Wrought Iron Fence Advice Req'd

[cosmosuave]

So my neighbours have approached me to build a fence for them along their garden... What I am looking for is what this would cost roughly in material... Note I live in Canada...

The dimensions are as follows...

Length 21'

Height 2'-6"

Material...

1/2" solid square bar - spindles
1" square tube - vertical posts
1" square tube - spindle support ( I would use channel but I have no access to an iron worker to punch the holes req'd for the spindles)

How long should I keep the section spans for this?

What should the spacing for the spindles be? 5" I know this will vary depending on span length...

Thanks...

[Big_Eddy]

You need to do the design work with the client before we can determine the material costs accurately. How many panels, how far apart will the spindles be? How long will each one be. What wall thickness on your square tubing.

Do the design, do some math, then come up with your cut list, call your local steel vendor and price it out. New steel is going for under $1 a pound around me. I calculate the weight of material required, use $1/lb as a starting point - then it doesn't take too long to create a rough estimate - you'd be within 10% one way or the other.

[aametalmaster]

I just bought some 1/2" sq hrs and it was .89 cents a foot. That stuff really got pricey in the last few years...Bob

[Jack Olsen]

If you use 16-ga 1/2 (or 5/8) square tubing, you'll reduce your costs and have less sag from weight.

You can also get punched channel with 4" centers ready-made from King Metals. They even sell built sections, which I think you can specify to a slope. I think the most common code gap is that a 4" sphere can not be passed through any opening in the fence.

I recently bought the steel to do 80 linear feet of 33" fencing and the steel itself was less than US$250. (I didn't use punched channel, but used 1" laterals, posts, and 5/8" pickets.)

[nocheepgas]

Steel Prices

Prices have come down quite a bit for steel recently. A few weeks back I purchased a 4x8 sheet of 14 gauge, cost me $51.00. My supplier told me that a few months back that same piece was 200.00! No wonder I had slowed down on doing projects.

[Big_Eddy]

What should the spacing for the spindles be? 5" I know this will vary depending on span length...

Thanks...

Ontario Building Code - 2006 (Current)
Section 9.8. Stairs, Ramps, Handrails and Guards
9.8.8.5 Sentence (3) Unless it can be shown that the location and size of openings that do not comply with the following limits do not represent a hazard, openings through any guard that is not required by Article 9.8.8.1. and that serves a building of other than industrial occupancy, shall be of a size that,
(a) will prevent the passage of a spherical object having a diameter of 100 mm, or
(b) will permit the passage of a spherical object having a diameter of 200 mm.

A fence would be considered a guard that is not required by Article 9.8.8.1

[nfinch86]

Ontario Building Code - 2006 (Current)
Section 9.8. Stairs, Ramps, Handrails and Guards
9.8.8.5 Sentence (3) Unless it can be shown that the location and size of openings that do not comply with the following limits do not represent a hazard, openings through any guard that is not required by Article 9.8.8.1. and that serves a building of other than industrial occupancy, shall be of a size that,
(a) will prevent the passage of a spherical object having a diameter of 100 mm, or
(b) will permit the passage of a spherical object having a diameter of 200 mm.

A fence would be considered a guard that is not required by Article 9.8.8.1

What am I missing ? It will stop an object of 4", but will allow an object of 8"?

Sounds like Lawyer-Engineer Talk to Me !

............. Norm

[DetroitRob]

The way I read that, it must be smaller than 4" or wider than 8". I am guessing that is to help prevent kids or animals from being trapped in between the bars

[Jack Olsen]

Exactly. So big that a kid can't get his head stuck, or so small the head won't fit through the gap in the first place. Smaller than 4" or bigger than 8".

[cosmosuave]

Thanks for all the advice...

[mingy]

If its not too late

check out

YWB Decorative Iron
(647) 889-8481

Scarborough

They carry all kinds of stuff for fences. If you find any other, let me know!

[cosmosuave]

Neighbour is gonna go with prefab widths from Home Depot...