YBa 2 Cu 3 O y (Y123) bulk materials were textured with artificially patterned holes, creating a 'perforated structure'. The goal is to facilitate sample oxygenation and decrease crack formation in order to address the problem of hot spot formation in fault current limiter (FCL) applications. As-processed samples contained mechanically patterned holes parallel to the mean c-axis interconnected to the textured domain. This makes samples easier to oxygenate and cool. The microstructure is not distorted in the vicinity of the holes. The single domain character of the sample is evidenced by XRD pole figure investigations. Meander tracks were prepared by drilling the upper and lower surfaces of the samples. Samples containing holes still trap high fields, comparable with samples without holes. Values of J c are increased in samples with holes.