Wrought iron balconies: features, views and interesting examples

Forging is one of the well-deserved old methods of decorating space. But in order to properly use it on the balcony, you need to weigh the pros and cons. Including analyze the strengths and weaknesses of such structures.

Use forged balconies (or rather, railings) is attractive due to their long service life. They are made of a strong material resistant to atmospheric destructive effects. Corrosion is virtually eliminated, and exposure to temperature extremes is absolutely excluded. Consumers can use an individual sketch of railings and balcony grilles. This allows you to choose any geometric shape that is only convenient.

Forged designs are multifunctional. They can be used as:

• the actual design element;
• enclosing system;
• stands for ornamental plants.

Obtained forging balconies are used equally widely in apartments and in private houses.

However, forged jewelry has its negative sides:

• because of them, the balcony will have to be left open and less used in winter;
• the price is pretty high;
• the manufacture of steel or cast iron structures is laborious and time consuming;
• these are heavy products that can only be installed on a solid foundation;
• they are unlikely to be put on the upper floors of houses.

Forging can vary greatly in appearance and technical performance. The classic is the so-called direct forging. In such a balcony, columns are widely used. A good alternative is considered Russian-Byzantine style. This design focus is emphasized by the clarity of lines and floral ornaments.

Gothic balcony implies the use of:

• swept oblong arches;
• outlets;
• shamrocks.

But all this can be considered, to one degree or another, as varieties of a direct forged balcony.

The semicircular type adds visual variety to the most discreet setting. It is recommended to use it if the building is too boring and concise. As for curved balconies, they are advised to use to frame atypical architectural forms. The unique design will become an organic addition to non-standard rooms.

A vivid example of this is the baroque balconies. This style can be expressed using:

• all kinds of curls;
• voluminous flower baskets;
• garlands as decoration.

On unusual buildings can be applied and corner balconies in the renaissance style. This style involves the use of spiral details, grapes and foliage, flower buds. A fairly common feature is the introduction of figures in the form of the number 8.

But the difference can be associated not only with the style of forged structures. The difference between cold and hot forging must be considered. The first option involves the manufacture of professional equipment. The complexity of the work is minimized, and some uniformity of performance is offset by significant performance. You can complete the order by cold forging rather quickly, and the cost of the finished product will be low.

Hot forging of cast iron or steel takes a lot of time, and the blacksmiths will have to work thoroughly. To blacksmiths - this process is carried out strictly by hand. The complexity of the work is fully justified by the uniqueness of the appearance of the finished product. True, and they will have to pay a lot of money.

Semicircular balconies are fully consistent with modern fashion. They allow you to ensure the originality and attractiveness of the appearance of the home. It should also be noted that the role of a radiused balcony can vary greatly depending on the style of the building. In new multi-story buildings, they are designed to simply express fashion trends and show the solid taste of the owners. But balconies close to round shape can also be used in emphasized elite housing, stylized as an era of brilliant palaces.

Some semicircular loggias are placed on the most common model houses. In this case, they refuse from any complicated decor. Instead, they use oblong, slightly curved parapets.

Much more possibilities are found in private housing. During construction, you can always choose at your discretion the geometry and total area of ​​the balcony, equip it with different materials, choose the option of glazing. The independent semi-circular wrought iron balcony is a classic hinged structure that extends beyond the contour of the facade. It requires careful calculation of the bearing capacity of the base plate.

The balcony, based on the bay window of the lower floor, is technically more complex and noticeably more expensive. However, such a solution is also externally effective, and in any case carries a more serious load than the first option. because there is no doubt that the support can withstand heavy forged structures, and even heavy glazing.

Cantilevered artistic wrought-iron balconies dominate the old housing estate. This is either reinforced concrete, or cantilever beams made of metal, supporting the main plate.

Support structures are embedded in the wall by at least 0.5 m. Now they are often used in high-rise buildings. Cantilever products mounted on a reinforced concrete slab are made according to a cantilevered pin scheme with lower protection. This type of balcony is mainly placed in brick buildings. Aerated concrete or erected from ceramic blocks buildings do not allow the use of such balcony blocks.

