Custom vs Pre-Manufactured

Pre-manufactured iron products are really the way to go if you are on a tight budget and are not concerned about design. You can buy pre-manufactured fencing or gates that are basic in design for much less than custom. The reason for this, is when you buy a pre-manufactured product you are limited in the type of materials used. The product is made in a plant, somewhat like an assembly line, powder coated at the same facility, and shipped to the iron shop. The size of the materials that are used generally range from tube steel 1/2", 5/8" or 3/4" square, with a 18 ga. wall, for the pickets and tube steel 1" or 1-1/2" square, with a 14 ga wall, for the top, bottom rails and gate frame. There's nothing wrong with this type of product and when you need a lot of it this can really save you money over custom.

On the other hand, custom designed iron is completely different from pre-manufactured. Although the same size tube steel is used the wall thickness is usually much greater. When custom designing iron, you can also incorporate many iron components like scrolls, circles, picket collars, arched or inverted arched top and more. The wall thickness of iron is very important and if it’s in your budget ask your fabricator to use the thickest materials available.

Another benefit of a custom design is the finish. A standard finish for a pre-manufactured product is black powder coating. If you choose a custom design, you can opt for a patina, specialty paint color, or powder coating with an array of colors to choose from. The different designs and finishes for a custom product are really limitless.

Choosing custom iron design over pre-manufactured is like choosing to purchase a track home verses a custom home, neither is better or worse, it’s all about what fits the budget.