Wrought iron railings are a durable and attractive type of banister. These railings are designed for stairs, porches, balconies, and patios. Some may have very simple designs, while others contain scroll patterns and various other wrought iron accents. The slats could be straight, twisted, or curved. These railings may also vary in height and are available in a variety of standard lengths.
Many people choose to use wrought iron railings on both indoor and outdoor staircases. These types of banisters are normally slanted and have a thick upper and lower bar. Between these bars are vertical slats, which run the length of the piece. They may consist of straight bars, curved slats, or ones that are slightly twisted. There may be a thicker post in the center of these vertical slats to add stability after it is installed.
Wrought iron railings are often used on porches, balconies, and patios. These wrought iron accents are normally straight on top and bottom rather than slanted. Like railings used for staircases, they may have straight, twisted, or curved slats. They typically have what appear to be feet underneath the bottom railing. These feet are used to anchor the device to the floor of the porch or balcony.
Very tall wrought iron railings can be used as a fence. Many sections of railings can be placed together and attached to iron posts for stability. These fences may also have gates made of wrought iron. Gates can be just wide enough for people to walk through or large enough for a vehicle to be driven through.
Some wrought iron railings can contain intricate designs. Scrolls are one common form of wrought iron design used on both staircases and porch banisters. The scrolls could be welded into the frame of the piece or might be attached with screws. Other designs could resemble leaves, flowers, letters, or other items. A railing could also contain a curved piece of iron at the end of it for decorative purposes.
There is generally no difference between a wrought iron railing for indoor use and one for outdoors. This means a standard railing purchased at a home improvement store could be installed wherever a homeowner sees fit to use it. The banister will be durable and rustproof no matter where it is placed. These factors make purchasing one of these railings a good idea for many people.