I want to make a few (3 actually) free-standing display walls for our company... Design is to take a pair of floor-to-ceiling i-beams (pretty bulky) and affix a sheet/plate of steel between them for display of project photos using magnets... About 4' between the I-beams. Sheet/plate does NOT need to extend floor-to-ceiling.

Industrial looking, with bolts and nuts is a POSITIVE.

Rusting and ruining our photos is a MAJOR NEGATIVE.

We're very flexible on timing (could wait a couple months, no worries) but don't have a crazy budget. We're willing to work on the design to value engineer it.

A rough example of what we're trying to do:


(though ours would be three separate single versions, not one mega-triple-wall)...

PM sent. . . .


GO PACK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope it is meant to stay in one place.

Absolutely, positively this will stick in one place! We have lighting in the ceiling already, just looking for the pieces now!

Just making sure you didn't plan to make it mobile, like a trade fair booth, or anything.

Would aluminum be suitable?

He needs it to be magnetic.

So stainless is out too, the picture above is using pushpins so it must be a cork backboard or something similar. Interesting fabrication!

Powder coated sheet steel would look nice, and it would be durable. Double as a dry erase board.

You could go with 400 series stainless it's magnetic. 300 series is not.

We definitely want magnetic for the sheets. The supports/beams can be aluminium or any other materials.

Thanks for the ideas so far!

DF's idea of powder coating to double as chalkboard would maximize displaying of artwork potential.

We've did a project where the customer wanted the look of S/S but didn't wnat to pay the $$$.

We took some sheet steet steel and had a brushed finish applied to it, then had it clearcoated.

use 430ss sheet. It is ferritic (magnets will hold) and it is used in trim appplications, like sinks. Available at:http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=9816&step=4&showunits=inches&id=826&top_cat=0

order online and they will ship or you can pick up in Ballard. $156 for a 3x4 ft x .063" thk sheet. I would hold them on w/ NAS6404 Ti bolts and MS21403-4 silver nuts for a cool space age look.

You could call "Pacer design" in bothel, Talk to paul or doug. This is right up there alley. Ph#425-481-5300

i don't think .063" stainless spanning 4 feet would be rigid enough, plus, there are a million ways to do this, i could draw up a few idea`s and send them to you if you want.

Put the .063 stainless over a 3/8" plywood backing, and you have a workable solution. Place strengthening struts horizontally behind the ply, and you have even more rigidity. It would still be lighter than some 0.25" steel.

That's MS21043-4 for the silver nuts. They'll cost you about 90 cents a piece at someplace like Aircraft Spruce and Specialty.

The NAS6404 bolts are kinda pricey, at least 2-3 bucks a piece, and are pretty hard to find. They look nice, but you'll probably have to look for a while to find them.

Yeah, the lack of rigidity with thin sheet metal might look and act cheesy.
Utilizing steel decking might be a cool way to go for that industrial look. The nature of the flutes would allow for easy "grasping" of the magnetic postings as opposed to a flat sheet.
My first thought is to run the decking horizontally.
Rigidity is built in.
Pick a profile that appeals....here's an example.



Some strategically placed Nelson Studs would be easily doable for more of that industrial effect and could be used to hang larger postings.

Utilize the wide flange (I-beam) posts for the vertical frame and use angle for the horizontal frame. Cope angle to fit wide flange.
No pan deck welds would have to be visible.

For seismic considerations :
If concrete deck, Simpson Titen bolts are excellent for the base plates.
Top will depend on backing system. Could be lags, Simpson SDS, or through bolts.

Here's an idea that might work for you.