Since way before Christ, wrought iron in Denver has been known to man. Today, this metal is still being pounded and worked as it was 3 centuries before Christ and the results are even more breathtaking.
History
In the phrase “wrought iron”, wrought was used as the past tense of “work”. Hence, “worked iron” – makes sense, eh? Blacksmiths and wrought iron were first mentioned in Roman mythology. The first examples of this type of worked iron as artistic expressions were seen during the construction stages of Notre Dame Cathedral in France and Winchester Cathedral in England.
Bloomeries, contrary to popular belief, have nothing to do with women’s underwear. This was the first known furnace in which wrought iron was produced and, which is calculated to be around the beginning of the Iron Age. Though historians are a bit unclear as to exact dates, it is calculated that this took place no later than the 3rd century B.C. A clay smelter was used to hold the ore. This ore was then covered with a layer of charcoal which made it soft, very quickly. This soft ore, also referred to as sponge iron, was then worked (“wrought”) by beating, bending and twisting until the desired shapes were acquired. (ehow.com)
The first examples of this type of worked iron as artistic expressions were seen during the construction stages of Winchester Cathedral in England, in 1079, and Notre Dame Cathedral in France in 1160.
In 1784, the Puddling Furnace was invented. This furnace allowed for working of the iron without the use of charcoal. The wrought iron that we know today is actually mild steel, which is a combination of iron and copper, plus a few other metals in quantities too small to mention.
The Different Types of Wrought Iron
The different types of known Denver wrought iron included:
- Mild Steel – used to mass produce wrought iron. Henry Bessemer discovered mild steel in 1856, to be stronger and more consistent.
- Charcoal Iron – The earliest known form of wrought iron in Denver.
- Puddled Iron – Charcoal Iron which was processed in puddle furnaces. The molten iron was cast into ingots and placed in the puddle furnaces for a final firing.
- Hand-Forged Iron – The process by which the professional works and shapes the iron by pounding the molten iron by hand.
- Wrought Iron Casting – A process invented by P. Ostberg which produces soft iron castings, and is carried out in a petroleum furnace.
Hand-Forged Wrought Iron Fences
The main advantage of having hand forged fences made of Denver wrought iron is the unique design. You can rest assured that nobody else will have the same design on their fence. Also, you have the option of mixing and matching your own contemporary design with more traditional designs for a truly unique look. Many Denver fence companies forge beautiful customized iron fences at very low cost.
Another advantage is that when the correct metal – wrought iron, and not steel or any other duplicate, is used you can be certain that your fence will last you a very long time with minimal problems of corrosion.
Designs
Wrought iron Denver is having a revival and with new and upbeat designs. It all starts with a sketch on paper, which is normally provided by an architect or an experienced artisan. These sketches provide the specs for the opening dimensions between each column. The sketch is then transferred to an AutoCAD drawing. Full sized sheets are printed to pass on to the blacksmiths and fabricators. The fabricators form the frame and the blacksmiths work each detail until the correct size and dimensions are achieved. The last steps are to galvanize and paint the Denver wrought iron. (cassidybros. com)

The architect’s drawings are transferred to an AutoCAD duplicate. One copy is given to the blacksmiths and another copy to the fabricators so that each is able to perform their portion of the work making this a unique piece of wrought iron in Denver. (Photo courtesy of st0nemas0nry, Flickr.)
The beauty and advantages of wrought iron are that each design is unique, the pieces will last a lifetime and, wrought iron Denver is a low maintenance material. Just make certain that you are purchasing Denver wrought iron versus forged or cast iron. It is recommended that you run your hands over the piece of wrought iron and feel for cracks, splits or any other type of flaws, which will indicate that this piece is not real wrought iron. (wroughtirondesigns.com)
Natural Problems
The natural problems which may occur to Denver wrought iron are few. This includes: (w3. gsa. gov)
- Uniform Attack – Corrosion affects the metal evenly
- Pitting Attack – Corrosion affects the iron only in certain places
- Selective Attack – Corrosion occurs in areas which are not homogenous
- Stress Corrosion Cracking – Corrosion appears in parts of the iron that were stressed during the working and were later exposed to corrosion prone environment.
- Rust – Corrosion appears when the wrought iron is exposed to oxygen in an environment where there is moisture.
- Galvanic Corrosion (electro-chemical) – Direct contact with copper, zinc or galvanized iron or steel will cause this type of corrosion on wrought iron in Denver. (w3.gsa.gov)

Corrosion may present itself in many varied forms – from uniform and all over the wrought iron piece to limited to special areas, only. (Photo courtesy of Angela Fanlon, Flickr.)
If worked and protected properly, you will not have to worry about this happening to your wrought iron, Denver.
The Future of Wrought Iron
Wrought iron from Denver has been replaced by the material mild steel. Metalworkers appear to have accepted this material not only in new designs but as replacement for old wrought iron that required repairing.
There is a certain faction within this circle of professional artisans that disagree. They feel that when wrought iron is available, it should be used. Also, they contend that steel is well known for its ability to easily corrode, making it financially impractical to use a material which will require constant replacing. Lastly, these factions feel that replacing the original Denver wrought iron with steel (or any other material) will encourage the loss of the workmanship. (marinasecuritygates.com)
You should also remember than wrought iron security doors are more resistant than those made of other materials like wood.

The beautiful design in this particular piece of wrought iron is called Celtic Spirally. (Photo courtesy of bettlebrox, Flickr.)
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