FAQ - Fine Iron

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I contact you?

There are many ways to contact us and we are always happy to help! You can contact us via the contact page on our website, you can email us directly (info@fineiron.co.uk), or can telephone us during our normal working hours on 01874 636966. Our opening hours are 9am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday. You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, Houzz and Instagram.

Do you have a showroom?

We don’t have a dedicated showroom; however, you are welcome to visit our workshop by prior arrangement. We are located in the hills just outside of Brecon. To arrange a visit please don’t hesitate to call us on 01874 636966.

Where can I find designs, styles and more information about your Porches, Verandas and Canopies?

We offer a wide range of metalwork designs and styles to suit any property– for ironwork as individual as you! You can find more information about our range of porches, verandas and canopies including our typical sizes. All of our ironwork designs and roof options can also be viewed in our online brochure, which can also be downloaded as PDF.

What materials are your products made from?

Our typical Porches, Verandas and Canopies are handcrafted from solid steel – we would only use hollow section in some roof options. Certain elements maybe cast iron – such as our optional cast shoe covers. Our traditional style columns are generally made from cast aluminium please feel free to contact us for more information about this.
For materials used for roofing please see ‘What roof options are available?’

What colours can I have my finished ironwork?

Our Porch, Veranda and Canopy Ironwork is finished in our high-quality paint system, which has been painstakingly scrutinised and revised to ensure a long -lasting and high-quality finish. We are able to match any RAL no. colour you would like and generally there is no extra charge for this service. Our paint is available in a matt or sateen finish. You will be provided with a small tin of touch up paint with the delivery of your new ironwork.

Are you able to galvanise – I live near the coast.

Due to the intricate design features of our ironwork we recommend having a zinc thermal coating prior to painting. We can do this in-house, meaning we have full control over handling of the ironwork and time implications to the production program.

What is Zinc Thermal Coating? When is it recommended?

A zinc thermal coating is an equivalent to galvanising, however as it is sprayed on cold there aren’t the risks of warping often associated with the hot dip process. We would recommend this if you are in a coastal or exposed area, some customers choose to have this for a glazing bar roof as it can be tricky having to get to the bars to repaint them or touch them up.

What do you need to know in order to provide me with my personalised estimate?

Ok, so here is what we need to know: –
Some basic contact information including your name, email address, telephone number and the address.
If you are able to send a photo of where the ironwork is to be installed this can be extremely useful – ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ as they say.
Approximate dimensions these must include the width, the depth out from the building and the height to the underside of the roof. (Click to see example image)
The design of ironwork you would like, whether it is one of our existing designs or you have been inspired by a design you have seen elsewhere
The type of roof you would prefer and any accessories you would like to finish your ironwork off – such as cast shoe covers or our forest of dean stone plinths (please see our brochure for more information about the options available)

Do you install the ironwork?

The vast majority of our porches, canopies and verandas are installed either by our clients or by their own builder as this helps keep prices down for our customers and very often there are already contractors on site carrying out other works or landscaping etc. Our ironwork has been designed for ease of installation and we do supply full installation instructions with simple diagrams and fixings.

What are roof options are available?

Typically, we provide three options for porches, canopies and verandas. Our complete rolled roofs are the most popular choice for our porches and canopies, although the roof framework for covering in lead or copper is also very popular. For verandas some clients do choose the complete rolled roof option, but more commonly we would provide our roof framework for covering in lead or copper or our glazing bar roof framework, that can be used with zinc sheets, a combination of zinc sheets and glazing (often above doors or windows) or completely glazed. Again, in order to keep the cost down it is usually more economical for any lead work and/or glazing to be completed by a local tradesman.
(We offer an array of roof options to give you the freedom to choose what you prefer. Our most cost-effective option would be our galvanised mild sheet roof (see below for more information about this type of roof).
We can provide a roof framework which can be lined and leaded by your local roofer/ builder – we do not line and lead ourselves as we are not a roofing company and there are many styles of lining and leading, which are best worked through with a professional in that trade.
We also offer a glazing bar roof, which allows you to have a partially or fully glazed roof, this can be straight or curved with hipped ends. We do not supply the glass as we are not a glazier, but do supply the mild steel sheet for infill panels if required.)

Can you attach guttering to a galvanised mild sheet roof?

9 out of 10 of our porches, verandas and canopies do not have guttering. It is not possible to attach guttering to our complete rolled roof, it is rolled and folded and therefore doesn’t have a drip edge to throw water into the gutter. If you would prefer to have guttering, you would need to opt for a roof framework or glazing bar roof.

Can you line a galvanised mild sheet roof?

The galvanised mild sheet roof is rolled and folded from sheet and as such, the underside of the roof is the inverse of the top, there is no internal framework. This being the case, there is nowhere to attach lining to. You could however insert a ceiling or you could paint the inside of the roof a different colour.

Can you flash around the galvanised mild sheet roof using lead or similar?

Yes you can, in fact this is the preferred choice for many of our customers, owing to the fact that it’s more durable than using a sealant and gives that traditional finish.

How will my order arrive?

