Wrought iron is a popular material for outside features such as railings and gates, but its use has changed over the years. If you are considering wrought iron railings for your home, it is important that you understand exactly what this means.
Traditional Wrought Iron
The official definition of wrought iron is iron that has been heated, hammered and shaped. It is similar to but less brittle than cast iron. The word “wrought” literally means “worked.” This traditionally meant iron products that had been created and finished by a blacksmith using dedicated tools, although the term’s use has expanded to a wider range of iron and mild steel pieces. Mild steel is an alloy of iron and carbon.
History of Wrought Iron
People may have been using wrought iron in Anatolia/Asia Minor, or modern-day Turkey, 4,000 years ago. It replaced bronze as the most common metal because iron was more widely available than the copper and tin needed to make bronze.
By the 1800s, wrought iron was one of the most common industrial materials, used for manufacturing horseshoes, building railways and everything in between. This continued until the 20th Century, when advances in technology allowed for the mass production of steel as a stronger, cheaper and more efficient alternative.
Modern Wrought Iron
It was around the 1970s that traditional wrought iron pieces became viewed as the purview of a few specialist artisans, produced on a small scale and primarily for decorative purposes because of the time and resources they took to create. An example might be the skilled master ironworkers found at https://donkeywellforge.co.uk/what-we-make/iron-gates-railings.
The term “wrought iron”, however, has come to mean more than simply iron that has been worked. It may be used to refer to pieces made of mild steel, also known as low carbon steel, which is often made to resemble traditionally wrought iron in railings and gates. This steel can be worked by hand but may also be shaped by machinery.
Modern wrought iron may have evolved from its traditional form, but it is still a popular choice for durable and stylish gates and railings.