The Difference Between Wrought Iron and Steel

One of the most common points of confusion in metal fabrication is between wrought iron and steel. Clients often request a wrought iron gate when they actually mean a steel gate with decorative elements. Let us clarify the differences. ## What is Wrought Iron? Wrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon content (below 0.08%) and siliceous slag inclusions that give it a characteristic fibrous structure. This material was traditionally produced in hand forges and was the primary structural metal until the advent of industrial steel in the 19th century. Today, authentic wrought iron is no longer produced industrially. What we commonly call wrought iron actually refers to mild steel (low carbon steel) worked using artistic forging techniques: heating to red heat and shaping on an anvil or with pneumatic hammers. ## What is Steel? Steel is an alloy of iron with carbon (0.1-2.1%) and other alloying elements. The most common steels in metal construction are S235 and S275, named after their yield strength in MPa. Steel is industrially produced in standardised profiles: tubes, flat bars, angles, I-beams, H-beams and channels. ## Practical Differences From a practical standpoint, the main difference lies in the processing method. Wrought iron elements are individually shaped by a skilled craftsman using heat. Each piece is unique. Steel elements are cut, bent and welded using modern machinery, allowing higher productivity and lower costs. ## When to Choose Each Choose artistic forging when you want: complex decorative elements with organic forms, a classic and traditional appearance, unique handcrafted pieces. Choose mechanically processed steel when you want: a modern geometric design, optimised costs, shorter production times and exact reproducibility of parts. ## The Ideal Combination In practice, the most successful projects combine both techniques: a mechanically processed steel base structure (for rigidity and cost) with artistically forged decorative elements (for character and uniqueness). This approach offers the best value for money and a visually spectacular result.