Once the ironwork is complete, we will contact you to arrange a convenient day for delivery on pallet via our trusted courier.
We take the utmost care when packing and your pallet will be made specially for your ironwork. However, we would always ask that the ironwork is unpackaged and inspected before the courier leaves. In the extremely rare event of any damages we would ask that you make us aware of this as soon as possible and send any relevant photos. (All of our Ironwork is photographed prior to leaving our workshop)

Is there a delivery charge?

Some of our customers prefer to collect their ironwork directly from our workshop in the heart of Wales, for others this may not be practical so we can arrange delivery via our trusted courier. Cost would depend on location and size and number of pallets needed to safely transport your ironwork.

Do prices include VAT?

All prices exclude VAT unless otherwise stated.

Do you keep any stock?

Everything we make is handcrafted to order by our highly skilled workmen to suit your unique requirements so we do not keep stock, apart from some of our accessories.

Can I return my order if I don’t like it?

All of our Porches, Verandas and Canopies are handcrafted to order to your chosen design and specified dimensions. Fully dimensioned drawings will be provided for you and/ or your architect/builder to sign off before the commencement of any work. This being the case we cannot take returns. In the unlikely event that there is a fault or error with the ironwork please contact us immediately. For further details please see our terms and conditions of sale.

What is your lead time?

This can depend a variety of factors including the size of the order and design of your ironwork also the amount of orders we currently have going through production in our workshop at the time you place your order. As an average a typical lead time can be anything between 8-14 weeks. We may be able to get you order out quicker if required, please ask at time of order.

What is included with my ironwork?

Included with any of our porches, verandas or door canopies are our easy-to-understand fitting instructions, fixings required to assemble the ironwork and even an Allen key!
If you or your builder have any queries when installing our ironwork, we are always on the end of the phone and are more than happy to help in any way we can!

What maintenance is required if any?

All of our ironwork is constructed using the best materials and the highest standard of manufacture and with a little maintenance will last you for decades. For more information about maintenance, please see our ‘caring for your ironwork’ page.

As with any natural product that has been painted for protection, particularly one that spends its life outside, ironwork does require periodic inspection and a little maintenance in order to keep it looking beautiful.

This is a very easy process:

We recommend a full visual inspection 6 – 10 weeks after installation to ensure there is no discolouration/oxidation from water ingress which may occur in some of the tighter joints, or from chips/scratches that may have been missed initially.
Frequency of subsequent inspections/maintenance will depend very much on local conditions but should be at least annually.
Any debris, leaves etc. should be cleared to prevent water getting trapped and sitting against the ironwork.
The ironwork should be wiped over with a damp cloth intermittently to remove any dust/dirt.
Any chips/scratches that occur in use should be touched up as soon as possible before oxidation occurs. We appreciate that you may not spot them straight away so if oxidation has already occurred, this can easily be remedied by gently and carefully rubbing back the affected area with a light abrasive pad/Scotch pad (such as those on the back of a washing up sponge), applying a proprietary rust inhibitor and touching up with the paint provided.

Installation - How to handle my ironwork?

At Fine Iron we want to ensure you are completely happy with your ironwork and it remains as pristine as when it arrived for many years to come.

In order to do that, please follow these simple guidelines:

The ironwork should be unwrapped on arrival in order to check the goods. If you do not intend to install the ironwork immediately it can be tempting to leave it wrapped for protection – please do not do this (refer to packing and delivery instructions for further information).
The ironwork components are very heavy. If they are placed directly on or against a hard surface (e.g concrete, brick, stone, paviours), either when unpacking, when storing it after unpacking prior to installation, or during installation, the weight if the ironwork on/against the surface can damage the paint finish. The damage to the coating may not be easily visible so you may not even think it requires touching-up with the paint provided but after a time oxidisation will occur and orange staining will become apparent on the surface. To prevent this happening, please ensure a suitable buffer is placed between the ironwork and any hard surface – this could be cardboard, a lint-free material or similar.
It is preferable not carry out any cutting/welding works, or any work that creates sparks or debris travelling at high speed, in the proximity of the ironwork but if this is unavoidable, please ensure you provide suitable protection and cover the ironwork beforehand. Sparks and debris will embed in the surface of the paint which are then highly likely to cause oxidation/rust to form.
Once installation is complete, wipe the ironwork over with a damp, lint-free cloth to remove any dust/dirt (this will also help you to spot any chips or scratches).
Chips and scratches to the ironwork will invariably occur during the installation process. This is perfectly normal and we provide small tin of paint with every order to enable these to be touched up (this can also be used to paint the heads of the fixings). Touching up should be done immediately or as soon as practicable following installation before any oxidisation occurs.
We recommend a full visual inspection 6 – 10 weeks after installation to ensure there is no discolouration/oxidation from water ingress which may occur in some of the tighter joints, or from chips/scratches that may have been missed initially.
In the unlikely event oxidation/discolouration occurs, this can easily be remedied by gently rubbing back the affected area with a light abrasive pad/Scotch pad (such as those on the back of a washing up sponge), applying a proprietary rust inhibitor and touching up with the paint provided.