A client in the Philadelphia area was building a rustic modern farmhouse. For the porch railings and front step railings they wanted a design that enhanced the rustic modern décor. So, we provided them with a rustic farmhouse railing! They had utilized reclaimed barn beams for the porch posts, which really accentuated the rustic atmosphere of the front porch as well.
The clients and builder visited our gallery and shop to explore the infinite number of railing designs possible. After reviewing many options, they gravitated towards a simplistic iron railing design. It entailed straight, vertical pickets with a forged double C-scroll on one end. The finish we offered was CIW-2135-I; which is an extremely resilient and authentic iron railing finish. The railing finish starts with the product being sandblasted to a white metal finish, then washed with extremely tough wash mixtures. To finish, the entire railing project is immersed in zinc at 835 degrees for only a matter of minutes.
We then remove the iron railings from the “kettle”, and molten zinc completely encapsulates the railing sections. This provides a very high level of corrosion resistance. The railing finish is then cleaned up and brush blasted for inter-coat adhesion. A special heat and paint approach is utilized for an authentic old-world aesthetic. When completed, this iron railing finish resembles a wrought iron railing project done 100 years ago.
We also utilized this exact railing design for the front step railings. We created railing sections were to fit between the existing posts. Also, there was concern about water going into the end grain of the reclaimed barn beam post. So, we created a custom post ball cap in the same finish as the iron railing. We really enhanced this rustic modern farmhouse in Philadelphia with a visually authentic railing for the clients and others to enjoy for many years to come!
