Metal Fabrication Blog: Guides and Comparisons

The rise and going that make stairs comfortable, how stringer stairs differ from spiral ones, which tread surface suits outdoor use and when handrails are required.

Why stove walls start at 4 mm, what flue diameter is needed, how the grate and ash pan work, and the clearances to combustible walls that are not negotiable.

Which tube sections a carport needs for posts and trusses, the minimum roof pitch, how snow load is calculated and why posts must be concreted below the frost line.

Which steel a smoker needs and why galvanised sheet is never it, chamber sizes, the water seal, and how hot smoking differs from cold in construction terms.

Common square and rectangular tube sizes, what 40×20×2 means, how the section governs stiffness, and which tube to use for gates, shelving, canopies and frames.

Which tube section a gate frame needs, why a cantilever gate needs a counterweight of a third of the opening, where swing gates sag, and the mistakes that mean rewelding.

How far the skewers should sit above the coals, why 2 mm steel warps in two seasons, where the air holes go and why a folded body outlives a welded one.

How to size a shelf for the load it will carry, which tube or angle section to use, why a span over one metre sags, and when shelving must be anchored to the wall.

What goes into the price of cutting, bending, welding and coating, why a batch is cheaper per part, and what data we need for an accurate quote.

What steel markings mean, how Ст3 differs from 09Г2С, when you need AISI 304 stainless and when galvanized steel is enough — short and to the point.

We compare laser and plasma cutting by thickness, precision, edge quality and price — and explain when paying extra for laser makes no sense.

How powder coating differs from liquid enamel in durability, appearance and price, and when liquid paint is actually the better choice.