Choosing a Steel Stair Fabricator in the GTA
How to choose a steel staircase fabricator in the GTA: who does what, the questions to ask, what a stair quotation should cover, and the red flags to avoid.
Home / Blog
Steel & Rebar Guides
Straight answers on rebar, structural steel, beams, lintels and fabrication, from the team that cuts, bends and welds it every day.
Choosing Rebar Sizes for Concrete Beams and Columns
How rebar sizes for concrete beams and columns are chosen in Canada: steel area, minimum and maximum limits, fitting bars in the section and tie sizes.
Class A vs Class B Tension Lap Splices Explained
What Class A and Class B tension lap splices are under CSA A23.3, the two tests for a Class A lap, how columns differ, contact vs non-contact laps and bar lists.
Clip Angles and Ledger Angles: Steel Angle Connections
What steel angle cleats are, the types of clip, seat and ledger angles used in steel structures, angle-to-angle connections, and what to show on drawings.
Column Base Plate Design to CSA S16: A Worked Example
How a steel column base plate is sized in Canada: concrete bearing to CSA A23.3, the cantilever method for plate thickness, a worked HSS example and detailing tips.
Column Dowel Bars: Length and Placement
How column dowel bars work: CSA A23.3 minimum area, size limits, embedment into the footing, lap length above it, hooked vs straight dowels and setting them.
Common Bent Rebar Shapes: U-Bars, Hairpins and Z-Bars
What rebar U-bars, hairpins, Z-bars, J-hooks, L-bars and standees are, where each shape is used in footings, walls and slabs, and how to order them right.
Concrete Cover for Rebar: CSA A23.1 Requirements
Minimum concrete cover for rebar under CSA A23.1: the Table 17 values by exposure class, how footings, slabs and walls differ, OBC Part 9 notes and ACI comparison.
Concrete Wall Rebar Spacing: Vertical, Horizontal and ICF
How vertical and horizontal rebar spacing is set in concrete and ICF walls in Ontario: OBC Part 9 rules, CSA A23.3 minimum wall steel, placement and examples.
Connecting a Steel Post to a Wood Beam
How a steel post connects to a wood beam: cap plates, U-brackets and knife plates, fasteners, bearing width, and the Ontario code rules for basements and decks.
Connecting Steel Columns to Brick and Block Walls
How steel columns connect to brick and concrete block walls: wall ties and anchors, columns in cavity walls, columns bearing on masonry and Ontario code rules.
Cost of Rebar for a Concrete Slab: What Drives It and How to Estimate
What sets the cost of rebar for a concrete slab: bar size, spacing, laps, accessories and placing. Includes a worked weight estimate and how to get a firm quote.
Cost to Install a Steel Beam in a Basement in Ontario: What Drives It
What goes into the cost of a basement steel beam in Ontario: engineering, permit, shoring, beam, posts, footings and finishing, and how to get a real quote.
Cost to Replace or Remove a Lally Column: What Drives the Price
What drives the cost to replace, upgrade or remove a lally column or telepost in an Ontario basement or garage, why removal costs more, and how to get a real quote.
CSA W59: The Structural Welding Code in Canada
What CSA W59, Canada's structural welding code, covers, how it links to CSA S16, W47.1 and the building code, the current edition, and AWS D1.1.
Custom Rebar Stirrups: Ordering Fabricated Stirrups and Ties
How to order custom rebar stirrups and ties: shapes, sizing, 90° and 135° hooks, what to put on the order, what drives the price and how to handle them on site.
Custom Steel Fabrication for GTA Homeowners: What Gets Made and How It Works
What a steel fabricator makes for GTA homes, from basement beams and posts to lintels, stairs and gates, plus who does what, permits and how to get a quote.
Custom Steel Gate Cost: What Drives the Price
What drives custom steel gate cost in Ontario: size, gate type, infill, posts, hardware, finish, automation and installation, plus how to compare quotes.