Cemetery Fences

Understanding Iron

The two most common metals found in American Cemetery fencing are wrought iron and cast iron. Stewart Iron Works provided fencing for many of our country's cemeteries from the late 1800s through the 1900s.

Wrought Iron was the traditional material of early fence manufacturing. Wrought iron consists of little carbon (less than 1%) and siliceous slags (up to 5%). Wrought iron resists corrosion, it is not brittle and hardly ever breaks. It is soft, malleable and can be "worked", thus, it was often used in delicate and ornate creations. Wrought Iron is no longer used due to environmental concerns.

Cast Iron, on the other hand, has a high content of carbon (+/- 3%) that is easily cast in molds - allowing it use to replicate fence details. It is brittle, and thus, unable to be hammered or "worked".

Refinishing Wrought Iron

Steps To Take When Refinishing Your Wrought Iron

• Remove any rust that may have formed on your wrought iron with sandpaper, steel wool or wire brush.


• Brush off or rinse off the rust residue from the wrought iron. If rinsing, dry thoroughly with a towel and place in the sunlight to be safe for additional drying .


• Spray or brush the wrought iron surface with rust converter. Be sure to wear protective gloves when working with rust converter.


• Spread the rust converter with a paint brush to insure that an even coat is applied. Allow to dry thoroughly. This rust converter will serve as an initial primer coat.


• Apply a primer coat to the wrought iron surface. A spray application is best for joints or surfaces that have hard to get to areas. Allow to dry thoroughly. You can find metal primer alongside the regular paint primer at your local hardware store.


• Paint your wrought iron with a rust preventative paint ( Rust-Oleum products work well ). Apply multiple thin coats for the best finish!