the METAL fence
With the exception of iron entry gates on large estates and plantations, iron fencing was primarily urban, and often took the form of railings along stairs and around a tiny front yard. Some cities are known for their iron fences: Charleston, Savannah, and New Orleans come to mind, as do the monumental cast-iron newels and balustrades of brownstone Brooklyn, which emulated stone at far less cost. Most iron fences date to the Victorian era; they were deemed “too formidable” for bungalow lots.
Earlier metal fences were made of wrought iron, malleable enough to form into scrolls and even ornaments. Cast iron came a bit later. It is brittle but good in compression, and rusts more slowly than wrought iron; even so it needs to be kept painted. Steel began to displace iron fencing at the end of the 19th century, when composite fencing made up of steel and malleable iron—the precursor of chain-link fencing—was widely marketed for use on farms and household yards. Many iron fences were sacrificed during World War II, when they were melted down in scrap drives.
For the companies today offering metal fences, much of the business is for railings, driveway gates, and pool enclosures. “Ours can be made in aluminum, steel, bronze, cast iron, or stainless steel, depending on the design,” says William Mogavero of Bill's Custom Metal in Woodbury, N.Y.
Before you put up a tall fence, check local zoning laws and building codes. Fences over five or six feet may require a permit, as might fences in designated conservation areas. If you want a new fence to last more than a decade, be sure to follow best standards for construction in your climate zone: for wood species, wind load, posts buried in cement below the frost line, rails and post caps that shed water, joinery, fasteners, and finish.
Modern PVC fences with hollow posts and snap-together components are disallowed in many historic districts. With a plastic sheen, they tend to come only in a harsh white. As they become brittle and crack, they look unkempt—unlike weathered wood, which has a more romantic patina. A better bet is a fence with structural components and those that touch the ground made of painted PVC lumber, with pickets or boards in wood.