Modern and Contemporary Wrought Iron Railings and Gates

 

Today the majority of wrought iron products are made from mild steel and not iron as the name would suggest. The reason for this is that mild steel is much stronger and a lot easier to work with than iron and is also more resistant to corrosion. Because of these properties mild steel is the perfect material with which to create gates and railings as well as other products such as nails, screw and pipe work to name but a few.

The amount of choice you have when it comes to the decorative features that can be incorporated in to wrought iron railings and gates is endless and that is the beauty of wrought iron. Arching, twisted pickets, decorative finials and knuckles and swooping are all design features than can be easily incorporated into both wrought iron railings and gates. Whatever the style of your home, whether it be a Victorian town house a seafront villa or a modest country cottage you can get wrought iron railings and gates designed to match.

If you own commercial premises and security is a concern then wrought iron fence panels and gates can be made to pretty much any height or length and when you add finials to each picket the gates they will act as security gates as well as adding a wonderful aesthetic feature. Wrought iron railings, fence panels and gates can protect against intruders on most commercial and industrial sites.

Considering that over four hundred years have passed since wrought iron was first used for railings and gates the designs have changed very little and neither have the processes that are used in their manufacture. Whether you use wrought iron as a railing, gate or post they will always give off an air of charm and elegance.

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.