Openwork gates and gates with original forged elements look quite original. Such products look really elegant and attractive. In addition, their main task - protecting the courtyard part - is successfully completed.
All the pros and cons of forged construction
Such doors complement the fences around:
- country houses;
- cottages;
- private companies;
- government agencies;
- entertainment complexes.
Among the advantages of beautiful forged gates:
- Unique details. They are forged by hand. That is why owners often order products from blacksmiths according to individual sketches and drawings, so that there are no repetitions.
- Beauty. Forged ornaments give the fence majesty, exclusivity, and emphasize the status of the owners.
- Durability. Metal protected with anti-corrosion compounds lasts up to a hundred years or more, remaining resistant to wear.
- Strength. The gates do an excellent job of protecting the property, protecting the estate from unauthorized entry.
- Compatibility with other materials. Wrought iron combines perfectly with brick or stone pillars, sections made of corrugated sheets, and polycarbonate.
- Environmental friendliness and safety of raw materials.
- Forging never goes out of fashion.
- Metal does not require special care.
Disadvantages:
- High price. Making custom gates is very expensive. If you undertake such a design yourself, you can save up to 30% of the total cost.
- Long production time. The work of a blacksmith is painstaking. It takes from 2 weeks to 1 month to produce an exclusive item based on an individual project.
At the planning stage, it is important to immediately think about which elements you can make by hand, and which are better to buy ready-made.
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Tips for choosing wrought iron gates for your home
It is very important that the design is combined with the design of the site and the buildings located on it. But still, the main selection criterion is the functionality of the gate. The individual needs of the owner must be fully satisfied, otherwise there is no point in using this design option.
The main criterion when choosing a gate is functionality
It is always recommended to pay attention to the features of a particular type of product: swing, overhead and forged sliding gates. Prices for these designs can vary greatly. Experts do not recommend purchasing the cheapest options, since their quality is most often very low.
If such a design is purchased in order to emphasize the individuality of the site, then it is necessary to pay attention to products that have an original design. But in any case, do not forget that they must be combined with the environment. The most beautiful gates are those that are made according to individual sketches.
It is not recommended to buy cheap gates as they may be of poor quality
The gate material must correspond to the climatic conditions of a particular region. If the weather conditions in your climate zone suggest high temperature fluctuations, then it is recommended to buy fences made of galvanized steel. This material is characterized by increased resistance to humidity and other unfavorable factors that can reduce the service life of the metal.
Note! To save money, you can order a structure made of aluminum. However, in this case it is worth considering that this material is extremely unreliable and has low strength. Aluminum gates and fences are suitable for decorative purposes only.
The material from which the gate is made must correspond to the climatic conditions
When choosing a sliding gate, special attention must be paid to the sliding roller mechanism. It must be made of durable metal and be resistant to corrosion. Otherwise, such a mechanism will not last long and will cause a breakdown of the sliding forged gate. Photos of sliding systems show their advantages over conventional structures.
Types of forging
Forging can be done in two ways: cold and hot.
Cold
The metal is treated with special equipment without being exposed to high temperatures. Cold forging is much cheaper than hot forging, since the parts are repeated and do not have complex patterns. Doors made using this method are sold in stores. They are simply welded to the finished frame.
The most popular cold forging parts:
- Vine. Simulates a plant trunk.
- Plasticine. Rods without edges, imitation of hand molding.
- Baroque. Combined option. The details have from 4 to 8 curls, complemented by sharp peaks and petals.
- Vine shoot. Metal rods are intertwined in a spiral.
- Monogram. A figurative element resembling a dollar symbol.
- Twisted pipe. An imitation of a braided braid is performed.
- Basket. Lightweight inserts made of several thin rods intertwined with each other.
Even on simple wrought iron gates there are:
- cast clamps;
- twisted squares;
- bagels;
- peaks.
Equipment for cold forging is inexpensive. If you wish, you can rent it and learn how to work with metal.
Hot (artistic)
This is how they worked with iron blanks back in the old days. Artistic forging differs from cold forging in that metal must be forged at high temperatures. Hot raw materials are more flexible. It is easier to design different openwork compositions and patterns from it.
It is artistic forging that allows you to create compositions that have no analogues. In terms of service life, they are many times longer than those made using the cold method.
The customer can provide a sample or sketch from which the blacksmith will create a design.
