Article: Wrought Iron Garden Furniture | Weather Protection Explained
Wrought Iron Garden Furniture | Weather Protection Explained
One of the most common questions we get asked about our wrought iron garden pieces is some version of the same thing: will it last in the British weather? It's a fair question. The UK is not kind to metal. Rain, frost, salt air, damp winters, and the occasional surprise heatwave. Our climate asks a lot of outdoor furniture and garden structures.
The short answer is yes. The longer answer is worth understanding, because the way our wrought iron pieces are protected goes well beyond a simple coat of paint.
What is EDP Coating and Why Does It Matter?
EDP stands for Electro Deposition Primer, sometimes also called e-coating or cathodic electrodeposition. It's the same protective process used by the automotive industry to protect car bodies from corrosion, and it's the reason our gates, arches, gazebos and garden structures are able to withstand the British climate year after year.
Here's how it works. The metal piece is submerged in a bath of primer solution and an electric current is passed through it. The current causes the primer particles to migrate and deposit uniformly across the entire surface of the metal, including every recess, joint and intricate detail that a brush or spray gun simply cannot reach. The result is a seamless, pinhole-free protective coating that bonds directly to the metal at a molecular level.
This is why EDP coating is so superior to standard powder coating or paint alone. Rust begins where protection ends, at a joint, in a crevice, beneath a decorative scroll. EDP coating eliminates those vulnerable points entirely.
The Full Protection Process
Our wrought iron pieces go through a multi-stage protection process before they ever reach your garden:
- Shot blasting. The raw metal is shot blasted to remove any mill scale, rust or contamination, creating a clean, keyed surface for the primer to bond to.
- EDP priming. The piece is submerged and electrodeposited with primer, achieving complete coverage including all internal surfaces and intricate metalwork details.
- Powder coating. A final layer of powder coat is applied and heat-cured, providing the colour finish and an additional layer of UV and weather protection.
- Hand finishing. On our vintage and antique-finish pieces, the surface is then hand-distressed to achieve the characterful aged appearance, but the protective layers beneath remain fully intact.
The result is a piece that looks beautifully weathered and aged on the outside, while being genuinely protected from corrosion on the inside. It's the best of both worlds: the authentic character of aged iron without the vulnerability of unprotected metal.
What About the Decorative Rust Finishes?
Some of our pieces, such as the Vintage Arch with Gates in Green Rusty, the Bee Gazebo in Orange Rustic, and the Planter Trolley in Orange Rust, feature a deliberately rusty aesthetic. Customers sometimes worry that these pieces are actually rusting and therefore unprotected. They're not.
The rusty appearance is a carefully crafted finish applied over the protective EDP primer and powder coat layers. The rust effect is decorative and stable. It will not spread, deepen or compromise the structural integrity of the piece. Beneath the surface, the metal is fully protected.
This is what allows us to offer pieces that look as if they've been standing in a French garden for a century, while actually performing like modern, well-engineered outdoor furniture.
Caring for Your Wrought Iron Pieces
Our wrought iron pieces are genuinely low maintenance. But a small amount of care goes a long way:
- Wipe down occasionally with a damp cloth to remove dirt and debris, particularly in autumn when leaves can trap moisture against the metal.
- Check fixings and joints once a year and tighten any bolts or screws that may have worked loose over time.
- Touch up any chips in the powder coat with a matching outdoor metal paint to maintain the protective layer in areas of high wear.
- In extreme weather, covering larger pieces with a breathable outdoor cover during prolonged harsh winters can extend the life of the finish.
- For painted finishes, a light application of clear wax or outdoor metal sealant once a year will deepen the colour and add an extra layer of protection.
Beyond that, our wrought iron pieces are designed to be left outside, year-round, in all weathers. The EDP process takes care of the hard work. Your job is simply to enjoy them.
Built for British Gardens
Every gate, arch, gazebo, pergola and garden ornament in our wrought iron collection has been chosen and tested with the British climate specifically in mind. We don't compromise on the EDP process because the alternative is a piece that looks beautiful for one season and disappoints for every one that follows.
Our wrought iron pieces are made to become permanent features of your garden. To age gracefully, to carry climbing roses through decade after decade of British summers, to be the thing your family points to and says: that's always been there.
