When the slag melts during the heating process it gives the wrought iron the sleek, glassy quality we expect from true wrought iron. Wrought iron has been produced since the Iron Age. Until the late s wrought iron production used the bloomery process. A bloomery looks a little like a large kiln, sometimes a pit or chimney, which can reach high temperatures inside. Bellows were used to force air in through the bottom of the bloomery. It was important to get the balance of charcoal and iron ore correct to ensure a low carbon content in the final iron product.
If the iron absorbed too much carbon, cast iron would be the result — more brittle than wrought iron, it tends to break easily when bent into shape. Cast iron was frequently melted down and poured into moulds to create everyday items such as cooking pots and utensils. With the dawning of the industrial era in Britain, the push was on to find a way to mass produce this valuable commodity.
Puddled iron was created by heating pig iron in a reverberating furnace, which separated the iron ore from the heating fuel and lessened the risk that too much carbon would be absorbed. This more efficient method of wrought iron production resulted in a massive spike in production, with the United Kingdom producing over 4 million tonnes each year by the late s. By , technological advances saw steel production rise and become cheaper and stronger than iron.
Wrought iron is also stronger than cast iron. Each time wrought iron is heated and worked, it becomes a little stronger. Because of its strength, wrought iron is often used in commercial applications. While wrought iron is stronger, cast iron is harder than its counterpart. Have you heard of galvanized metal? From pipes and fencing to screws and sheet metal, countless We use cookies to improve your experience.
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Click Here. This material was then forged with hammers, which removed impurities in the process. Innovations such as introducing water power and a blast furnace advanced the process throughout centuries, but it was the invention of the puddling furnace in that brought wrought iron use to its peak. The puddling technique created the production of wrought iron without charcoal. This enabled a great expansion of iron use throughout Great Britain and that in part sprung the Industrial Revolution.
Examples of early ironwork date back to ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia as far back as around B. Around the 8th century B. The vast availability of the raw material equipped entire armies with iron weapons. Knowledge about the use of iron spread from the Middle East to Greece and the Aegean region by B.
By the 5th century B. Before the Middle Ages, wrought iron was used primarily for weapons and tools, however, the medieval period brought with it a multitude of uses for wrought iron. It began to be used to cover doors and windows of buildings to protect against the attacks of raiders. But more prominently, wrought ironwork began to appear for decorative purposes. Some of this beautiful work can still be seen today in famous European landmarks like the Canterbury and Winchester Cathedrals of England and Notre Dame de Paris.
From the 16th century on, ironwork became sophisticated and high decorative, throughout the elaborate cathedrals of Spain to balconies, patios and gateways of France.
The boom of ironwork in the 18th century led to beautiful railings and gates throughout London and eventually made its way to the United States, most prominently in the French inspired designs of New Orleans. Demand for the raw material wrought iron, hit its peak in the 's as ironclad warships popularity rose along with the production of railways spread across the United States. As iron became more common, it became widely used for cooking utensils, stoves, grates, locks, hardware and other household items.
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