Hot forging requires precision and experience from the master, since metal overexposed to fire loses strength, becomes brittle and is considered defective.
The only negative is the high price.
You will learn about the technological processes of forging methods in the article: “Forged fences for a private home.”
What types of forged gates are there?
Purpose may be:
- arched;
- passing through the fence;
- closing the road;
- protecting entry and exit from the estate;
- decorative
According to the opening method, they can be swing, sliding, with a built-in or separate gate.
Swing
The most popular gate design. It is easy to install, so many owners try to assemble them themselves.
It consists of 1–2 doors, which are supported on a frame made of metal profiles, cladding material and fixed with hinges to the posts.
Due to the heavy weight, the hinges are not standard hinged ones, but reinforced bearing hinges.
The fittings used are a lock and a deadbolt. The doors open both inside and outside the yard. The gate can be built in or placed separately. Such gates are inexpensive, do not require maintenance, and last a long time.
Open manually. If desired, they are equipped with an automatic control system.
Detailed instructions for installing swing gates made of corrugated sheets.
Recoil
Suitable for small areas.
The principle of operation is to move the sash along the fence along a guide profile.
This way the car can drive as close as possible to the estate.
Sliding gates are popular not only for fencing in the private sector, but also for industrial enterprises, hangars, and workshops.
The components are the same as in the swing structure, with the exception of the presence of a sliding mechanism.
Several types of recoil system:
- rail;
- suspension;
- console.
These structures are convenient to automate and control remotely.
With built-in or free-standing gate
By design, forged gates are:
- Simple open. The door consists of straight or curved reinforcement bars. Decoration with decorative details in the form of petals and peaks is allowed. The space outside the entrance area is completely visible.
- Deaf. A steel or iron sheet is taken as a canvas and complemented with forging. The site becomes hidden from prying eyes.
- Combined. In this case, you will have to combine two materials. Forging serves as an auxiliary filler and is combined with wood, corrugated sheets, and polycarbonate.
If the gate is installed separately, the fence looks more solid. It is fixed near the gate or at a distance from it.
To save space, the gate is attached to the gate. But it is worth considering that in this case the door will have a small threshold at the bottom, which will increase the load on the supporting pillars.
How to choose an automatic for a wrought iron garage door
When choosing control devices and garage door drives, you should take into account the weight of the structure, operating conditions (including temperature differences), and ease of use. Errors in the choice of mechanism (hinged drive for sliding gates) and errors in the calculation of load-bearing structures that are unable to support the weight of the gates are critical.
You should not choose “no-name” equipment with a short warranty period or no warranty at all. Savings at this stage will result in significant costs in the future.
Elements for decoration: grapes, vine, roses
Depending on the material chosen for the forged gate and the filling method, decorative patterns and elements are selected . Forged gates of elite design are ordered less often, since the materials used for this and the complexity of execution are expensive. Often individual curls and petals are used for decoration.
It is distinguished by its massive design with the use of many small decorations , with high detail. Often the arrangement of patterns or individual repeating elements can be asymmetrical .
Gate, wicket and fence with grapes, vines and leaves. Photo Iron Age
Using a vine with leaves for decoration looks very natural. Such forged elements contribute to the impression that the gate is “alive”.
Important. Such ornaments are made by hand, since detailed detailing is extremely rarely achieved during factory forging.
The number of pattern options for decorating forged gates today appears to be more than a hundred variations. Each of these elements takes its history from a separate master of a certain time. Many styles use flowers and their petals. Such products are very difficult to make, but they look beautiful and fascinating .
Popular forged elements for gate decoration, photo examples
Many companies involved in the manufacture of fences offer forged elements in their catalogs, which can be purchased separately or selected for an individual order.
Similar forged products for gates are connected to each other by welding or using special fasteners
The more complex and smaller the fragment, the more it costs. Large products are relatively inexpensive, but only small ones will give your fence a complex, attractive design. The most popular are various monograms and arrows, round fragments with spiral shapes, flowers and leaves.
Manufacturing Features
The thickness of the material should not exceed 1 mm. The cross-section of the tetrahedron is approximately 12-14 mm, nothing more. Such parameters are considered optimal for an attractive appearance and the ability to carry out installation work independently.
Note! In order for the product manufacturing process to go well, you should determine the amount of material in advance.
