12 STEP FINISHING PROCESS
Nothing matches the look of a well-made, wrought iron iron door. The weight, the detail of the artisanal wrought iron, the stately effect it lends to any building comes together to create the most enviable door and entry space. A lot goes into creating these works of art. Not many people understand the craft, the history, and the process that is behind every iron door we create.
Here at Forever Custom Iron Doors, we have mastered and honed the process of crafting beautiful iron doors for any structure using any style, be it modern or classic for over a century. We spare no expense in making the finest iron doors the industry offers- and we do it all while keeping our prices very competitive. Most of our clients remark how much more affordable their new door was than they had expected.
But how do we do it? The answer is, we begin with the best material available, iron. Unlike wood and fiberglass doors, iron doors will never warp, can be fully corrosion proofed, and will never rot. It is the easiest and the most cost-effective material to refinish. It comes with a lifetime structural guarantee as well as a host of luxury handles, locks, hinges, and fittings- every one a work of art.
But none of this tells you how we produce our award-winning iron doors. The answer is our time-tested, proprietary finishing process. This is the secret to producing the world’s finest wrought iron doors for demanding clients all over the globe, and it’s our pleasure to explain it to you here.
Forever Iron Doors’ Finishing Process
Step 2: Zinc Coating: In step two, we coat the iron door with a special hot, zinc phosphate. This has the benefit of providing a rust-proof barrier with a handsome silver tone which can be utilized and accentuated later on if desired.
Step 3: Drying: Step number three takes our unfinished product into the oven for the first time. There, excess moisture is removed and the zinc phosphate becomes more secure on the surfaces of the door.
Step 4: Coat Welding: In step four, we weld any existing seams using steel putty. This ensures that any structural imperfections or weaknesses are eliminated, and it gives our artisans an additional opportunity to add any special flourishes that may be desired.
Step 5: Sanding: The steel putty beads we laid down in the previous step will be raised above the surface of the door naturally. So it is necessary to sand them down until they are flush with the overall surface of the door.
Step 6: Oxide Coating: Now, we spray two coats of red-oxide using an electrostatic application method. The red-oxide spray is a specialized anti-rust primer and the electrostatic spray method ensures that the coat goes on as evenly as scientifically possible.
Step 7: Baking to Cure: At this point, we bake the door at 365 degrees Fahrenheit for twenty minutes. This allows the coatings we’ve applied so far to cure and become even more solid and secure.
Step 8: Automotive Coat Base: Not willing to let any of our hard work go to waste- or to lose any of that precious iron to accident or the elements- we then spray on two coats automotive-grade powder. This becomes our base coating for the final finish which is still in process.
Step 9: Finish Baking: To set our achievements “in stone,” at this point we bake the door again at 365 degrees Fahrenheit, for 20 min.
Step 10: Hand Finish Application: Now we apply our specialized artisan faux finish, which is always done by hand. At this point, the final product is really beginning to shine, and our artists get to put some of the final brushstrokes into their latest masterpiece.
Step 11: Protective Coating: Not willing to risk our artisans’ valuable and painstaking handiwork- we apply another two coats of protective exterior urethane for maximum protection from the ravages of ultraviolet light.
Step 12: Final Curing: Finally, we bake the door again at 365 degrees Fahrenheit for the final hardening and final finish. Once the door is cooled, we give it a full inspection and prepare it for shipment to its final destination.