From across the yard, a powder-coated aluminum fence and a true wrought iron fence look almost the same — black, vertical pickets, classic lines. Up close and over decades, they're very different products. Here's how to pick the right one.
Cost: aluminum is 40–50% less
Aluminum runs $35–$60 per linear foot installed; wrought iron $35–$95 and often higher for custom scrollwork. For most homeowners chasing the ornamental look, aluminum delivers it at a meaningfully lower price.
Maintenance: aluminum wins decisively
Wrought iron rusts. It needs periodic sanding and repainting every 5–10 years to stay ahead of corrosion, more often near the coast. Aluminum never rusts, and its powder-coat finish lasts 20+ years with nothing but an occasional hose-down. In humid and coastal climates, that difference is enormous.
Strength and longevity: iron's edge
Wrought iron is dramatically stronger and can last 50–100 years. Aluminum bends on hard impact — a car backing into it, a fallen branch. For maximum security or a true heirloom fence at an estate, iron still has a place. For everything else, aluminum's durability is more than enough.
How to choose
- Choose aluminum for: pool enclosures, front-yard ornamental, coastal/humid climates, lower budgets.
- Choose wrought iron for: historic homes, maximum security, custom scrollwork, heirloom permanence.
- Both rack well for sloped lots and meet 48-inch pool-barrier code with the right gate hardware.