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Cemetery Ironwork Good Practice - Part 1

This page includes information on the treatment of iron, as well as a section to help you understand iron fence terminology. We also provide information on a few of the more common fence manufacturers who sold to cemeteries in the Southeast.

Understanding Iron

The two most common metals in American cemeteries are wrought iron and cast iron. Understanding the differences will help you better care for these materials.

Wrought iron (sometimes called puddled or charcoal iron) is the traditional material of the blacksmith. It is a mixture of nearly pure iron (less than 1% carbon) with up to 5% (but averaging about 2.5%) siliceous (glassy) slags that take the form of linear fibers. It resists corrosion, is not brittle, and seldom breaks. It soft, relatively malleable and easily worked. As a result it is often found as delicate artwork.

Cast iron has a high carbon content (usually around 3%) that is easily poured into molds -- resulting in its use to replicate fence details. It is hard and brittle, and hence unsuitable for shaping by hammering, rolling, or pressing. When fractured, cast iron often has a gray, grainy appearance.

There are other metals found in American cemeteries, such as mild steel (cheaper than wrought, but exhibiting far less resistance to corrosion and unsuitable for repair work) and zinc (sometimes mistakenly called white bronze).

Retention of Original Elements

Every effort should be made to retain all existing ironwork at historic cemeteries, regardless of condition. Replacement with new materials is not only aesthetically inappropriate, but often causes galvanic reactions between dissimilar metals. When existing ironwork is incomplete, a reasonable preservation solution to repair and maintain the remaining work rather than add historically inappropriate and incorrect substitutes. If replacement is desired, salvage of matching elements is preferred over recasting. Replication is typically not an appropriate choice since it is by far the most expensive course of action, and is often done very poorly.

Securing Elements

Owners of cemetery ironwork should be aware that there is a growing illicit market for cemetery gates, fence sections, benches, and ironwork. It is critical that you take steps to ensure that all materials are appropriately secured against theft. There is an article that will help you secure your gates available from the National Park Service (and written by Chicora's director, Dr. Michael Trinkley). The techniques in that article can also be adapted to secure fence sections and other ironwork. A critical component of your maintenance plan should be to inventory and photograph your resources -- so you know what you have and, if necessary, can later identify elements as belonging to your cemetery.

What you never want to do is simply leave items leaning up against a tree in the cemetery. If the ironwork looks abandoned it is an easy target for thieves.

(Part 2 - continued on following page)

Chicora Foundation, Inc., PO Box 8664, Columbia, SC, USA, 29202, 803-787-6910

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