Types and features of forged fences. Preparatory work and fence installation technology, useful recommendations. A wrought iron fence is one of the most elegant structures of its kind. With careful care, it will delight the eye for more than one generation of its owners. If you have the skills of a blacksmith and want to save a lot of money on this, our material on how to make a forged fence with your own hands is for you today.
Features and types of forged fences
The most noble, attractive, but at the same time expensive method of metal processing is forging. Fences, many of which are made with anvils, are durable, elegantly chic. Not every owner will be able to enclose his estate with a wrought-iron fence, because an expensive order of such an original design can significantly lighten the wallet. But if there is a desire, metal and the necessary tools, you can do without the help of specialists.
To facilitate the selection of the desired design, we will immediately familiarize ourselves with the types of forged fences:
- Decorative fencing … Very often it becomes a work of art. The main purpose of such a fence is to decorate a suburban area, which, however, absolutely does not affect the protective functions of the structure. Decorative fences do not have stamped and welded elements. All prefabricated parts of the structure are fastened with clamps.
- Safety fence … It is erected for security purposes in case of external encroachment on the territory of a suburban area. Sections and details of such a fence are attached to threaded and welded fasteners. The safety fence is distinguished by its reliability due to its high strength.
- Combined forged fencing … It combines the reliability and decorative qualities of the previous structures. The choice of a combined fence is the most optimal option for protecting and decorating a personal plot.
A steel forged fence, in addition to its high cost, has practically no drawbacks. Its main advantages include:
- Reliability due to the material of manufacture of the forged fence … The metal is strong and durable, and with the necessary processing it can withstand changes in humidity and seasonal fluctuations in air temperature with dignity. Compared to wooden structures of this kind, the service life of a forged fence is tens, or even hundreds of years longer.
- Flawless appearance … Even in the absence of any pretentiousness, a forged fence has a more noble appearance than similar structures made of concrete, steel profile or wood.
- Originality due to the ability to give metal by forging any look … It all depends on the personal preferences of the owner of the site, that is, on how he wants to see his fence: elegant or luxurious, unapproachable or intimidating.
Preparatory work
In order not to waste time and money on any additional purchases during the construction of a forged fence, first of all, you should determine the required amount of material for it. You need to start these surveys by drawing up a drawing of a forged fence on paper, which should reflect in detail all the dimensions of the structure and the pattern of its sections in detail.
When developing your own sketch of the section, it is recommended to study the proposals of firms that carry out artistic forging. If there is no drawing experience, their development can be taken as a basis, choose a ready-made drawing and include individual motives and decorative details in it.
First of all, the drawing of the fence lattice should be harmonious - not necessarily simple, but it should not be overloaded with figured details. The composition can be made symmetrical, asymmetrical, repeated on the same elements, and large figures can be highlighted. If you place the same elements in a sketch, combining them correctly in groups, you can create very interesting patterns. Moreover, they can also be varied by orienting similar figures from different sides.
When calculating, you need to pay attention to the length of the sections. It should not be more than 1.5-2 m. Otherwise, a forged fence will require a very massive, and therefore expensive, foundation. The larger the size of the sections, the larger it should be and the wider the transverse diameter of the support pillars of the gratings.
Supports for forged fence gratings are round and rectangular. The material for them can be brick, pipes, profile or concrete.
Metal poles from a pipe or profile are durable, resistant to atmospheric precipitation, easily transported and inexpensive. As supports for the gratings of a forged fence, blanks with a cross-sectional size of more than 6 cm are used.
Brick supports are well suited for massive and tall fences. A metal support is fixed in a brick pillar, to which reinforcement is welded, connecting the sections of the fence.
The concrete supports are also reliable. They are harmoniously combined with forged sections, but have a limitation in their height. A fence with concrete pillars should not be higher than 1.5 m due to the possibility of their destruction under the weight of metal gratings.
We will consider the installation of a forged fence with metal supports on a strip foundation.
For the manufacture of intake sections, hot or cold forging methods are used. The latter method is the most economical and popular option. Its implementation requires less experience with metal than the hot method. For the manufacture of any part by cold forging, a separate machine is needed.
They all have specific names, for example:
- "Snail" - it gives the rods of the future lattice a spiral shape;
- "Gnutik" - bends parts at the required angle;
- "Template" - transforms metal rods into circles, being able to create any radius;
- "Flashlight" - intertwines rods in the manufacture of complex figurines;
- "Wave" - gives the rod the shape corresponding to the name.
All this equipment can be rented or purchased. For the installation of some components of the grilles, there are templates that greatly simplify the work.