It is important to calculate the material you need for all elements and add about 30%. This is the number of sheet metal that will be needed in further work.
Beautiful wrought iron gates consist of several elements. This is the frame part, which is basic; the rigidity and shape of the product depends on it. The set of metal elements makes up the installation part. This is what is needed to secure the posts and gates during the installation process.
One of the key elements is awnings. The mechanism can be opened and closed using a lock or latch.
Unique patterns and forging elements provide rigidity to the fence and give the product an original appearance. To protect against vibrations, owners should consider installing them on strong, reliable pillars.
Product creation and materials
As a rule, ordinary steel is used in the manufacture of forged fences. To extend its service life, a special protective coating is used in the form of a primer and nitro paint. Using thermal spraying applied to the metal surface, you can achieve a vintage (antique) effect.
In order to create a unique pattern, the welding areas of the elements are covered with nitro paint. The product is completely treated with an anti-corrosion solution . A finished fence, made according to all the rules, will serve its owner for many years.
The process of making a fence is quite labor-intensive; all actions are performed by the hands of a craftsman. The final result directly depends on the talent and skills of the blacksmith.
Before starting work, the design, shape and design of the gate must be determined . At this stage, it is more convenient to use ready-made sketches and take photographs of products as a basis. By carefully examining the image, you can visually imagine what the gate will look like in reality. It will be much easier for a master to bring an idea from a sketch to life than to keep a design in his head.
To make them look even more beautiful, the forging is placed on a sheet of metal or corrugated board. This design looks solid and stylish, especially if flowers and green plants grow nearby.
Spiral rods
The peak is mounted on a spiral tetrahedron. It's not difficult to make them yourself.
Cut a tetrahedron of a certain size. Place the vice on a workpiece with a width of 10 cm. Along the line where the spiral will begin, firmly clamp the tetrahedron in the vice. Use a vise to clamp the tetrahedron at the end of the spiral. By rotating the pattern vice along the axis of the tetrahedron, you create a spiral. Take the spiral out of the vice and straighten it.
Be sure to count the number of complete turns, otherwise your elements will be asymmetrical. One full turn is equal to one turn on the tetrahedron.
Schemes and drawings
The valve diagram shows the location of all elements and their sizes. The consumption of materials and cost are indicated. The method of opening (inside or outside the yard) and the presence of automation are taken into account.
There are a huge number of options for decorative elements that are used in the production of forged sashes. Each owner makes a choice according to his own taste.
Photo gallery of design styles
Below are photos of forged fences decorated in different design directions.
Modern
Smooth lines predominate. There is an asymmetrical pattern.
A characteristic feature is plant and animal motifs in the form of flower stems, images of eagles, swans.
The elements are simple and airy.
Loft
This style is characterized by a minimum of details, which are created with little artistic roughness, without additional polishing and achieving ideal forms. Often these include straight lines, sharp angles and contrasting colors.
Baroque
This is a solemn and majestic style. The gates are decorated with many spirals, curls or various ornaments. The pattern starts from the center, smoothly moving to the edges. The rods intersect each other, forming curls. The elements are created as airy. An excellent option for combining black, brown and gold colors.
Chalet
Chalet-style forging symbolizes rural culture, so the elements are selected as simple and noble as possible. The main thing is not to overdo it with quantity.
High tech
Modern design direction, restraint of lines and practicality of every detail.
Forging is combined with innovative materials (polymers, metal alloys). Forms are strict and businesslike. No pomposity or airiness. lack of plant and other ornaments.
Provence
Light romantic style. Painting is done in delicate light shades. Small floral motifs and plant stems that run through the entire door leaf are welcome here.
Gothic
Decoration is done in black and tones close to it. This is the geometry of the patterns. All details rush upward.
Typical Gothic elements are thorns, sharp tips, peaks, trefoils.
If the owners want their gate to be different from its neighbors, memorable and impressive with its originality, then choosing forged structures will be the right decision. With certain skills and tools, you can make simple malleable elements yourself. If you do not have such skills, then it is better to order the gate from specialists.
Stylistic design options: photos of beautiful gates
Previously, designs that contained forging elements had a fairly high cost. Therefore, only owners of expensive estates could afford them. Today, with proper selection and calculation of the material, such a product can become a decoration for any area.
