Wrought Iron and Steel Fence Types
Most of what's sold as "wrought iron" today is mild steel, formed into traditional iron designs and then coated or painted. True wrought iron, about 99% iron and shaped by a blacksmith, is rare and priced to match. The types below run from stock steel panels to one-off ironwork.
Galvanized Ornamental Steel Panels
Galvanized steel gets a zinc coat under the paint, which slows rust and saves you some repainting. Steel is stronger than aluminum and resists dents better, but bare steel will rust where the coating is broken.
- Plain black steel, straight pickets: about $50 to $60 per linear foot installed
- Galvanized, 5 to 6 feet tall: about $60 to $65 per linear foot
- The cheapest panels have two horizontal bars; sturdier ones have four or more
Custom Wrought Iron
Twisted pickets, scrolls and other decorative work lift the price to about $65 to $85 a foot. A fully custom design runs $85 to $130 a foot, depending on how much welding it needs. Custom pieces take longer because the welding is done by hand, so ask for a fabrication date before you pay a deposit.
Iron Fence on a Brick or Block Wall
Setting iron panels on a low masonry wall, or hanging them between piers, is a common front-yard look. Guides put a brick pillar at $500 to $1,800 each and a natural stone driveway pillar at $1,300 to $3,000. A masonry wall with a tall footer can need a city permit (see Wood Privacy Fences for the permit and height rules), so get that answer before the mason starts.
Steel Estate Gates
An iron gate costs $200 to $650 in materials alone, before hanging. Guides price a single-car iron driveway gate with an automatic swing opener and keypad at $4,000 to $6,000 installed. Swing gates 10 feet wide or more with solar power run $6,500 to $9,000. Openers, keypads and slide gates are covered on Driveway Gates.
Restoring an Old Iron Fence
An older fence that's sound underneath can often be saved. Guides put an average iron fence repair at $300 to $900 and repainting at $5 to $12 per linear foot. Mild steel rusts faster than true wrought iron, so the job is mostly finding every rust spot, cleaning it back and recoating. For a gate that drags or won't latch, see Gate Repair.
Why Tallahassee homeowners call Tallahassee Expert Fencing
- The call and the form are free
- Your request goes to one contractor, not a list of bidders
- Ask for posts, gates, removal and cleanup priced line by line
- Hold the final payment until the gates swing and latch
Iron Fence Cost by Height and Finish
National installed ranges from HomeGuide's wrought iron guide, per linear foot. A quote from someone who has walked the line replaces them.
| Height or finish | Installed per linear foot |
|---|---|
| 3 ft | $40-$50 |
| 4 ft | $50-$65 |
| 5 ft | $65-$75 |
| 6 ft | $75-$85 |
| Plain black (4-6 ft) | $50-$60 |
| Galvanized (4-6 ft) | $60-$65 |
| Ornamental (4-6 ft) | $65-$85 |
| Custom design | $85-$130 |
Labor is about $15 to $25 of each foot. Gates, masonry columns and removal of an old fence are priced on top.
Rust, Weight and Posts: What to Settle Up Front
Tallahassee averages close to 59 inches of rain a year, so the coating is where an iron fence wins or loses. HomeGuide's care advice for iron is to clean it, take off any rust and repaint every year. Ask whether the panels are galvanized under the powder coat or paint, and ask for a small can of matching touch-up.
Steel panels are heavy, and guides say they need posts set in concrete. Ask how deep and how far apart the posts go, and how the gate posts are sized for the gate's weight. Book the free utility locate before digging (how it works is on Chain Link Fences).
If you like the look but not the upkeep, black aluminum copies the style without rusting, at the cost of strength (see Aluminum Fences).