Metal Grill 026 is a free seamless PBR texture of an interlocked galvanized steel grill, a repeating cross-link lattice of cast or pressed metal elements woven into an open diagonal mesh, with a cool silver-grey surface showing light oxidation and the characteristic matte sheen of zinc-coated industrial metalwork.
This is the kind of metal grill found on industrial walkways, security cages, architectural screens, and protective panels, not a simple perforated sheet, but a true interlocked structure where each cross-shaped element passes through its neighbours to form a rigid, load-bearing open mesh. The pattern is built on a diagonal repeat, with each X-cross element locked into four adjacent elements, creating the impression of structural depth even in a flat texture. Up close, the surface shows the subtle imperfection of a galvanized finish: the slight orange-peel texture of hot-dip zinc, faint oxidation hazing at the edges of each element, and the natural light/shadow variation of a surface that is simultaneously flat and geometrically complex. The overall tone is a cool, desaturated silver-grey, exactly the colour of new or lightly aged galvanized steel before rust sets in. One of the more versatile open-mesh metal textures in the library: equally at home on industrial architecture, sci-fi panelling, game environment props, and character equipment.
Included Maps
This texture ships with the following PBR maps at 1024 × 1024 px (Patreon Tier 3 unlocks the 4K uncompressed PNG version plus the SBS/SBSAR Substance Designer source files):
- Color (Albedo) – base diffuse color
- Normal – surface micro-detail and depth
- Displacement – geometry-level depth for subdivision or parallax
- Roughness – specular control (matte vs. glossy areas)
- Ambient Occlusion – contact shadows baked into crevices
- Metallic – PBR metal/dielectric mask separating the metallic bare-metal regions from the dielectric painted and rusted areas
- Opacity – alpha mask of the open mesh geometry for transparent rendering in engines that support it
- ORM (Patreon exclusive) – packed Occlusion/Roughness/Metallic for Unreal Engine. What is an ORM texture?
Engine & Software Compatibility
Drop these maps directly into any PBR-capable software. Tested workflows:
- Blender — connect via the Principled BSDF node. Use Color → Base Color, Normal → Normal Map node → Normal, Roughness → Roughness, Displacement → Displacement node in the material output.
- Unreal Engine 5 — use the ORM map (Patreon) for the packed texture slot, or plug Roughness/Metallic/AO individually into a Material.
- Unity (URP / HDRP) — Color → Albedo, Normal → Normal Map, Roughness → Smoothness (invert the channel).
- Godot 4 — StandardMaterial3D: Albedo → Albedo, Normal → Normal Map, Roughness → Roughness.
- Maya / 3ds Max / Cinema 4D — compatible with Arnold, V-Ray, and Redshift via their PBR shader nodes.
Best Use Cases
Not sure where to apply this texture? Here are some ideas from the community:
- Industrial and warehouse archviz: walkway grating, machine guards, safety enclosures, storage cage panels
- Sci-fi and near-future game environments: ventilation covers, bulkhead grilles, spacecraft interior panelling, server room cages
- Military and tactical game environments: vehicle armour screens, ammo crate lids, bunker security doors
- Fantasy and medieval game environments: chainmail-inspired barrier panels, dungeon gates, castle portcullis details
- Contemporary architectural visualisation: perforated metal facade screens, balcony railings, ceiling features
- Character and equipment texture work: body armour panels, gauntlet mesh details, helmet grille sections
- Horror and post-apocalyptic game environments: rusted cage props, abandoned facility barriers, containment cell doors
Tiling & Technical Notes
The texture is fully seamless, it tiles without visible seams in any direction. The diagonal cross-link repeat is designed to feel naturally structural rather than obviously tiled; small UV scale variations between adjacent objects or material instances will help eliminate any perception of repeat over large areas. The Opacity map is key to this texture’s versatility: with it enabled, the mesh reads as a true open structure casting light and shadow through its openings rather than a flat opaque surface. For game use without transparency (e.g. to save draw calls on distant props), the Normal and AO maps alone still produce a convincing interlocked mesh read in opaque mode. The cool grey albedo accepts colour grading well, a warm tint shifts the material toward aged bronze mesh, while increased roughness and a slight value reduction pushes toward a weathered, oxidized iron character.
The color and roughness can be fully modified with the Substance Designer source files available to patrons.
License: CC0 (Public Domain) — free for personal and commercial use, no attribution required. Full license details
You Might Also Like
If you’re working on a similar project, check out these related textures:
-
- Metal Painted 002, another weathered painted metal surface, lighter and more chipped, for variation across the same scene
- Sci-fi Metal Panel 010, clean geometric sci-fi panelling to contrast against the weathered surfaces
- Painted Metal 001, simpler painted metal surface for backgrounds and secondary surfaces
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use this texture in a commercial game or product?
Yes. All textures on 3dtextures.me are released under CC0, which means they are effectively public domain. You can use them in commercial projects without attribution.
What resolution is included for free?
The free download is 1024 × 1024 px. Patreon Tier 3 unlocks 4K (4096 × 4096 px) uncompressed PNGs plus the Substance Designer source files.
How do I download all textures at once?
A bulk download link is available to Ko-Fi supporters and Patrons.
Support on Ko-Fi to receive the folder link.
What is a seamless / tileable texture?
A seamless texture has matching edges on all four sides, so it can be repeated infinitely across a surface without a visible seam or border. All textures on this site are seamless.
What are SBS / SBSAR files?
These are Substance Designer source files that let you modify the texture parameters colour, roughness, scale, etc.) non-destructively. Available to Patreon supporters.
