Tube or not Tube

I'm often asked about what makes a gate or fence strong.  Many assume, that the parts must be made out of solid steel.  That's a good option but can be costly.  Solid steel is very heavy making it more difficult for the fabricator to handle therefore adding additional time to the project, and then additional cost.  When a gate is heavy, it tends to sag under the weight.  Tube steel is a great alternative to solid steel, provided that the walls of the tubing are thick enough. 

Ask your fabricator to show you a sample piece of the tube steel that he intends to use for your project.  Check inside the tube steel.  You'll see the thickness of the material.  The tubing should feel durable, not light weight.  A nice wall thickness for fence or gate pickets is between .065 up to .083.  The frame or rails of a gate or fence should be thicker, maybe .120 wall.  If you desire solid steel, pick out components such as scrolls or circles that are made out of the solid steel material. Save on weight by using the tubing for the other aspects of the project.  Once the design is finished, you'll never know that tubing was used verses solid steel. 

The answer to the age old question, tube or not tube, most definitely tube.