Some things never go out of style.
For hundreds of years, wrought iron gates have set a standard for classical elegance and timeless craftsmanship. Strong yet refined, sturdy yet ornate, wrought iron is the medium of choice for homeowners who want to show off their home and their good taste.
In this blog, we’ll explore why these gates are having a moment and how they can elevate the value and aesthetics of any home, whether traditional or modern.
What Is Wrought Iron?
Wrought iron is a type of iron alloy with very low carbon content (usually .08% or less) and small amounts of silicate slag filaments that give the material a distinctly “fibrous” composition. As the material is heated, reheated, and hammered and rolled into shape by a blacksmith, the slag is worked out of the iron and the material grows progressively stronger.
For centuries, wrought iron has been prized for its aesthetic appeal, durability, and workability. It can be easily shaped, hammered, or drawn into wires without cracking. It’s tough enough to withstand impacts and stress without fracturing. These features have long made it the material of choice for metal gates, fences, stair railings, balconies, sconces, and all manner of decorative metalwork.
Why Choose a Wrought Iron Gate?
Wrought iron is a classic choice for many reasons. It’s strong, durable, cost effective, and endlessly customizable. Even if you’ve never thought about wrought iron as a material before, it comes with a centuries old design tradition so rich and culturally pervasive that you’ve probably already absorbed the basics. Because of this tradition, wrought iron is closely associated with old world elegance and sophistication.
Let’s look at some of the particulars that make wrought iron gates such a compelling choice:
- Strength and Durability: Wrought iron is incredibly strong, durable, and resistant to impacts, making it an excellent choice for driveway gates that need to withstand daily use and exposure to the elements.
- Security: Wrought iron is difficult to break or cut through, deterring potential intruders.
- Aesthetics: Known for their timeless and elegant appearance, wrought iron gates can be crafted into intricate designs that lend sophistication and style to your property, whether traditional or modern.
- Home Value: A wrought iron driveway gate increases the value of your property and greatly boosts its curb appeal.
- Cost Effectiveness: While we work in wood, custom composite, and other metals, including aluminum, bronze, and stainless steel, wrought iron is often the most cost effective material depending on the design you want.
13 Exciting Wrought Iron Gate Designs
1. A Classic Christmas
The thick iron bars on this gate create an imposing impression of weight and solidity, but the design is livened up by the repeating fleur-de-lis decorations along the top rail and the elongated teardrop-shaped flourishes along the base rail. The large, ornate S-scroll in the middle emphasizes the symmetry of the structure.
(Also: note the metal walk gate to the side of the stone column on the left, which allows residents and visitors to walk through without activating the driveway gate.)
2. Fine Lines
This wrought iron gate offers an overwhelming wealth of ornamentation: from the quatrefoil patterns on the bottom, to the tripartite balusters in the middle, to the small circles and contrastingly large S-scrolls framed by the arching parallel top rails. However, in contrast to the last design we looked at, the details are all presented in such fine lines that the eye naturally focuses first on the home behind it.
3. A Forest of Finials
Like the trees on a gently sloping hillside, the finials rise up from the arched top rail of this wrought iron gate, reminding onlookers that climbing would not be wise. Note how the columns on either side mirror the same bricks and slate shingles of the house in the background.
4. Solid But Decorative
Most metal gates are formed from rails and pickets that leave room for the viewer to look past them to the home and landscape beyond. But this gate incorporates solid wrought iron panels that offer extra privacy for the property within. The panels don’t eschew decoration, though: ornate vines and floral decorations run vertically along the inner and outer sides of each panel.
5. Panels and Pickets
Like many of our popular wooden and composite gates, this design features a combination of solid panels on the bottom and pickets that arch toward the center on top. The diagonal cross hatch design on the panels and the classically styled double orb ornamentations on every other picket enhance the visual interest.
6. Sliding Symmetry
Every gate we’ve seen so far is a swing gate that opens in the middle to let vehicles through. However, this next design is a single panel slide gate that retracts behind the stone wall when it opens. The stylized M-shaped monogram in the middle of the gate features a number of circular flourishes that echo the repeating circles along the gate’s top and bottom rails.
