Denver Fence Companies are now offering more and more services and working with a variety of products and styles. Some of the services that these companies offer are "mig welding, wrought iron, to include ornamental iron and steel products such as gates, handrail, security doors, security bars and other custom projects." (www.denverfencebuilder.com) An exciting product with which Denver Fence Companies are using is Slim Tek Fencing.

"Gas metal arc welding (GMAW), sometimes referred to by its subtypes metal inert gas (MIG) welding or metal active gas (MAG) welding, is a semi-automatic or automatic arc welding process in which a continuous and consumable wire electrode and a shielding gas are fed through a welding gun. A constant voltage, direct current power source is most commonly used with GMAW, but constant current systems, as well as alternating current, can be used. There are four primary methods of metal transfer in GMAW, called globular, short-circuiting, spray, and pulsed-spray, each of which has distinct properties and corresponding advantages and limitations." (www.wikipedia.org)

Denver Fence Companies employ MIG welding in projects involved with ornamental wrought iron, iron and steel products where the metal requires twisting, turning and bending until the desired pattern is achieved.

The term "wrought iron" is greatly abused in today's commercial marketplace, as it is applied to everything from bent steel wire to cast aluminum. Technically, the term should be applied only to iron that has been worked white hot; physical force (such as the smith's hammer) is used to cause the metal to flow and be reshaped into the desired form.

Much work that is termed "wrought iron" is simply "bent work," that is, commercially available mild-steel bars, tubing, or strips that have been cut, heated, and bent -- or sometimes even worked cold. Separate elements are then joined via arc welding or mechanical fasteners. The purist metal-smith rejects the term "wrought iron" for this bent work because it has not received the hammering, stretching, twisting, and piercing that a top-grade piece of wrought iron is subjected to. And rather than arc welding, the elite metal-smith will go to the trouble of forge welding -- joining two pieces by heating them white hot, then fusing the elements into a single unit under the blows of a hammer. Through the use of such techniques as forged collars, piercing, and forge welding, the skilled metal-smith can assemble a grille or similar piece of ornamental ironwork without ever resorting to arc welding or bolts. True wrought iron can usually be distinguished by its sensuous patterns and curves -- and often the marks of the smith's hammer are evident. Since wrought ironwork is forged by hand, small irregularities are usually apparent -- and valued as evidence of the smith's craft.

From this description, it's easy to see why true wrought iron is a relatively rare commodity today. The amount of skill, labor, and time required for it's production makes it considerably more expensive than the "bent work" ornamental iron commonly found today. And because most customers don't have the eye to understand or appreciate top-level metal-smith craftsmanship, they are unwilling to pay the differential.

Even rarer than skill in hand forging is the low-carbon iron (0.04% carbon) that is the basis for historical wrought iron. Besides its characteristic grain structure that imparts an almost organic look to true wrought iron, the low-carbon material possess another attractive characteristic: it is far more resistant to rust than mild steel (0.2 to 0.6% carbon content), which is universally used now for ornamental iron work. Even when the highest level of forging skill and technique is used, the material being wrought is mild steel. The only source for low-carbon iron today is a small boutique mill is England. In the U.S., a few metal-smiths have been farsighted enough to squirrel away stockpiles of low-carbon iron salvaged for demolished 19th-century buildings and bridges. (Traditional Homes, July/Aug. 1997)

Hence, wrought iron may be considered an eco-friendly product due its low carbon emission during manufacturing.

Denver Fence Companies have mastered the art of ornamental wrought iron. Not only are you able to choose from already existing patters, but you also have the option of creating your own personal pattern, also. A distinctive personal touch includes having your initials, or last name, welded on the front gate. An alternative could be your residence number, for quick recognition by first-time guests and utilities' workers.

But where id these ornamental fences originate from? The answer is not something you'll get from your typical Denver fence company. The ornamental fences were first brought from England in the midst of the colonial era. The fences started out as a fixture for the rich, protecting the finest mansions, public places and churches. In fact, some of the houses in the older parts of Denver are detailed with old ornamental fences. These wonders eventually became a domestic treasure as in the 19th century local blacksmiths strove to compete with the imported iron fences.

The methods used today by your local Denver fence company may differ in how they prepare and create these ornamental iron fences when contrasted to the way they did it back then. The original fences were wrought by various craftsmen who would heat, bend, hammer, stretch and twist the iron fence metal into whatever shape they desired.

The designs themselves were aesthetic, carrying ribbon-like designs that make them light weight. Of course, pattern irregularities, variations in thickness and hammer marks were also prominent features of these iron fences.

The method for creating these fences eventually evolved as they were made in foundries where they processed molten metal into various geometric shapes and sizes. The demand for these beautiful fence pieces peaked in the Victorian era when a number of famous metal-makers (Wood & Perot and several others) began printing catalogs that portrayed a huge number of designs that could subsequently be ordered. The ability for these ornamental iron fences to be mass-produced and transported all over the country via train only added impetus to the sales. Iron fences also catered to people's concerns for security as they were stronger than wood fences.

Ornamental fences are still somewhat popular, but the time needed tor replicate the designs of old make them very expensive. Your Denver fence company is the right business to talk to about this in case you have the desire to install authentic ornamental iron fences. This has led to some people scavenging garage sales for cast iron fences or materials.

Other exciting innovations which Denver Fence Companies are able to offer you are color and special effects in wrought iron fencing. You are no longer stuck with the ole black fence. Eye-catching colors such as Spice Rust, Hartford Green and Gold Vein are now available. Special effects coloring include hammertone for interiors and exteriors in shades such as malachite and gold brown. Designer finishes are available in over 20 colors. Metallic hues range from glitter to holographic to antique.

The product Sim Tek is being referred to as the "vinyl fence alternative". "Sim Tek has introduced a revolutionary fence that has the simplicity of a vinyl fence combined with the elegance of a stone wall. Being manufactured to withstand the harshest elements, and able to tolerate -40 degrees to +140 degrees, this fence is able to withstand whatever is thrown at it. It is also certified to Dade County, Florida hurricane requirements (withstanding gusts of up to 130 mph) and has been guaranteed to be impact resistant (baseballs, golf balls and rocks will bounce off of it). The panels contain high-grade galvanized steel in both top and bottom rails." (www.fencecenter.com) When asking Denver Fence Companies about this product, ask them also to show you the available colors, of which all resemble real stone.

The advantages of Sim Tek Fencing are the "real stone look without the expense, tested to withstand winds over 100mph, much greater impact resistance than vinyl , UV stabilized for a lifetime of vibrant color, maintenance free, stable in hot & cold weather extremes, graffiti resistant" and it comes with a lifetime warranty." (www.simtekfencing.com)