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Wrought iron fences and gates have been in use for an incredibly long time. When you look at modern boundary options, you’ll often see things like steel or wood. There are pros and cons to all types of materials so it makes sense to double up and get the best of both worlds.
However, wrought iron is also a very strong metal so figuring out how to attach wood to it can be quite tricky. But there is a way and in this guide, we’ll explain how.
Why Would You Need To Attach Wood To A Wrought Iron Fence?
Wrought iron fences and gates provide a very aesthetically pleasing addition to your property’s boundary. However, they’re often quite open and this can be problematic when it comes to having private and secure property.
People can easily see through the fence and climbing over it is super simple as it almost serves as a climbing frame.
But by attaching a piece of wood to the fence or gate, you immediately improve the security and your property will be given some much-needed privacy.
Attaching Wood To Wrought Iron Fence
In order to successfully attach wood to wrought iron, you will need to drill into the metal. Let’s imagine we have a wrought iron fence that we want to attach a sheet of wood to for added security or privacy. Fortunately, the wood should sit flush against the metal and all you’ll need to do is secure it.
Before putting the wood onto the iron fence, you will likely need to shape it. You can do this by using a jigsaw just don’t forget to take accurate measurements so your final piece lines up perfectly with the fence.
While wrought iron is a tough material, you can certainly drill through it provided you can the right drill bit. A good quality metal bit should be up for the challenge but not all will work well.
You see, there are some drill bits that claim to be designed for use with metal but that will quickly go dull when you use them for wrought iron.
Instead of just a general-purpose metal bit, you’ll need to go for something stronger like one that is made from a cobalt alloy. Now, you will have to pay more for these but they’ll do the job much more easily and without causing damage to the wrought iron. Do keep in mind that they must be kept sharp if you want them to perform properly.
Now you have got the right equipment for the job, you can drill your hole and once you have made the holes, you can screw the wood into place.
Furthermore, we would strongly suggest using washers for this and it’s a good idea to drill some pilot holes into the wood beforehand otherwise there may be a risk of splitting.
A lot of people worry about the added weight on the fence but provided that the original wrought iron fence is in good condition, the addition of a sheet of plywood is not going to mess with its structural integrity.
If you’re attached wood to a wrought iron gate then it might be worth reinforcing the hinges just to give yourself that added bit of peace of mind.
Finally, it is definitely worth treating your wood since it’s going to be exposed to the elements. We’ve seen some questionable forum posts where people have completed this project but not treated or painted the wood and after some time, it begins to deteriorate, not to mention loses its aesthetic appeal.
A Note About Drilling Through Wrought Iron
Wrought iron is used for a lot of outdoor applications thanks to its strength and resistant nature. However, it is prone to rust especially when it’s not properly taken care of and drilling into it can only exacerbate this problem.
But that isn’t to say that you shouldn’t drill through wrought iron, you’ll just need to take some precautions.
When you drill into the metal, the inner parts become exposed. These have not been treated like the rest of the fence and so you’ll need to take extra steps before you start screwing anything in.
Once you have made your holes, treat and paint them, allow this to dry and then attach the wood. If you don’t do this, moisture will quite easily seep into the gap, corroding the gate and the screw.
Moreover, wrought iron is a very tough material that is difficult to drill through. Getting things perfectly straight can be tricky unless you use clamps.
For this reason, we would strongly suggest that you uninstall the fence or gate and clamp it in order to drill the holes. Failing to do this will more than likely lead them to be off centre.
Safety Is Key
When you are drilling through wrought iron, there are a few safety issues that you will need to keep in mind. For starters, there’s a very good chance that pieces of metal debris will come flying off during the drilling process. For this reason, it is incredibly important to make sure that you wear eye protection. A good set of goggles will do the job.
Moreover, you should also keep in mind that once you have finished drilling, the edges of the hole will be incredibly sharp. Make sure that you have a file to hand to smooth these off before you treat or paint them and wear gloves to protect the hands from cuts and scrapes.
Conclusion
If you feel as though your wrought iron fence is not giving you enough privacy or doesn’t feel secure enough, it is entirely possible to attach a piece of wood to improve this.
Both materials have some great advantages so when you combine them you’ve got something that’s super secure, extremely robust and looks great when it’s done properly.
Drilling through wrought iron isn’t without its problems so make sure you follow our tips for the safest and most convenient outcome.
