Considering adding a wrought iron fence or gate to your property with spears on each of the pickets? It is a beautiful look, but sometimes will lead you to this question: Should I go with plastic or iron spears? Iron spears are definitely more common, but it is also just as common to see an older fence or gate with missing or broken iron spears. As they age and with improper care, the iron spears can rust and break off easily. Because of this, plastic spears have become a great alternative. And while the impact of a basketball flying at a spear could likely cause damage to either an iron and plastic one, replacing a plastic spear is far easier and cheaper than replacing or fixing an iron one.
The issue of whether to go with plastic or iron spears is really a not an issue at all when you look at the facts. When you install iron spears the welds undoubtedly will never look exactly the same. Whereas if you use plastic spears you simply have to hammer them down onto the pickets and never have to worry about it being nice and smooth or not. Each one will have a consistent clean look at the bottom of the spear where the picket meets the base. Another advantage to using plastic spears over iron spears is that plastic spears do not need to painted and do not rust. This will keep the overall look of your fence up and you will not have to worry about the maintenance of your spears. Other huge advantages to going with a plastic spear as supposed to an iron is the fact that these spears whether they are plastic or iron will break off when contacted with things such as basketball, volleyball, or other items that could get snagged and pull them off the top part of the spear. A break or repair of an iron spear will require a welder to go out to the site, with a welding machine to remove the existing spear by grinding it off and re-installing a new one having to weld it on site. Whereas with a plastic spears you can quite simply hammer it off, purchase another one from us (for approximately $.75 per plastic spear plus shipping and handling) and hammer it right back onto your iron picket yourself and save any kind of minimum charges that would apply with getting a crew to have to go back out and install a iron spear.
Please feel free to give us a call at Fencemaster of Houston if you have any other questions about iron or plastic spears, 713-692-2781. We would also love to talk to you about any of your fencing needs! Our salesmen are always ready to speak with you and give you a quote for your future fence!
