There’s nothing quite like an old-world wrought iron fence. They’ve been used for centuries to protect and create an imposing look that says, “keep out!” For many property owners and homeowners, wrought iron is one of the best ways to secure a property — and it also looks great. But did you know that black aluminum fences provide much of the look and style of a wrought iron fence without much of the cost, weight and difficulty in installation and maintenance?
In a sense, they’re basically aluminum wrought iron fences, and they’re every bit the heavy duty aluminum fence that you’ll need to adequately secure a property. They also look the part, too, with finials and all the right decorative pieces to give your home that great wrought iron look without the headache of actually owning and taking care of a wrought iron fence.
Here are some more reasons why you may want to consider a black aluminum fence vs a wrought iron fence.
Wrought Iron vs Aluminum Fence Cost
First and foremost, black aluminum fences are much more affordable than their wrought iron counterparts. While wrought iron is roughly the same cost per square foot — though it can easily be significantly more if you opt for more ornate wrought iron fencing — you’ll lose your shirt on shipping because they’re significantly heavier than the light weight of black aluminum fences.
The weight also makes wrought iron fencing much more difficult to work with, meaning that your installation costs will shoot up significantly. Whereas you might be able to get by with some limited labor to install a black aluminum fence, you’ll need significantly more resources at your disposal to manage and see that heavy wrought iron fence installed on your property.
Wrought Iron vs Aluminum Railings Maintenance Costs
Even once your wrought iron fence is installed and securely in the ground, your cost concerns aren’t over. That’s because wrought iron is much less durable than aluminum fencing that won’t rust or corrode out in the weather all day, every day. Sure, wrought iron is tough, but iron is subject to rust, and years of being out in Mother Nature will take its toll on your new wrought iron fence if you don’t keep up with maintenance.
To protect against this, wrought iron fences are covered with special protective paints, helping to shield the welds, joints and the material itself from corroding over time. Unfortunately, the paint won’t last forever and has to be reapplied every few years, leading to considerable maintenance concerns.
On the other hand, black aluminum fences hardly need any maintenance at all. Black paint can make them look more like old wrought iron fencing, but it’s more of an aesthetic concern, not a requirement to keep that fence from degrading under precipitation, weather and the other dangers of being left out in the open.
Aluminum Fencing vs Wrought Iron Color Options
If you’re interested in a wrought iron fence, you basically have one color option. Wrought iron fences are typically black because that was the color of the paint used to protect them. While you could change the paint, you’ll have a lot of work ahead of you. After scraping and removing all the existing paint, you’ll have to apply a new paint layer and ensure that it’s able to provide protection against wear.
Beyond that, you’ll have to keep up on maintenance with a wrought iron fence in a way that you wouldn’t with an aluminum fence. A black aluminum fence won’t require any of those maintenance concerns, and aside from being able to repaint it in any color you’d like, you can also order them in black, white or bronze to fit your precise need and aesthetic tastes before it ever gets to you.
Older style houses with lots of greenery may look best with a black aluminum fence, though desert landscapes and more modern designs may be a better fit with white or bronze. It all depends on whether you want your fence to stand out or blend in, though if you’re interested in the traditional wrought iron look you’d do best to stick with classic black.
The Benefits of Aluminum Fencing
For all the differences between wrought iron or steel vs aluminum fence panels, it’s clear that a black aluminum fence gives you the look of a wrought iron fence without the cost, weight and maintenance concerns of wrought iron. Aluminum fencing is also much easier to install and work with, which can greatly reduce your up-front installation costs. Add to that the back-end of maintenance that you’ll need for a traditional wrought iron fence and a modern aluminum fence comes out the clear winner.
All in, aluminum fencing is cheaper, easier to install and comes with negligible maintenance concerns or costs. And with the countless style options you have with black aluminum fences, you can get much of the same look with aluminum that you get with wrought iron with virtually none of the trade-offs. Furthermore, the various color options allow you to fit your new fencing to the needs of your property as well as your aesthetic tastes, which can help that fencing fade into the background or call attention to itself as a stunning example of what’s possible with aluminum today.
The best part is that black aluminum fencing can be made in a variety of styles from the classic and simple Floridian to the imposing Sierra and other various designs including Outback fencing, Carolina fencing, Appalachian fencing, Manhattan fencing, Puppy fencing, XP fencing, Castle fencing, Commercial fencing, Elegant Arch fencing, Cathederal fencing, as well as Gates, Accessories and more! If you can think it up, you can likely get a black aluminum fence that fits your need.
Black Aluminum Fences From Aluminum Fences Direct
Helping to empower the DIYers of the world, here at Aluminum Fences Direct we sell aluminum fencing to contractors, property owners and homeowners that want great fencing at affordable wholesale prices. We’ll ship everything you need to install your fence (minus the basic tools you’ll need) direct to you so that you can build a fence for a fraction of the cost of hiring a company to come out and install one for you. With just two people, you can install a professional looking black aluminum fence of your own. Get started by browsing our aluminum fencing options today.
