Chain-Link Coating Specifications: Classes, Mass & Thickness

Chain-link coating mass, polymer thickness and wire gauge are three different specifications. A zinc coating class describes metallic coating mass; an F668 polymer class describes a process and thickness range; the fabric gauge refers to its metallic-coated core. A quote that only says "black vinyl-coated chain link" leaves important questions unanswered. CLFMI Product Manual, March 2017, Tables 2-3 and Part 2.2.

Use this reference to ask a supplier precise questions, not to certify current stock. The numbers below are from the March 2017 public manual, checked October 4, 2026. We did not review every full current ASTM standard or test a product's corrosion resistance.

Metallic coating reference

The March 2017 CLFMI manual lists A392 Class 1 zinc coating at 1.2 oz/sq ft and Class 2 at 2.0 oz/sq ft, with published equivalents of 366 and 610 g/sq m. CLFMI Product Manual, revised March 2017.

Source: CLFMI Part 2.2(A)(1)-(3). Published rounded metric values are retained. These are coating masses on the fabric wire, not the weight of a roll or the thickness of a polymer jacket. Compare classes within the same coating specification; a larger mass across different coating materials is not a demonstrated durability ranking.

The manual also identifies A491 aluminized steel fabric. That means aluminum-coated steel, not solid aluminum wire. We do not attach a fabric coating-mass value from a different component's specification: the manual's aluminized tension-wire requirement is not automatically a fabric requirement.

Polymer coating classes

CLFMI Table 2 gives polymer thickness ranges of 0.015-0.025 inch for F668 Classes 1 and 2a, and 0.006-0.010 inch for Class 2b. CLFMI Product Manual, revised March 2017.

Source: CLFMI Table 2 and Part 2.2(A)(4). The thinner listed Class 2b range does not prove it is worse than Class 1: the application processes differ. This table does not turn thickness into service life, abrasion resistance, warranty coverage or a current purchase approval.

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Core wire is not finished diameter

The CLFMI manual specifies polymer-coated fabric gauge by the metallic-coated core wire, not the finished polymer-coated diameter. CLFMI Product Manual, revised March 2017.

A caliper reading across the finished polymer coating answers a different question from core-wire diameter. Ask the supplier for the stated core gauge/diameter and coating class, rather than trying to infer both from an outer measurement. Use the separate chain-link wire gauge reference for the manual's diameter table and mesh definition.

Fabric does not specify the whole fence. Posts, rails, fittings, ties, tension wire, gates, height and site loading still need their own requirements. None of the coating entries is an installed fence wind or security rating.

Put the coating requirements in the quote

These are original purchasing questions, not a complete design specification. Attach them to a supplier RFQ, confirm permitted substitutions in writing, and have the actual project requirements checked by the responsible professional. Find fence suppliers for product-specific documentation or local fence contractors for the installed scope.

Methodology and reuse

Fence Advisors reviewed the cited tables and fabric clauses in the first 30 of the manual's 34 retrieved PDF pages. 2017 is the source edition; October 4, 2026 is our review date. The original diagram is not to scale. The CSV separates quantities and units; the citation ledger connects each finding to a visible section and its source locator. Cite the edition and limitation with the number. No coating-life multiplier or original testing is claimed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Class 2 zinc coating twice as durable as Class 1?

This reference does not establish that. The 2017 manual lists 2.0 versus 1.2 oz/sq ft, not a two-times corrosion-life result. Exposure and the actual product matter.

Does black chain link always have the same polymer coating?

No specific class follows from the color alone. Ask for the exact F668 class, core wire and applicable product specification.

Can I use these values as a current ASTM certification?

No. They are an edition-specific public reference. Confirm the current standard, project specification and actual supplied-product evidence separately.