Reiitetty

Reiitetty is a Finnish term meaning perforated, describing surfaces or materials that contain a regular array of holes. It is used across design, engineering, and manufacturing to refer to items such as perforated metal sheets, perforated plastics, and perforated textiles. The perforations serve functional purposes—reducing weight, enabling ventilation and light transmission, and influencing acoustics or filtration—while also offering aesthetic texture.

Manufacturing methods for reiitetty materials include punching and stamping with mechanical presses, laser cutting for complex or delicate patterns, and, for some materials, water-jet cutting or chemical etching. The choice of method affects hole shape, edge quality, and production cost. Hole shapes are commonly circular, but slots, hexagons, or customized forms are used for specific technical or visual effects. Pattern density and hole diameter determine the perforation ratio, which in turn affects strength, weight, airflow, translucency, and sound absorption.

Common applications are widespread. In architecture and interior design, reiitetty panels function as ventilation grilles, sun shading, facades, or decorative screens while offering daylight control and acoustic benefits. In industrial settings, perforated sheets act as filtration, sieving, or separation elements. Consumer products employ perforation for breathability in textiles, protective grilles for speakers, and stylistic details in fashion and furniture.

Materials used range from metals (steel, aluminum, copper) to polymers and textiles, with finishes chosen for durability or appearance. In Finnish design and construction discourse, reiitetty surfaces are valued for combining lightness, texture, and functional performance. See also perforated metal and perforation.