Viewing a thread - Question for the guys that use guard rail?

West Salem, IllinoisFound a place that sells used guard rail and have e few questions.
1 ) Is $20 per 12'6" section a resonable price?
2 ) What kind of post spacing do you use? I really think a fence with posts on ten foot centers and three pieces of guardrail would be bull stout but the rail being 12' has me stumped!?
3 ) What kind of posts does everyone like? I'm 32 years old and really don't want to every do this project again!
4 ) Has anyone ever used the "I" beam posts that the state uses? The person I talked to said they were 5' tall, so my thought is that three of these posts welded together and than cut in half would be a great post, but I'm up for any and all suggestions
5 ) How "thick" of a fence do you end up with?


Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot$20 is a steal. Place I buy it at is usually $3/ft, but usually they sell it to me @ $30/ piece and usually I just load the trailer up with scrap and trade it out. Posts on 12' centers will work, but they had better be stout posts. 6' spacing is better in a crowding area. Easier to put more posts than fool around cutting new holes. RR ties usually work for posts. I've been building some fenceline feeders using 2 pieces of guardrail with posts on 12' spacings, but the posts are RR track concreted in about 5' deep. Works well. If you can find it I'd use the RR track for posts, sort of 'forever' if that is what your after.


NW IowaDoon Sawmill sells them for $14 or $15, they are used but slightly and usually are in good shape, if you don't like one you can take it back. The I-beam that they sell is mostly 6 ft. with some 7 footers, if i remember right they are $21. Bought a lot from them this year and think my gaurdrail price was in that $2.55-$2.65/ft. range.

Driftless SW Wisconsin

Life with guard rail is a whole lot easier if you use the prepunched holes and post spacing of either 6'3" or 12'6". Your 12 ft 6 in is really the hole spacing i believe. The actual steel length is a bit longer. I would look for the 25 ft lengths if you can handle them and the heavier gage "real" highway rail not the lighter stuff. Galvanizing is much heavier on the real rather than lightweight that I have seen. Unless you have buffalo or elephants, good rr tie posts at 12-6 should be plenty. Used poles from a local utility cut into sections also make good guard rail posts. Use the bottom of the pole for corners. I bevel cut the top so water tends to flow off and will hopefully las longer. $3/ft is about what I paid a few years ago for good used real rail.

You will get efficient and thoughtful service from DACHU.

Edited by Jim 10/12/ 06:01

Highways have become not only vital transportation but also a basis for communication and economic development. With its increasing importance, it has become necessary to deeply understand the dimensions of its guardrails, which are highway guardrails, in their various shapes and types. They represent design and engineering challenges that require consideration of several aspects such as safety, sustainability, and environmental impact. By exploring the highway guardrail dimensions, we can delve into more about them.

Ideal highway guardrail dimensions

highway guardrails form an essential part of road infrastructure and are intended to achieve higher safety for drivers and pedestrians. The ideal dimensions of these vary depending on the intended use and surrounding environment. It includes the following factors:

Length and area

guardrails must be tall enough to effectively guide and absorb energy generated by collisions. It must also be sufficient in space to achieve good ventilation and reduce the impact on air movement.

Height and displacement

The height of guardrails should be adequate to prevent vehicle penetration and to provide effective protection for pedestrians and vehicles close to the road. guardrails must also be designed to have sufficient offset to direct vehicles away from the guardrails and achieve correct channeling of collision energy.

The aforementioned guardrail dimensions are essential for designing road railings in a way that achieves traffic safety. This reduces the occurrence of damage in emergency situations.

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The importance of choosing the appropriate Highway Guardrail dimensions 

Choosing the right dimensions for highway guardrails is crucial for several reasons:

•  Correct dimensions contribute to enhancing the safety of users on the roads. It reduces the risk of accidents and protects drivers and pedestrians.
• guardrails with correct dimensions contribute to organizing and facilitating traffic. It reduces the possibility of traffic jams and side collisions.
• Barrier needs vary from one road to another based on the speed of movement and traffic density. Which makes choosing the appropriate dimensions indispensable to ensure the effectiveness of the road system in general.

Benefits of highway guardrails

Choosing the right dimensions for highway guardrails is crucial for several reasons:

• Preventing vehicles from crossing dividing lines: Border guardrails, also known as median guardrails, are the most common type of highway guardrail. They are used to prevent vehicles from crossing dividing lines and swerving into the opposite direction, greatly reducing the risk of fatal collisions.
• Preventing vehicles from veering off the road: Road edge guardrails are used to prevent vehicles from veering off the road and falling into ditches or colliding with fixed objects
• Providing a safe area for pedestrians and cyclists: Road guardrails can be used to separate the paths of pedestrians and cyclists from road traffic, creating a safe area for them to cross.
• Preventing vehicles from entering pedestrian areas: Safety guardrails are used to prevent vehicles from entering pedestrian areas, such as sidewalks and crosswalks

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Once we take a deep look at the highway guardrail dimensions, we realize that they are more than just structural structures that ensure safety and traffic flow. They present design challenges that require a careful balance between practical effectiveness and environmental and social impacts. Thanks to advanced technologies and continuous innovation. highway guardrails can become an active component in promoting sustainable development and prosperous communities.