Many people think the term “cast iron” refers to all early iron work, or that early iron work was always “wrought”—or that both may be true.
These are misconceptions, and the basic distinction between the two is simple:
Cast iron is iron that has been melted and poured into a mold and allowed to cool
Wrought iron is iron that has been heated and then worked with tools
In other words, their names define how they’re formed. But that’s a simple distinction.
Cast iron and wrought iron are often defined by how the materials are formed. But they differ also in their material composition.
Cast iron is formed by smelting iron ore, or melting pig iron (the product of iron ore extraction), and mixing with scrap metals and other alloy ingredients.
Wrought iron is often characterized by its fibrous appearance, but it’s also softer and more ductile compared to cast iron.