7. A Vision in White
While wrought iron gates are usually black, they’re painted to protect them from the elements, which means that wrought iron can be painted any color you like. This wrought iron gate is painted white to complement the light gray stonework in the surrounding fence and columns and the cream-colored home behind it.
8. A Floral Facade
While every gate we make is designed by hand by our skilled blacksmiths, that custom craftsmanship is especially on display in the floral decorations that radiate out from wrought iron vines on this gate. Note how the vines twist around the narrow pickets, a detail that enhances the organic appearance of the design. Veins have been hand-chiseled into the leaves and the flowers are all custom-crafted.
9. Sophisticated Security
No matter how classical our styling, at Tri State our gates incorporate cutting edge security and automation technology. This wrought iron swing gate includes a similarly styled fence extending out at 90 degrees from both columns to box in the entire driveway as vehicles approach. It adds an extra degree of physical security that homeowners appreciate.
10. Essential Elements
This gate gets right down to business. Its clean lines are simple and straightforward, keeping the focus on the house within. Two simple S-scrolls in the center switch up the design.
11. Intricate Ornamentation
Moving from simple to anything but, these rectangular wrought iron gate panels are so rich with small repeating patterns of ornamentation that they nearly block the view within.
12. Modern Metalwork
While wrought iron is often associated with traditional, old world aesthetics, this tall driveway gate is very modern. It’s all thin clean lines and right angles with only the circles that run beneath the top rail varying up the design.
13. Sharp Contrasts
Wrought iron is famous for the way it can be curved and twisted into organically-styled ornamentation. Here, that curved ornamentation contrasts with a more sharply angular frame. LIkewise, the addition of bronze elements in the finials, the S-scroll, and the monogrammed “K” all add an extra dimension of color to the design.
Wrought Iron Gates FAQs
Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about wrought iron gates.
How Do Wrought Iron Gates Compare to Other Gate Materials?
Choosing the best gate material for you depends on your specific needs and priorities. Wrought iron gates are especially good at heightening a home’s curb appeal, partly because they’re so strongly associated with elegance and sophistication, partly because they so beautifully display the property within. Wrought iron requires some relatively regular maintenance, but, so long as that’s performed, they’re one of the most durable materials you can find. When it comes to price, customers are sometimes surprised to discover that wrought iron can be less expensive than other materials; however, the material is so customizable that a wide range of factors determine the final price. See this detailed guide to choosing the right driveway gate material.
How Do You Maintain a Wrought Iron Gate?
To keep your wrought iron gate looking its best, it’s good to clean the gate at least twice a year or more often if it’s exposed to heavy dirt, pollution, or coastal air. Use a mild soap and water solution to gently scrub the gate with a soft brush or sponge, then rinse thoroughly with clean water and let it air dry.
Every few months it’s also good to inspect the gate for rust or corrosion, especially after periods of persistent wet weather. Any rust spots should be scraped off using a wire brush or sandpaper, wiped down with a wet cloth, allowed to dry, then primed and repainted.
If you own a wrought iron gate that’s in poor condition, Tri State can remove the entire structure, bring it to our shop, sand blast it, touch up all the welds, galvanize it, prime and repaint it, and re-install the gate back on site, leaving it looking better than new.
Are There Any Disadvantages to Wrought Iron?
The only real drawback to wrought iron is the need for regular maintenance. At Tri State Gate, we hot dip galvanize all our wrought iron, which adds a zinc coating to the metal protecting it from oxidation. We then add several layers of protective paint and primer. Over time, bad weather and heavy impacts like vehicle collisions can chip those protective layers away and cause parts of the metal to rust. Through our extended customer service agreements, our technicians can come out twice a year to clean your gates and inspect them for rust. We can sand down any rusted areas and re-prime and paint them to keep your gates in top condition for decades.
Do Wrought Iron Gates Come in Different Colors?
Yes, wrought iron gates can be painted any color you want. While black is the most common choice and the one most associated with that classical look, we’ve painted gates white and green for customers in the past.
Ready to Invest in a Wrought Iron Gate? Visit Our Showroom!
For over 25 years, we’ve been helping homeowners throughout Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey design the driveway entrances of their dreams. Call us at 914-244-0018 or contact us online to consult with one of our experts and receive a free consultation! We’re excited to help you design the perfect gate for your property.
