Wrought iron fencing is a beautiful and often intricate fencing option that can give a high class flare to your home. Ranging from simple tall bars to incredibly detailed ornate metalwork, wrought iron fencing is durable and stylish.
Wrought iron is often associated with large estates, manors, and high end government buildings. Due to its ability to not only be beautifully designed and ornate, but secure, it is a nearly ubiquitous with high end homes, classy gardens, and a victorian sensibility.
True wrought iron has not been produced in a number of years. So if you are not lucky enough to acquire some reusable antique wrought iron fencing, you will have to settle for a substitute material. The materials that are produced and sold as ‘wrought iron’ today are typically steel or aluminum designed to mimic the look and function of classic wrought iron. While both of these substitutes have their own unique qualities, they are both functional alternatives.
The more durable steel options are on the higher end of the price scale for this type of fencing. But if you are looking to get the classic wrought iron look without spending too much money, the aluminum options are a more affordable choice. However, it will still cost you more than a simple wood or vinyl fence option.
While the aluminum and steel options are not as durable and rust resistant as true wrought iron, they are both still quite sturdy and resistant to rust when compared to other types of fencing.
If you are looking for a classy and high end look with a great deal of security and decorative elements, wrought iron will give you the best options. While often presented as black, wrought iron can be painted, which actually adds to its rust resistance and highlights any of the decorative ornamentation that you may have opted for.
Pros
- Durable and long lasting – Wrought iron is incredibly durable and rust resistant. Where a wooden fence may break and need to be replaced periodically, wrought iron, with the proper care, will last a very long time. And if you are lucky enough to come into some true wrought iron, the durability and rust resistance is even higher.
- Decorative – While wrought iron fences often come in straight iron bars with barbed tops, there are some truly beautiful decorative wrought iron fence designs.
- Security – Typically, wrought iron is comprised of tall, relatively straight bars, and with barbed tips. This, combined with the material’s durability, makes for a pretty secure perimeter. This is one reason that wrought iron is often used as a security gate on high end buildings.
- Classy – A decorative wrought iron fence has an element of class, and can bring that to any home or garden.
Cons
- Privacy – Wrought iron fences come in bars, which does not create much of an obstruction against people looking into your property. This kind of fence is great to look at, but also easy to see through.
- Cost – Wrought iron is not cheap. And the more ornate and durable that you want your fence, the more it will cost you. When looking at all fencing options, wrought iron is going to be on the higher end in terms of cost.
- Maintenance – While wrought iron is rust resistant, it is not rust proof. So wrought iron is not maintenance free. Without proper maintenance and treatment, your fence can develop rust. Painting your fence is a good way of preventing this, but even paint needs upkeep, so keep an eye on it.
- Installation – If you are looking for a quick, easy, and painless installation, wrought iron is not your friend. The material is heavy and unwieldy.
If you are looking to install your fence yourself, you may be able to manage a wrought iron fence for between $20-$100 per linear foot depending on the design, height, and strength of the wrought iron you select. If you opt for professional installation, you can expect to spend $30-$300 per linear square foot.
If your fence encompasses a driveway, you can manage a gate to your wrought iron fence. Expect $1,400 for a basic gate, but upward toward $9,000 for an automatic gate (Source: Home Cost Helper).
Want to see more types of fences? Check out our definitive guide on the subject!
A beautiful wrought iron fence in black with a manicured hedge growing beneath and a small bed of flowers nearest to the sidewalk. Source: Zillow Digs™
An ornate wrought iron fence with a unique snowflake-like design.
An ornate wrought iron fence in black with unique posts and a solid gate.
Beautiful wrought iron gate over looking a vineyard on a hillside. This fence is more decorative than anything else.
A slim wrought iron fence surrounding a lush and verdant garden. A gate stands before the stone steps. Source: Zillow Digs™
A spiked wrought iron gate surrounds this lovely seating area complete with planting boxes and a center tree. Source: Zillow Digs™
A beautiful design gives a victorian look to these flowers.
A classic wrought iron design is incorporated into this mixed material fence.
Putting a short section of wrought iron on top of a brick wall adds a great deal of flash and security.
A very ornate wrought iron pattern between brick pillars.
An intricate design on a shorter wrought iron fence.
Coloring wrought iron can highlight the design and make the fencing really pop.
Stunning details are exemplified with a bit of color.
A simple bar design with painted tips.
A lovely waist high wrought iron fence, with detailed and attractive panels.
A nice curve and twisted design plays well with the flowers in this garden fence.
A simple but still elegant wrought iron fence idea.
Plants engulf the base of this simple bar design.
A nice fence design accentuates this garden.
This short fence has extra spikes and, in contrast with the flowers, provides a dynamic look.
The quintessential wrought iron fence design. Simple, elegant, and classy.
A wrought iron fence without top barbs, with a stone pillar post.
An elegant design with large decorative posts.
A simple fence with extra top spikes.
A stunning take on the wrought iron fence, with intricate details.
A close up of some of the details in a beautiful wrought iron fence.
A very simple wrought iron fence without any intricate designs, still has a classic look.
A tall and simple bar design is a nice way to fence in an area without blocking too much view or distracting from other features.
A tall intricate wrought iron fence with an ornate gate. Source: Spencer Means / Flickr
Large intricate custom wrought iron gates are a perfect first impression when entering this home. Source: Zillow Digs™
A smaller gate over this footpath ties this wrought iron and brick pillar fence together. Source: Zillow Digs™
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