Up to the end of the Georgian period the only material available for exterior ornamentation at a reasonable price was wrought iron. The Victorian period, which lasted from 1837 to 1901, saw an explosion in the use of a new material, cast iron, for public and private use. This was due to a number of factors.
Cast Iron Street Furniture Development
The biggest development in the use of cast iron as a material for municipal castings and street furniture came with the development of ductile cast iron in the early 50’s. This new version of cast iron has properties more like mild steel and opened up areas of use which had previously been unsuitable for ordinary cast iron. It was now possible to produce highly decorative castings with good structural properties.
About Cast Iron Street Furniture
Improvements in production systems and the understanding of the metallurgy of cast iron meant that mass production became a reality with a resultant reduction in cost. This was fuelled by an abundance of raw materials such as iron ore and coal, coupled with a highly developed transport system based on the emerging rail network and existing canals which could transport both raw material and finished product quickly and cheaply around the country.
Cast iron, due to its ability to form complex shapes from a single casting, was used for many different designs and applications including gates and railings, lamp posts and columns, waste bins, floor grates and seating. A lot of these castings are still in use today which gives some idea of the durability of a cast iron structure. Call Durham Foundry on 0114 249 4977 to discuss your Cast Iron Street Furniture & Ornamental Street Furniture project.
Cast Iron Street Furniture Projects
Cast iron, both ordinary and ductile, continue to be used widely for street furniture and associated municipal projects and will continue to be so, mainly due to the cost effectiveness of the material compared to more expensive cast alternatives such as steel, brass or bronze. This makes it ideal for cast iron gates, cast iron railings, cast iron lamp posts, cast iron columns, cast iron waste bins, cast iron floor grates and cast iron seating.
