Saturday

Metal Shelf Brackets - Use Them For Decoration

The very mention of metallic shelf brackets is very discouraging to most of the people, who imagine these to be just factory produced crude looking uneven pieces of angle iron that are often used to support shelving in manufacturing plants or garages. There is no doubt that such type of brackets continue to find wide application in and out of manufacturing industries but what is not so well known is the fact that there is large and beautifully styled collection of decorative brackets in different metals for being used a number of applications other than just supporting of shelves.

There is a vast variety of decorative brackets available in different metals like aluminum and steel and their respective alloys. We get sturdy cast iron brackets, forged iron brackets in unique designs and beautifully detailed aluminum brackets. Further, these metals can be treated to get different colors.

Materials Used In Decorative Metal Brackets

Aluminum Brackets:

Aluminum metal comes in silver white color. It is a good conductor of heat and electricity. Its alloys are extensively been used to replace a steel in a lot of applications involving hard, light weight and corrosion resistance parts. Some of the alloys have high tensile strength and durability and give the same technical feature as iron at one third of the weight of the latter. Strong and durable Aluminum bracket are prepared by casting from No 319 Alloy of aluminum

metal shelf brackets

Cast Iron Brackets:

Cast iron is characteristically brittle and hard. It can not be given a shape by rolling, pressing or hammering as is the case with wrought iron. Though hard and brittle by nature, it is capable of withstanding high compression loads. It derives its name from the fact that it needs to be melted and put to a cast to give it any desired shape. This feature makes it most suitable for mass production of items at low prices. From one mold you can make hundreds of copies.

Tole Iron Brackets:

Tole is made from iron by rolling it in thin sheets. This is then cut to different shapes and designs like leaves or flowers that can be welded to forged brackets.

Wrought/Forged Iron Brackets:

Forging is a process wherein a piece of heated iron is hammered down on an anvil to bring it to a desired shape. Designs are made from rods of wrought iron that are heated and bent to get desired effects.

wrought iron brackets

Ideas for Using Decorative Metal Brackets

Their availability in sizes varying from 4” to 24” makes corner brackets enables one to use them for a wide application, be it for supporting shelves and counters to framing windows and doorways. The beautiful designs them come in, is prompting for any one to give shape to his or her creativity.

Corner Brackets

Corner brackets present a very distinctive way of highlighting an ordinary looking doorway or a window. You just need to fix a pair of elaborate brackets at the corners of an opening to add decorative value to a doorway or an entrance. You could also use them in conjunction with posts to beautifully highlight your front or screened-in porch. You get these decorative brackets in a range of styles and are designed to give a rustic or traditional look. Whatever be you style, you are sure to come across some that meet with your discerning taste.

Counter Support Brackets

Beautifully designed and styled brackets in cast or wrought iron are available to go with any décor. Should you have any creative ideas, feel free to design something unique of your own! Primarily not meant or designed to support counter overhangs, their shape and strength is prompting for being used as replacements to wooden brackets or corbels. Quite many people, including some kitchen designers, have very successfully exploited them to bring in a feeling of freshness to their homes or kitchens.

Hanging Brackets

Decorative hanging brackets offer enormous possibilities of being used around the house, particularly in open spaces like your lawn or kitchen garden. Here’s your chance to demonstrate your creativity by putting them to use for supporting a plant or a bird feeder or even for hanging a candle holder.

Mailbox Brackets

One may explore the possibility of combining intricately detailed designs of aluminum and iron brackets to create an ornamental support for a mailbox.

Mantle Brackets

In stead of using the conventional wooden brackets, experience the thrill of using attractive cast or wrought iron bracket over the fireplace.