Facts & Common Questions and Answers
Concerning The Purchase Of Interior and Exterior Wrought Iron & Aluminum Metal Products
I was told that Aluminum has many design limitations as opposed to iron. Is this true?
Not true. Any bend, shape or design that can be created for wrought iron can be created with aluminum. Some companies do not have these capabilities, therefore their customers are sometimes told that aluminum has limitations.
Why is wrought iron the preferred metal to use for my interior staircase and balcony as opposed to aluminum?
Iron has a warmer feel then aluminium. Aluminium is cold. It even has a different feel. Yet when we do use aluminum for various interior projects, such as the door to a refrigerated wine room, which creates condensation and moisture, we have special metal finishes that create the look of iron. Remember, moisture and dampness creates rust on iron.
Am I restricted to stock designs, or a limited choice of designs when choosing a style for my staircase, balcony, door, or fence?
Not at all. Because we create custom designs for our clients, we create our own ‘jigs’ to accommodate the shape or design that we are creating. It’s not a matter of using ‘automatic’ machinery to create a template type form. We actually build a ‘jig’ to put the metal in, to bend to the desired shape and design.
Great! So what is a 'jig'?
A ‘jig’ is a form that is created to put the iron in and bend it to shape. For example, when we create and design a custom ornament to be placed along your stair railing, we make the jig (the form) for that design, now we have a completely identical form & design. The difference with our doing this is that you’re not restricted to a limited amount of designs that a company may offer. And most important… we can customize any metal design to fit and coincide within the design of any room in your home.
So, if I understand correctly, you can create any design I want to blend with the design of my home?
Absolutely! We have even fabricated our own bending and twisting machines just to accommodate the custom designs of our customers. We did not buy and invest in machines when we started our business and have to be forced to use them for a return on investment. We wanted to invest in ‘talent’ and ‘creativity’ first. So, we built our on machinery and jigs as needed to fabricate the customer’s design wishes and desires for a particular look.
When researching wrought iron staircases and balcony railings, the term 'cap' pops up quite often. Can you explain?
The ‘cap’ that you’re referring to is the ‘railing cap’. There’s the ‘railing’ itself, then there’s the ‘cap’, which is the part the hand touches and holds onto as you ascend and descend the staircase—the ‘top’ of the railing. A balcony railing is usually a continuation of the stair railing leading up to the second floor. Caps can comprise a variety of materials. The railing cap can be ‘iron’, ‘brass’, ‘aluminum’, or ‘wood’. Brass and wood caps would of course be more expensive then an iron cap, but, with our special paint finishes, we can make it to look very much like brass. Now, have a look at our ‘interior wrought iron staircase photo gallery’ page, and the ‘interior wrought iron balconies photo gallery’ page. With this knowledge, you will now have a better understanding of what you see.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions and inquiries on your search for the perfect iron and metal product design that will meet your needs and desires. We’ll be happy to guide you.