The wrought-iron balcony with the image of birds looks very beautiful and original. He will express his closeness to nature and his commitment to environmental styling. If we turn to the symbolism of bird images, it is easy to find that traditionally they mean happiness and serene well-being. Regardless of any symbolic meanings, the bird will definitely decorate the surface of any facade. Sometimes figures are painted with gold paint or decorated with their patina to create exclusive compositions.

Some of the designers use single figures, but more often balconies and loggias are decorated with a whole composition. Often they try to fill it with some kind of plot, to show the interaction between individual birds. For a representative, chic house, you can use images of eagles and swans, for ordinary homes it is advised to use decorations with "fabulous" birds.

A cuckoo and a nightingale, placed on a viburnum branch, symbolize the continuation of the genus. The firebird (in more modern fencing - peacock) focuses on the splendor and elegance of the composition. The secondary meaning of such figures is the expression of family happiness and well-being. In the house for a young family, forged images would also be appropriate:

• pigeons;
• roosters;
• falcons.

The swallow is portrayed as a symbol of good mood. But forged items and individual items on balconies can also show land animals. Important: too large figures or images should not be used. It is necessary to take into account the universal laws of visual perspective. Animalistic motifs turn out to be an interesting and extraordinary solution for a balcony composition.

Properly selected figures attract the eye and add romantic notes to the decor. If you need to emphasize the unusual and grace of the composition, you should give preference for small fish images. They are especially appropriate on the balcony, which they plan to use for the holidays in a family or friendly circle, for parties. There are a lot of options for such a plot, and choosing the right one will not be difficult.

You can talk for a long time about different design options forged balcony. However, this does not negate the main problem - the choice of a good view of the railing. Their height, together with wooden elements, can be at least 1-1.2 m. Recommended design load per 1 linear meter m forged barrier must be at least 100 kg. This figure includes the mass of people using the balcony, the severity of things, as well as the wind load.

Any burrs, sharp edges, chips and the like are categorically unacceptable. Wooden parts should be well planed and sanded. The fence needs to be fixed both to the balcony itself and to the wall.

All these points are directly related to the safety of people and the comfortable use of a loggia (balcony).It is appropriate to write them on a sheet and use them when negotiations with suppliers or builders will take place. So less likely to miss some important nuance. If the basic requirements are met, you can choose any railing that will look good on the background of a particular facade.

Demand for solutions is growing steadily with panoramic glazing. It provides perfect visibility (in any case, much better than with conventional frame structures). But you need to carefully consider the design of such a room. When choosing it, pay attention to:

• type of glazing;
• dimensions of the balcony;
• its future use;
• design style.

When the balcony space is a continuation of the room and it is supposed to be used all year round, glazing is created from plastic or metal-plastic systems. This will provide a constantly comfortable microclimate.

A cold forged balcony without frames or with aluminum profiles is chosen if it is planned to be used only in the warmer months. Anyway glazed space is designed so that it visually combines with the appearance of other rooms.

Corner fences are used mainly on the balconies of corner apartments. But both the corner and the ordinary version of the balcony can have a "roof". In addition to corrugated board, the tops are decorated with ordinary or metal tiles. In any case, you need to pay attention to the external performance of individual metal parts. Some manufacturers, under the guise of expensive hand forging, sell products from standard parts.

The photo shows a simple wrought iron balcony. The originality of its appearance provides an elegant bend of the bars of the lattice.

The design can be different: with the use of darker metal, with knobs and with twisted ornaments in the middle of the railing height. The color of the metal fence is fully consistent with the color of the lower support platform. Together, it looks very original against a brick wall.

And here a completely different design decision - the designers deliberately abandoned the straight lines. Graceful curls add a romantic mood. Framing elements are not immediately apparent, but harmoniously connected with the main content.

And this composition is more like a luxurious aquarium. Decorated with curls and atypical geometric elements, the balcony captivates the imagination.

For more information on how forged railings are created on the balcony, see below.