Cast iron furniture - review

Cast iron products are manufactured by melting pig iron and pouring the molten metal into a mould, often formed by pressing a patterned shape into casting sand. It is a classic manufacturing procedure, dating from the industrial revolution.

Cast iron is a heavy and durable material. It is not suited to furniture which will be moved around but is very well suited to furniture which is intended to remain in one position. Since cast iron tends to be cold and lumpy, many manufacturers use cast iron for supports, timber for slats and marble for table tops. Cast iron is used to manufacture chairs, benches, tables, urns and planters.

The most famous cast iron items are the fern bench and the nasturtium bench, originally made by the Coalbrookdale Company. Few modern furniture designers work in cast iron but there is a lively trade in antiques and in reproductions of antique cast iron furniture designs.