There are a lot of ways to decorate a wooden beam. One way is to get plastic siding, another is a stick-on siding, but a Decorative Wrough Iron Trim sheet approaches the pinnacle of beauty and luxury. Other materials include aluminum and some sort of brass, but black iron just seems so rustic and appropriate for houses that prefer wood and picket fences over a more modern design.
Decorative Wrough Iron Trim can be obtained from different vendors, but a single website brings all these options into one place. Choose from a variety of patterns and thicknesses. Thinner sections go well on siding while thicker sections can form part of a fence row and can be attractive support for vining plants. It is a luxury anyway, but slightly ticker trim is easier to nail through and to support itself. Unlike brass, iron is more likely to fracture than puncture unless it is rolled thin.
The great thing about this type of decoration is that it is fancy without being too feminine. It is appropriate for the attitude of any homeowner, and it even looks somewhat masculine in many places if it is not overdone. The pattern maters as well, but iron has historically spoken of strength. It does not look floral but strong and sturdy. Black looks good in many situations.
There is a difference between cast iron and mild steel that has been rolled and cut to shape. Cast iron is highly granular and varies in thickness. It looks more expensive because of the three dimensional quality to the design, and indeed it is more expensive to cast and used more material. It can be strong but is more likely to fracture than bend. When mounting, it is best not to try to drive nails through it.
True wrought iron has folds and tends to be flexible. Truly wrought iron is rare because of the expense of manual labor, and in the decorative market, the term is generally applied to wrought iron and cutout trim. Some types of trim are hybrid, with a cast design attached to metal bars that are really pressed and formed steel.
There are advantages to using mild steel instead of cast iron. It can be easily cut into many shapes, does not corrode nearly as quickly, and it is also much stronger. Thinner pieces can generally be nailed through and are more likely to bend than they are to fracture. That said, a rolled metal sheet can break if bent repeatedly, and care should be taken with straightening a bent piece.
