Wrought Iron Railings for Commercial Premises

As steel became the common metal for manufacturing and construction the popularity of wrought iron declined, but the term ‘wrought iron’ is still used to describe steel railings or gates that have been ‘wrought’ or worked by hand. The majority of wrought iron products available today are made from mild steel and not iron as the name would suggest. This is because mild steel is a much better material.  It is stronger and easier to work with and is also easier to weld than iron.  It is also much more resistant to corrosion. All of the properties make mild steel the ideal material to use to make gates and railings along with a huge range of other products including things like nails, screws and pipe work.

Wrought iron railings and gates have been popular all over the UK since the sixteenth century. They could be found on almost every urban street and could also be found surrounding pretty much every public park and stately home. Many of these wrought iron railings and gates were removed during WWII as part of the war effort and only stumps were left behind. More recently many homeowners have started to replace these long lost railings with designs that date back to the period the original railings would have been fitted. Some choose to update the look with contemporary gates and railings.

The wonderful thing about wrought iron is the amount of choice you have when it comes to decorative features. You can choose from design details such as arching, twisted pickets, swooping, decorative finials and knuckles and sweeping scroll work. All of these design features can easily be incorporated into any design. Wrought iron railings and gates can be manufactured to match any home from a large stately home to a Victorian town house to a modest country cottage and even a seafront villa.

Wrought iron railings are also ideal for commercial premises where security is a main priority.  Fence panels and gates can be made to any height or length and finals can top each picket acting as both an aesthetic as well as security feature. If you want the ultimate in defensive railings you can install heavy duty palisade fencing alongside electronically operated security gates.

Considering that over four hundred years have passed since wrought iron was first used for wrought iron railings and gates, the designs have hardly changed at all. Neither has the processes used in their manufacture. The only real difference is that wrought iron was replaced with steel in the late nineteenth century but this is really a minor detail. The basic design and purposes of wrought iron railings and gates is still the same as it was hundreds of years ago and most likely will do for years and years to come.

Prepare your Wrought Iron Garden Fence for Painting

Decorative wrought iron garden fences are sturdy as well as beautiful.  They can also add an air of elegance to your home or garden.  Unfortunately constant exposure to the elements can so a fair bit of damage to the wrought iron surface.  By applying a fresh coat of paint you can decrease the appearance of rust and keep your wrought iron garden fence looking beautiful.  To successfully paint your iron fence you need to prepare the metal surface and surrounding area properly.  I have written some instructions below for you to follow so you can prepare your wrought iron fencing for painting correctly.

Firstly scrub the fence gently with a wire brush to remove all traces of rust.  You can use a wire wheel attachment on your cordless drill of you want to speed up this process.  After all traces of rust have been removed you then need to sand the wrought iron surface using medium-grip sandpaper.  This process will remove and chipped or peeling paint and will also provide a rough surface so the new layer of paint has something to adhere to.  Sanding will also remove any deteriorating paint if you used a drill and a wire wheel attachment to remove rust.  Once complete, wipe down the wrought iron with a clean and dry cloth.  Before you start painting cover the surrounding area with a tarp or drop cloth so protect them from any primer and paint spillage.  Take extra care to protect steps, plants and windows.  Sprits the greenery and flowers in your flower beds with water before you cover them.

Next you need to apply a rust-inhibitive primer to the entire surface of the wrought iron.  Made-for-metal primers come in liquid an aerosol form and you can find them in the majority of hardware stores.  A better choice is an aerosol primer as it will give you better coverage especially if your fence has intricate scroll work incorporated into the design.  Allow the primer to dry as per the manufacturer instructions.  Most primers will require 1 to 3 hours of drying time.  Once the primer is dry then you can apply a coat of exterior rust-inhibitive enamel paint over the primer.  Like the primer, the paint will come in either liquid or aerosol form so you need to make sure you choose the type of paint that is suitable for your project.  If you are using aerosol paint hold the can 3 to 4 inches away from the fence to reduce drips.  Make sure that the primer and paint are compatible to ensure optimal paint coverage and also longevity.

Wrought iron garden fences can be wonderful addition to the exterior of your home and it is relatively easy to keep it in good condition by following the advice I have given you.

Garden fencing to make your home secure

Appearance is only one of many aspects of garden fencing; sometimes a pretty looking fence isn't enough and you need garden fencing for security reasons, you need something that will prevent unwanted guests from stepping onto your property. Two forms of garden fencing that are sure to do the job are the wrought iron fence and the wooden privacy fence. These two fences are two of the sturdiest and most secure kinds of garden fencing out there. If you are looking for strength and security, looking into these options would be a good start.


One of the best kinds of garden fencing  for security purposes and keeping unwanted guests off of your yard is the wrought iron fence. In fact, the garden fencing that ensures the safety of the white house is actually a tall black wrought iron.


Wooden privacy fence is made out of large wooden panels placed next to each other with no gaps in between. You cannot see in or out of the wooden privacy fence. The fence is also usually fairly large and over six feet tall. It is extremely difficult to climb over as it is mainly just a flat surface and sometimes the top ends of the vertical wooden boards are in the form of a pointy 90 degree angle. This is the type of garden fencing that you might see stereotypically depicted with a sigh warning you to beware of dogs. This kind of garden fencing g is great for preventing pets from leaving the yard in addition to keeping unwanted guests from entering are even looking into your yard.