Laser-Cut Aluminum Panels: From Drawing to Delivery

A decorative panel is flat aluminum sheet with a pattern cut through it, then formed, joined and finished. Ours are fabricated in Langley, BC by FortiFab, a sheet-metal shop that also cuts, forms and welds for industrial customers. This guide follows a panel from drawing to delivery and explains how to draw a pattern that will cut cleanly.

1. Start with a brief

Record what the panel is for (privacy, shade, wind or a feature wall), its size and quantity, where it goes, how it will be held up and the finish. Note who owns design, engineering and permits: we fabricate and ship, and your contractor installs.

2. Draw a pattern that will cut

• No floating islands. Any shape completely surrounded by a cut falls out, like the middle of a letter O. Tie every piece to the frame with bridges.
• Bridges and slots no thinner than the sheet. As a rule of thumb, keep each bridge and opening at least as wide as the metal is thick; thinner bridges can distort from heat or bend in handling.
• A solid border. Leave an uncut margin around the pattern for stiffness and for fixings.
• Open area is a choice. Smaller, denser openings give more privacy and take longer to cut; larger openings pass more light, air and view.
• Original artwork. Use your own geometry, or confirm you have the rights to a logo, artwork or another company's pattern.

3. Pattern directions that suit metal

• Organic: leaves, branches and water, simplified into connected shapes.
• Geometric: grids, hexagons, waves and circles, which repeat cleanly across panel joints.
• Gradient: openings that grow or shrink across a panel, dense where you need screening and open where you want light.
• Heritage references: lattice, Art Deco or regional motifs, redrawn rather than copied.

Check any pattern at full size. A print taped up on site shows privacy and scale better than a screen does.

4. Review before anything is cut

We review dimensions, application, finish and fabrication fit, then confirm questions, delivery, price and timing with you. An order goes ahead only after you have approved the final scope.

5. Cut, form, weld

The pattern is laser-cut from flat aluminum sheet. Returns and flanges are bent on a press brake, frames and brackets are welded, and welds that will be seen are ground and finished.

6. Powder coat

The metal is cleaned and pretreated, coated with powder and cured in an oven. The colour and coating grade are confirmed on your quote; the coating grades guide explains AAMA 2603, 2604 and 2605.

7. Pack and ship

Panels are packed to protect the finish and shipped to sites in Canada and the United States. Posts, footings, fixings and installation are designed and carried out by your site team.

What to send

Send what you have: PDF plan sheets, spreadsheets, spec sections, CAD files or photos, in whatever form you have them. Add the site location, quantities and the dates you need: Send your plans.

See the FortiFab shop, and use the checklist below to prepare your panel enquiry.