There are few fences that carry the elegant look of iron and we get a lot of requests for it recently especially for front yard security fencing. One thing that we want to clarify for the shopper is the difference between wrought iron and ornamental iron fencing. Both are strong and attractive fences that provides security, but they are vastly different in how they are made and their price points.
We want to educate the consumer as to the differences because many people that initially call looking for “wrought” iron end up actually wanting “ornamental” iron.
Wrought Iron vs Ornamental Iron: Difference 1: What they are made of and how they are made.
Even though they’re both called “iron,” their actual composition is different. Wrought iron fences are made from iron, often with iron silicate added. At the same time, ornamental iron fences are actually made from steel, not iron at all. This steel is a man-made product and is easier to manipulate.
The way that a wrought iron fence is made is very different than an ornamental iron fence. Wrought iron fences are custom works with a craftsperson making each piece by hand using a heat source, a hammer and other iron forging tools. This gives each piece a unique look with inconsistencies that show the custom making of each piece. You will be able to see differences in each piece that give it a custom uniqueness like hammer marks and slight imperfections. While this is a really awesome characteristic is takes a lot of time and labor to fabricate each piece. Some customers really like this unique hand crafted look of each piece and other customers do not for their fence.
On the other hand, ornamental iron is able to be mass produced in factories. The process of mass production allows for ornamental iron fences to have a more uniform look. Because of the uniformity of each piece they are also able to be repaired and matched to be added onto later down the road. They are also able to be modified more easily during the installation process to flow with the grade changes of the land and to be bent and curved onsite. Since ornamental iron is mass produced it requires less time and labor to produce each piece. This brings us to our second difference: Price.
Wrought Iron vs Ornamental Iron: Difference 2: Price
Ornamental iron fences are significantly less expensive than wrought iron fences. Many times we see wrought iron on custom iron gates, handrails, or decorative accent stairwell pieces, but the majority of iron fencing we see in the Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer and Yuba City areas is actually ornamental iron fence.
At Fantastic Fence Construction and Repair Inc, we only install ornamental iron, but if you are looking for true wrought iron we can point you in the right direction to some iron fabrication shops that will be able to help you out!
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