Hot forging requires a forge, hammer and anvil. The furnace can be closed or open, stationary or portable. In the future, we will consider the method of cold, more affordable forging of a metal fence.
In addition to the above devices, additional tools and equipment will be required:
- Welding machine and electrodes of various sizes, which will be needed for spot and conventional welding;
- Angle grinder with grinding and cutting discs;
- Large locksmith vise, as well as curved yews, necessary for twisting the rods;
- Hammer and pliers;
- Square, building level and 10-meter tape measure;
- Brushes or spray gun.
As materials for the fence lattice, you need to take a metal rod with a diameter of 14 mm and a sheet of metal t. 2 mm for the manufacture of flat elements of the fence - lances, etc. For the foundation, you will need a concrete mixer, shovels, crushed stone, river sand and cement. For marking the fence - stakes and a cord.
Forged fence mounting technology
The work can be conditionally divided into three stages: the construction of the foundation and the installation of support pillars, the production of forged sections, the assembly and painting of the fence. Consider the stages of installing a forged fence in detail.
Foundation device and installation of pillars
This work should begin by defining the fence line on the ground. To do this, you need to use a diagram drawn up in advance with reference to the characteristic points of the structure to the selected landmarks of the site: the corner of the building, pillar, etc. After that, the perimeter of the fence must be marked with pegs, indicating the location of the support pillars with them.
The building site should be cleared of debris, stumps, unnecessary bushes and trees. The stakes must be connected with a stretched cord and start digging a trench under the foundation tape. Its depth depends on the stability of the soil, the size of the fence sections and the climate in the construction region. The optimum depth of the cut should be 70 cm and the width 30 cm.
The pillars need to be dug into the bottom of the trench to a depth of 30-40 cm. Pits for them should not be made too wide. After installing the pillars strictly vertically, the grooves for them must be covered with rubble and carefully tamped. It is also recommended to compact the bottom of the trench and fill it with a layer of sand 5-10 cm. The sand cushion should be moistened abundantly with water.
After that, you can proceed to the reinforcement strapping of the future foundation to give it rigidity after pouring and polymerizing concrete. The strapping is a mesh with cells 100x100 mm, made of reinforcement rods. The strapping elements can be connected together with a knitting wire.
There should be three layers of such nets in the trench. The first layer should be placed at the bottom of the recess, the second at the middle of it, and the third at the top of the foundation. All nets are recommended to be attached to posts dug into the bottom of the trench.
After reinforcement, it is necessary to install the formwork, which plays the role of a mold for liquid concrete. The formwork must be made strong. Therefore, it is worth using boards as a material for it, and even better - laminated MDF. In this case, the finished surface of the above-ground part of the foundation will be perfectly smooth and will not require additional finishing after installing the forged fence.
Before starting concreting, the installation of all support pillars must be checked again with a level and fixed in the formwork with stops made of wooden blocks.
After that, concrete must be poured into the formwork, equipped with reinforcement strapping and support pillars. It is advisable that he has a brand corresponding to outdoor work. It is not recommended to carry out any manipulations with the fence supports until the concrete is completely cured.
Making sections for a forged fence
Unlike gates, forged fencing gratings are made without an external frame from an angle profile. Almost all parts of the grates are made from a rod, which can take various forms according to the conceived design of the fence.
Structures with unpretentious, very easy-to-manufacture details - curls, stiffness and flat peaks - are designed according to the same template. The types of lattices are more complex and are distinguished by intricate designs, as well as the presence of decorative elements.
The cold forging section of the fence must be made in the following order:
- Draw in chalk on a flat and horizontal plane a section template with stiffeners, decorative, protective details. We will assemble sections of the fence according to this template.
- Working with a bending machine, it is necessary to make the required number of curly parts: peak, curls. The shape of the elements, as well as their dimensions, must correspond to the template depicted in chalk on a plane.
- All parts of the section must be connected by spot welding. And if after this procedure no defects are found, you can apply welded seams, finally fixing the parts.
- Similarly, other sections of the fence should be assembled, carefully observing that each of its parts is according to the template in the required place.
After all sections have been manufactured, weld seams must be cleaned and rust removed. After that, the metal must be primed and painted with a protective compound. This procedure will protect the sections of the fence from corrosion and improve their appearance.
After painting, you can put the products in their places. Their fastening to the supports should be done using welding or clamps.
How to make a forged fence - watch the video:
It goes without saying that such a complex project is difficult to implement without mistakes, especially when a forged fence is being made independently for the first time. However, all the shortcomings can always be corrected, while gaining valuable experience.
