Wrought iron, steel and aluminum
True wrought iron, hammered by a blacksmith, is rare today. Most 'wrought iron' fences are welded tubular or solid steel, galvanized and powder-coated or painted. Solid steel bar is the heaviest and the closest to the historic look. Tubular steel is lighter and cheaper. Aluminum imitates the look at lower cost and without rust.
Decatur's zoning ordinance lists ornamental iron, wrought iron and welded steel as allowed fence materials, and the same is true in practice across the area.
Historic districts
Huntsville's Twickenham district has homes in the Federal and Greek Revival styles brought by architect George Steele around 1818, and Old Town has homes from the late 1820s into the early 1900s. A new or replacement fence in a Huntsville historic district needs approval from the Historic Preservation Commission before work begins, and the same goes for the Madison Historic District through Madison's commission. Plan for that review in the schedule, and ask the contractor whether they have prepared drawings for it before.
Rust and repair
Steel rusts where the coating is broken: at welds, at the base of posts where water and grass clippings sit, and at gate hinges. With more than 54 inches of rain a year in Huntsville, small chips matter. Repair work includes wire-brushing and repainting, replacing rusted pickets or rails, re-welding broken joints and resetting leaning posts. A fabricator or fence contractor can tell you whether an old run is worth restoring.
Gates and columns
Iron is the most common material for driveway gates on larger properties, often between brick or stone columns, and often automated. A heavy swing gate needs a post or column sized for its weight, and an automatic opener needs power, safety sensors and a plan for manual release. See gates.
Wrought iron fence cost
National guides put wrought iron at about $50–$85 per linear foot installed; one summary gives about $30–$50 for a 4-foot ornamental fence and about $60–$100 for 6-foot security fencing. Masonry columns, custom design and automated gates are priced separately and can exceed the fence itself. We found no Huntsville-specific pricing.
Main guide: fence companies in Huntsville, AL.