

Alternatively, you can save a lot of money by shopping for wrought iron patio furniture sets rather than individual pieces, and if you look in the right place you can get excellent quality for surprisingly low prices. However, the fact is that wrought iron patio furniture is not cheap, and individual pieces, especially those by well-known manufacturers like Kettler and Woodard, are stunningly beautiful but can run into hundreds of dollars for one piece. Buying individual pieces allows you to customize your patio or other outdoor areas, and build up a collection of furniture that’s unique to you. When shopping for your garden furniture, you have to decide whether to look for wrought iron patio furniture sets or stick with individual pieces. They are still manufactured today, but the techniques they use have been handed down the generations for over 150 years. Another great name is Woodard, whose wrought iron furniture is handcrafted using solid iron.

These pieces are very ornate, embellished with patterns such as grapevines, sea horses, and designs with flowers and leaves and all are well over $1,000. Also on the more expensive side will be vintage wrought iron patio furniture, much of which was created in the early decades of the 20th century, by craftsmen such as Salterini and Molla.

The true wrought iron pieces will be at the top end of the price range. Sometimes the pieces may be hand-finished with a rust-like wash, to provide it with a patina, or the effect of aging, making them look antique. Paint finishes are usually applied as a powder coat - that is, a spray of resin and ground pigment that is baked on, to protect it from rust. You can tell a true wrought iron piece because it is very heavy, and it will have no mechanical weld marks.Įven if it isn’t true wrought iron, the strength of the steel, combined with its lightness, makes it an ideal material for attractive garden furniture, as it can be molded into beautiful shapes by hand. It is still considered acceptable to refer to the steel-based furniture as wrought iron because the intricate and beautiful decoration is inspired by wrought iron artisans. The manufacturing process for true wrought iron is highly labor-intensive, and hence extremely expensive, which puts true wrought iron furniture beyond the means of the average homeowner. Nowadays, much of what is sold as wrought iron furniture is not true wrought iron, but a form of mild steel. In fact, it can resist just about any kind of weather. It’s light enough to enable you to move it around fairly easily, but not so light that the wind can blow it around.

Wrought iron furniture is actually the perfect weight. Wrought iron garden furniture is termite-proof, and won’t rust or splinter in either hot sun or drenching rain.Īlthough quite heavy, wrought iron garden furniture is lighter than wood or cast iron, which both have much greater density. Of course, wood garden furniture is very beautiful, but it’s also very expensive, and a lot of work is needed to protect it from the elements, and from pests. In fact, there are many reasons why wrought iron patio furniture might be your first choice for your garden. With wrought iron patio furniture, you don’t have to make that decision, as it’s the only type of garden furniture that completely combines classic beauty with rugged strength and durability. In most cases, you have to sacrifice style for sturdiness, or vice versa. When you are choosing garden furniture, it’s often difficult to decide whether good looks or serviceability should be your priority.
