From Lincoln, Massachusetts to Lincoln,
Nebraska to Lincoln, Ontario - North America is rich with
history. Every town has a story to tell. The buildings in those
towns have played as much of a part in crafting the past as the
people themselv es.
Reproducing the architectural iron or metalwork of historical
buildings with quality and authenticity is a critical component
to the overall accomplishment of the restoration. Smaller
decorative finishings and larger outdoor elements such as
bollards, gates, fences, lamp standards, or even park benches
are made using architectural metalwork techniques. Iron castings
can be reproduced from drawings or from salvaged original pieces
by foundries (factories that produce metal castings) with iron
casting experience.
Since 1927, Reliance Foundry has produced decorative,
architectural features and historic reproduction castings for
customers - even including more modern aluminum die castings for
decorative site features. Our most common architectural products
are decorative metal bollards and post covers, which have become
a specialty of ours in recent years.
We are often asked, “what is the difference between wrought iron
and cast iron?” There is a common misconception that the term
“cast” iron refers to all early iron work; or that early iron
work was always “wrought” ...or a combination of both. Actually,
the distinction between the two is not a matter of the time
period it was created, but is a difference in the technique used
to work the metal into a finished piece, as well as the chemical
composition of the metal itself.
Wrought or Cast? What’s the Difference?
The simplest way to remember the difference is to know that
wrought iron is metal that has been heated and then worked with
tools to produce its shape and form, while cast iron has been
melted and poured into a mold to give it the desired look.
Of course there is much more to it than simply melting the metal
and shaping it. Various chemical agents that are added and
removed affect the strength of the end product. Historically,
wrought iron had more of the metal impurities removed to make it
easier to work with, and to get a stronger end product. However,
in our modern era, metal “purity” is no longer necessarily a
quality of wrought iron. The term is applied to any metal that
has been worked with tools and purity and durability of
mass-produced products are not guaranteed.

Cast iron is less pure as far as the metal properties are
concerned, but because the metal is poured into precision-made
molds, you receive a more accurate end-product. Even though it
is more brittle, it gained great popularity in the United States
in the nineteenth century because of its suitability to the
lower-cost mass production process in a time when wrought iron
was still an individual hand-craft. This is important for
restoration projects. It is more affordable and newer
techniques, such as ductile cast iron work, enable parts to be
cast with larger sections and with much greater strength.
Ductile cast iron was invented in 1943. Nodular graphite
inclusions make it less brittle than traditional cast iron. Its
flexibility and elasticity enable use in products where cast
iron would not hold up. Reliance Foundry offers bollards made
from ductile cast iron as part of their bollard product line.
Decorative and architectural ductile iron bollards enhance the
outdoor space of a historical restoration, while also offering
perimeter definition and, if needed, bike parking or chained
area options.
HOME PAGE | CASTING BLOG | CONTACT US |