Crafted metal fence
Weight, permanence, and detail for an architectural edge.
Almost nothing sold as wrought iron today is forged iron. The real thing is hand-forged low-carbon work from a handful of shops, and it is what a nineteenth-century house in a historic district or existing ironwork on the property calls for.
Let's Get Started On Your Fence Project...
The material read
Iron and steel both rust, and a fence living outdoors in New England finds every scratch. The difference is that forged iron rusts slowly and shallowly, so a wire-brush and repaint cycle every five to seven years carries it through a century. Frost heave is the bigger enemy, because a post that lifts even an inch shows as a visible kink down the run.
An ornamental option, and the only metal that suits a historic Massachusetts streetscape without apology. Forged iron or heavy welded steel, a repaint cycle every few years, and $33 to $134 per foot installed.
The decision guide
See where wrought iron fits your property, your budget, and the upkeep you want.
Estimated cost
$33–$134
Per linear foot installed
Estimated installed range for planning. Custom fabrication, height, finish, gates, footings, and site access shape the installed price.
Site planning
Dimensions, posts, local rules, and site conditions shape the plan for your fence.
Final details depend on the property and local requirements.
Heavy panels leave little tolerance for post movement.
Final details depend on the property and local requirements.
Final details depend on the property and local requirements.
FAQ
Use $33 to $134 per installed linear foot as a planning estimate. Custom fabrication, height, finish, gates, footings, and site access shape the installed price. Request a written quote for your fence and site.
Wrought iron is worked by hand at the forge and holds almost no carbon, which is why it bends rather than snaps and rusts slowly. Ornamental steel is mill stock cut and welded into panels, then powder-coated. Up close, iron shows hammer marks and asymmetry a factory panel never has.
Fifty to a hundred years is normal, and there are iron fences still standing in New England cemeteries well past that. Longevity is entirely a function of whether the paint film is maintained. Neglect it for twenty years and you get pitting a restoration shop has to grind out.
Plan on a wire-brush and repaint cycle every five to seven years, plus spot treatment wherever a chip appears. Powder-coated ornamental steel stretches that interval considerably, which is its main practical argument. Inspect the base first each spring, where snow sits longest against the picket.
Keep comparing
See how cost, upkeep, privacy, and lifespan compare. Set what matters most and the table sorts to it.
You want the ornamental look in aluminum
Compare
You want iron's weight and strength with a finish that stays put longer
Compare
The real project is a statement entrance rather than a full perimeter
Compare| aluminumMetal | $28–$134/ft installed | 30–50 yrs | Low | None | Medium | High | Yes | Yes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| steelMetal | $23–$99/ft installed | 30–50 yrs | Medium | None | High | High | Yes | Yes |
| security gatesAny material | Request an estimate | 15–30 yrs | High | Partial | High | High | No | No |
| aluminumMetal | steelMetal | security gatesAny material | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $28–$134/ft installed | $23–$99/ft installed | Request an estimate |
| Lifespan | 30–50 yrs | 30–50 yrs | 15–30 yrs |
| Upkeep | Low | Medium | High |
| Privacy | None | None | Partial |
| Security | Medium | High | High |
| Wind | High | High | High |
| Pets | Yes | Yes | No |
| Pool code | Yes | Yes | No |
