Types Of Metal Used In Metal Railing

Traditionally, the use of metal in railings and other articles was limited as it required a lot of hard work and skill. With the introduction of technology, working with metal has become easier and made it the most favored material for all class of people.

Iron railings – all time favorites

Traditional and still modern – iron railings

The 16th and the 17th century saw the beginning of the industrial revolution, which gave rise to the art of metallurgy. Cast iron and wrought iron railings became famous among the higher class in this era. In those days metallurgy was considered an art, which involved working with metal. The absence of welding technology made it more complicated, as joining metal was done in the traditional way of heating and hammering or by riveting. Basically it involved a lot of skill and hard work, which made it very expensive and affordable only by the rich and elite class.

3 types of iron railings are available a) wrought iron railings b) cast iron railings c) steel railings. Only wrought iron and cast iron railings existed in the 17th century, steel railings have come in vogue in the recent years.

Fashion keeps changing with time, but metal railings will never go out of vogue. Metal does no decompose and hence it is very durable. This one characteristic of iron has helped it survive through ages and changing fashion.

Although, the kings and the aristocratic class preferred other valuable metals like gold, silver in most of the household articles. Iron found considerable use in the construction of railings.

Types of metals used in iron railings

Wrought iron railings: railings made of wrought iron are very expensive, as it involves a lot of hard work and skill in fabricating them. It’s a laborious process of pre heating iron and hammering the red hot iron to give them the desired shapes. The scarcity of skilled artisans and hard work involved makes its supply limited and expensive.

Cast iron railings: one can find cast iron railings only in the houses of the very rich and elite. Cast iron railings are made by casting melted iron into sand moulds of desired designs. Although made from iron, it is very fragile and once broken its hard to repair it simply needs replacement.

Mild steel railings: introduced in the 18th century, it gained popularity instantly. Working with mild steel was comparatively easy, as heating was not necessarily required. Riveting could be used to join two pieces, rather then weld them. These qualities of mild steel made it the most preferred metal for railing and other articles.

Use of advanced technology in iron railings

With the introduction of technology, metallurgy has become more of science than art. Technology has made bending, cutting and welding metal rods much easier. The invention of the welding technology also made working with iron railings and other articles a much simpler task. Welding has made it possible to experiment with shapes and designs and at the same time reduce its weight and cost which were other wise practically impossible.

With the advancement in the metal working technology, experimenting with shapes and designs has become much easier. Although the metal used is the same, the use of plates and other patterns in making railing has made it more attractive, strong and maintenance free. The use of stainless steel in railing has changed the market of fabrication forever.

The low maintenance cost, strength and elegance of steel has made it the most preferred material for manufacturing railings and other articles.