Wrought Iron Gates

Gates represent an important part of any fence and need to be considered from their functional and aesthetic aspects. At Exterior Worlds, we think a wrought iron gate, outfitted with the proper lock and hardware, serves both purposes well. Sometimes, even stunningly well.

The beauty of wrought iron gates has been known for centuries. Wrought iron entered the decorative arts in The Middle Ages and, with technological improvements, is as popular today as ever. Specific to gates, we think the use of wrought iron does two things for the Houston landscape designer: it gives us an opportunity to improve air circulation—no small thing in our climate—and it allows the passerby an intriguing glimpse of what lies beyond.

For these reasons and more, Exterior Worlds has installed wrought iron gates, wrought iron fences and wrought iron driveway gates in Houston and the surrounding communities for more than two decades.

From a utilitarian perspective, security must be addressed when discussing gates. If your garden gate gives access to your property, you need to consider some kind of lock. You can choose from several options, including keyed locks, electronic keypads or keyless locks, each with its own pros and cons.

Keyed locks are very secure and you have control over the distribution of the key. However, it means carrying another key. It also means that everyone who has a key—and presumably needs ready access to the area—must keep up with their key.

Electronic keypads mean no one has to carry around or keep up with a key. But these high-tech locks do require electricity, so if the power goes out—say, during hurricane season—you need to arrange for back-up power or you have to use another access point.

Keyless locks have several advantages: no key to keep up with, no wiring or battery, no programming. The disadvantage is that everyone who uses the gate has to remember the code sequence. And when the code is changed, you have to remember to make sure everyone has the new one.

Another safety consideration for gates: the ones in the fence around your custom swimming pool. Everyone from the city code department to the American Academy of Pediatrics to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers encourages homeowners to fence off the pool area for the safety of children.

At Exterior Worlds, we think these pool fences and gates can be decorative touches to your landscape design. However, if your visual aesthetic finds that they clutter the landscape, we can weave them into the bushes, hedges and garden beds that surround the pool, thus providing unobtrusive security.

Another structural consideration for gates is the use of in-fills, the panels we use for odd-shaped or over-large openings. When made of the same wrought iron design as the gate, infills create a seamless look.

Both sturdy and elegant, a wrought iron gate gives you a chance to add a motif to your property. In the true sense of combining form and function, it provides secured access—and thus, peace of mind—while acting as an inviting sentry to guests, friends and family.