilles from a standard, low-budget look into a timeless (and seamless) integration with the rest of the room.

As you can see, a plaster L-Bead “mud-in” install removes the bulky borders around your grille, and blends it seamlessly into the wall. While this process isn’t new, at Coco we’ve been doing it as long as anyone and it’s given us a great perspective on how to improve the way it’s done. Our in-house fabricated grilles have a patent-pending design based on a survey of many contractors and architects and created by Coco. 

Some of the great features that put our L-Bead grilles above the rest:

• Borderless installation, even on curved surfaces.
• Achieve a Level 5 plaster finish.
• Pre-punched holes for quick mounting. Add plaster and smooth it out!
• Aluminum, bronze or stainless steel options. 

Check out our site to learn more about the extensive features of our L-Bead grilles, from recessed grooves for plastering to the removable core. The best part of any Coco Architectural product is that we do everything we can to enhance productivity. All grilles we send are ready to install on delivery, in order to ensure maximum efficiency and low field cost to you. As always, our grilles are proudly made in the USA.

Another great reason to choose Coco is that we assemble everything in our all-inclusive fabrication shop. Your products get the personal touch they deserve, and we can even install them for you. Contact us today for a quote on your next project! We love talking metalwork, so bring your complex problems or high-end custom needs and we’ll be excited to take them on.

Perforated grilles and metal sheets could be the beautiful touch your project has been missing. For any modern architect or contractor, matching every aspect of the construction to spec is essential. A renovation project can’t be counted as a success when the small details are still off. Classic establishments and historical projects need the allure of taking someone back in time to when every detail was painstakingly perfected. For those types of projects, a full set of made-to-spec perforated metal grilles can elevate the entire look of the building.

If you’re in the market for beautiful perforated grilles for your renovation or new construction, we know how to provide exactly what you need. We’ve crafted perforated metal sheets for over a century, always made in the U.S.A. and fit perfectly to our customers’ orders.

What are perforated metal sheets?

As opposed to a shutter-style linear bar grille, a perforated metal sheet is usually non-adjustable and cut in a specific pattern. It allows air to flow freely while giving any room a classic, beautiful touch of class. Every Coco decorative metal grille strives to exceed in these three areas:

• Aesthetics
• Performance
• Customization

You can find all of our perforated grille options in our extensive FREE catalog. But don’t limit yourself to those designs alone. We love to work with our customers on any custom project they have in mind. Feel free to contact us directly to discuss your budget and needs.

What is free air percentage?