Purchasing wrought iron salvage for your home or decorating needs provides you with a way to make your home more appealing while using recycled goods. Wrought iron salvage also features designs that you may not be able to find anywhere else, because the item or design is no longer created. There are many details to consider before buying salvage, such as the condition of the piece, whether any restoration work needs to be done, the story behind the piece, and whether the piece is complete and fully assembled or you will need to hunt down other pieces.
Condition is a big consideration in the wrought iron salvage market. Before purchasing any salvage, check for rust and wear that can indicate the salvage may have a short lifespan remaining. Check to see if any pieces are broken. While you may be partial to the rusted aesthetic, make sure the wrought iron isn’t so rusted that it is ready to fall apart.
If the salvage's condition is moderate to bad, then restoration work may be needed. Some businesses that sell wrought iron salvage first do restoration work to ensure the piece is in peak condition. Others do not perform the restoration, because this takes extra money and they may have customers who prefer untouched pieces. If restoration is needed, this will drive up the price of the salvage, so it is recommended that you get a restoration quote before buying the salvage.
The most compelling part of wrought iron salvage sometimes isn’t the piece itself, but the story behind it. Ask the seller where the salvage came from and whether there is proof of its back story. Without proof, the seller may make up a story to get you to buy the piece at a higher price, so don’t believe a story unless you see something that proves the seller is telling the truth. Salvage that comes from a well known factory or house or has seen a lot of use will almost always be more valuable than salvage that has no back story.
You are buying salvage rather than a complete wrought iron piece from a store, so it is possible you will only find a portion of the full piece. For example, you may find a wrought iron gate without a handle, or a portion of wrought iron fencing. Take your decorating needs into account when you find such wrought iron salvage. You may just need that one portion or you may need to hunt down the extra piece. If you do need to hunt it down, ensure that you are ready to spend the money and time needed to find the extra wrought iron piece.