Wrought iron gates can be manufactured in any style required by the customer
When choosing a design style, you need to focus on the design of the house and the area adjacent to it. Gate production technology today is practically no different from previous manufacturing methods. The master uses the same forging tools as before and processes the metal taking into account the sketches that were selected by the customer. In this way, various elements of artistic forging of gates are produced.
Gates, as a rule, are made in the same style with fencing. However, there are exceptions. Some designs contain complex (in terms of execution) ornaments and paintings. Today, these fences are made in the following styles:
Forged gates in the Gothic style look stylish and unusual
- classicism;
- Gothic;
- baroque;
- rococo;
- modern;
- minimalism.
Pictures of gates allow you to evaluate the variety of stylistic solutions and highlight your favorite options. It doesn’t matter in what style this design will be executed, but it must fit into the overall idea. The combination of a gate with a site, landscape elements, and a fence is a sign of good taste.
Gates made in a classic style do not lose their relevance
Material calculation
Selecting a sketch is the first and most mandatory step. You can find a ready-made one (photo, sketch from the Internet) or make it yourself. And only then buy the necessary material. This will save you from mistakes and incorrect calculations.
First we need the size of the opening. Divide the width by a factor of 1.60 and you will get the optimal height. For gates with a curved shape at the top, calculate the area at the top point of the bend.
You will find the cost of the material by multiplying the area and the cost of 1 m2 of the selected canvas.
A good pipe is a square profile. The material for the base rods should be thicker, and a square rod with a small cross-section is suitable for small curls, strips of 12x6 mm are suitable for baroque curls.
The working process
When you have purchased the required amount of material, you should start with the basics, the features of how to make such a product yourself.
Please note that metal elements increase in parameters after the main work is completed. This can be explained by the following steps. It is important to anneal the material, heat it to the required temperature, then cool it. After such manipulations, the material will be quite easy to work with; it becomes pliable in the hands of even a novice master.
To ensure that the pillars do not sag, it is worth installing not only metal elements, but also connecting them with facing bricks. In the latter case, it is important to pay attention to the pipe cover. The depth of the pit should not be less than 1 m.
The posts should be placed in a hole, then covered with crushed stone. When placing them, pay attention to perpendicularity. A discrepancy may result in the design looking “skewed.”
Cement mortar is used in proportion to 1 to 3. That is, one part cement and three parts sand, which is suitable for M300.
After compaction, check the evenness of the pillars. When the solution is completely dry, then you can lay out the brick.
A variety of colors when choosing wrought iron gates
Forged construction can be made in various colors. Choosing a shade is a serious task, since it determines whether the gate will be combined with other elements of the fence. It is also worth paying attention to the architectural features of residential and commercial buildings located on the site. Photos of beautiful forged gates, which are combined with the overall style, allow you to understand the principles of their choice.
Helpful information! The classic option is to use a black design with gilded elements.
It is necessary to select the color for the gate based on the architectural features of the building
The gold and silver components in the design look elegant and impressive. These gates are universal, as they fit almost any design. In addition to black, other dark shades (dark blue, burgundy, etc.) are also actively used. If the design of the site is close to modernism, then you can paint the structure white.
Black gates can be complemented with multi-colored polycarbonate. Photos of forged gates with such shielding allow you to evaluate the feasibility of a particular shade.
In order to visually increase the area, it is recommended to paint the gates in light colors
Professional designers have identified several rules that should be followed when choosing the colors of a forged structure. For example, the color of the fence must match the shade in which the roof of a residential building is made. The material used for the supports also affects the color. Brown and beige tones go best with stone pillars. Patterns on gates often have an independent color, which should also be in harmony with the color of the structure.
Products painted in light colors are most often used when it is necessary to visually increase the area of a small area. It is also worth paying attention to the facade of a residential building: if it is light in color, then the fence and gate should contrast with it.
Designers recommend painting the gate the same shade as the roof.
Blue shades are not so common, but they can create the effect of merging the fence with the surrounding space. Despite all these rules, the main factor that influences the choice of color is your taste.
Curly sashes
Elements should be laid out on a flat surface. Over 2 meters is best. The building level is useful for obtaining a plane.
As you can see in the photo of the forged gate, a post is cut out of the profile on the top part. Place the part on the welding table, making sure the corner parts are equal.
Note! To obtain the correct shapes, it is necessary to pay attention to measuring the diagonal before starting welding work. Craftsmen use nylon thread for these purposes.
