Decorative wrought iron trim can be found along the top of gates and fences around your property, on front entrance gates of homes and institutions, along the tops of stair railings, and forming frames and arches around entry ways. It often found is scroll trims crowning mailboxes and birdhouses placed to be visible in both front and back lawns. This trim is commonly found in balusters, railings, and panels.
The Trim is used to form monograms that greet and inform visitors upon stepping onto your property. It can form the door hardware that supports the knob or the lever. This wrought iron trim is often used to form decorative balusters in entry stair railings.
Wrought iron is made from an iron alloy and less than .08% carbon. It is easily welded, corrosion resistant, malleable, and ductile. Today’s wrought iron products are made of mild steel. The word ‘wrought’ indicates the metal was formed while hot into the shape it ultimately becomes with a hammer or rolled into its shape.
The additive that makes wrought special is the ‘slag’, which is forged into the fibers of the iron. This slag gives the wrought iron its distinctive fibrous structure, also making it corrosion, shock, and vibration resistant.
Iron trim exposed to outdoor weather will rust over time unless it is maintained. To remove rust, use a wire brush and/or coarse sand paper. After the rust is removed apply a coat of rust-resistant primer. Follow it with two coats of rust-resistant paint. As the years pass, continue to look for wear and tear. If rust reappears, repeat the steps for removing rust and repaint.
Decorative wrough iron trim appears in the forms of spears and finials finishing the tops of fences, stairway railings, gates, etc. Sometimes the wrought iron is formed into a monogram or a door number to be hung on an interior wall or the exterior of your home. Styles of decorative iron range from traditional scroll patterns to the more modern Gonzato design combining geometric shapes to create a compete design.
Shapes of Finials
• Spear Shaped
• Tear Drop Shaped
• Pyramid Shaped
• Shaped like a Fleur-de-Lis
• Round Ball Shaped
• Oval Shaped
• Oblong Ball Shape
Iron panels form posts on a porch or arches framing a walkway, an arbor leading into the garden, or a trellis for a climbing plant. Rosettes are another form of iron decoration. When these trims are applied to doors, gates, stair railings and on interior and exterior walls, the home’s exterior appears complete.