Wrought Iron vs Aluminum vs Steel Fence: Which Metal Fence Is Right for You?

Wrought iron is iron worked by hand: heated, hammered and forged into bars, scrolls and spear tops. It built the fences of old city parks and estates, and that is the look people still ask for, whether they search for a wrought iron fence, an ornamental iron fence or a "rod iron" fence.

Genuine wrought iron is barely produced any more, and a custom forged fence costs many times more than a modern one. What is sold under the name today is ornamental steel or ornamental aluminum: square tubing with vertical pickets welded between horizontal rails, finished in black powder coat. From the street it looks the same. Up close it is lighter, straighter, far cheaper to buy and much easier to keep looking new.

Ornamental steel is the strongest and stiffest of the three. It takes impacts, carries wide gates and goes higher than any aluminum fence, which is why it is the choice for commercial frontages, schools, apartment communities and security perimeters, as well as for homes that want a solid, classic fence.

Good steel fence is protected in layers: galvanized steel, an e-coat and a black powder coat on top. Fortress, for example, builds every steel panel, gate and post that way and backs it with a 20-year limited warranty. As long as the coating is intact the steel cannot rust; if a scratch reaches bare metal, clean it and touch it up with black paint.

Aluminum cannot rust, even where the coating is scratched, and weighs about a third of steel. That makes it the natural choice around swimming pools, near salt water and anywhere the fence gets wet a lot. A yearly rinse with water is all the care it needs.

The trade-off is strength and height. Aluminum is softer than steel, so it is built for homes, pools and light commercial use rather than security, and most aluminum picket fence stops at 6 ft. Fortress gives its aluminum lines a limited lifetime warranty.

Both steel and aluminum make good pool fences, as long as the panel is built for it. Most US pool codes ask for a barrier at least 48" high, gaps a 4" sphere cannot pass through, no more than 2" between the ground and the bottom of the fence, and self-closing, self-latching gates. Rules differ by state, county and city, so check with your local building department before you order.

Aluminum is the favorite next to the water because it never rusts. Fortress marks Athens from 48" and A2 from 54" as meeting the pool code in their pool styles. In steel, Fortress Versai Assurance and V2 Commercial Assurance close the air space between the pickets to 3" instead of 3-7/8". Browse all pool fence and add a self-closing hinge and a pool gate latch from our gate hardware.

Every metal fence is a system: panels, posts, brackets and gates from the same line, so the run fits together. Start from ornamental fence for steel picket fence, aluminum fence for rust-free picket and slat fence, or see all metal fence panels, including welded wire and security fence. Comparing commercial options? Read welded wire vs chain link vs ornamental steel, or see why galvanized and black chain link is the budget choice for a long perimeter.

Fenceweb delivers to every US state and to Canada. Fenceweb ornamental panels, posts and gates ship from Dallas, Texas, and Fortress products ship by freight from Texas (why Fenceweb is a Fortress dealer); where a size has no price on its product page, request a quote and we price the fence and the freight together.

No. Wrought iron is hand-forged iron and is rarely made today. What is sold as a wrought iron or ornamental iron fence now is almost always ornamental steel: welded steel tubing with a black powder coat that gives the same look for far less money and upkeep.

Steel is stronger and goes higher, up to 10 ft, so it is better for security, commercial use and wide gates. Aluminum never rusts and is lighter, so it is better for pools, coastal homes and low-maintenance yards up to 6 ft.

Not while its coating is intact. Good ornamental steel is galvanized, e-coated and powder coated; Fortress backs its steel fence with a 20-year limited warranty. If a scratch reaches bare steel, clean it and touch it up with black paint.

Aluminum is the most popular pool fence because it never rusts. Choose a panel marked as meeting the pool code, such as Fortress Athens from 48" or A2 from 54", or a steel Assurance panel with pickets 3" apart, and fit self-closing, self-latching gates. Always check your local pool code.

Aluminum picket fence usually goes up to 6 ft. Ornamental steel goes higher: Fenceweb panels up to 93", Fortress V2 and V3 up to 8 ft and Fortress Titan up to 10 ft. Check your local zoning rules, which often limit front yard fences to 3 or 4 ft and back yard fences to 6 ft.

Yes. Rackable panels follow the ground without cutting: a Fortress Versai panel racks up to 48" over 8 ft, a V2 panel up to 30" and a V3 panel up to 24". On steeper ground, step the panels between the posts.

A residential run, yes. Set the posts plumb in concrete at the panel spacing, fix the brackets, then hang the panels and gates. For long, tall or commercial runs, most customers use a fence contractor.

Browse ornamental steel fence and aluminum fence, send us your plan for a project quote, or call 214 878 1900 or email info@fenceweb.com. Fence contractors and dealers can open a company account for their own pricing.