Some fences do a job. An ornamental steel fence does the job and changes how the whole property reads, which is why it shows up on the front of campuses, pool decks, and homes where appearance carries real weight.
We install Ameristar Montage ornamental steel fencing across Tulsa and northeast Oklahoma, and it is the ornamental line we quote most. This guide covers what Montage is, where it fits, and how to choose the right configuration for your property.
What Sets Montage Apart from Old-School Iron Fencing
Traditional iron fencing was assembled from parts: pickets fastened to rails with screws or brackets that eventually loosen, rust, and invite tampering. Montage panels are different in one fundamental way. They are factory-welded steel panels, with pickets fused to the rails rather than fastened.
That construction difference drives everything people like about the product:
- No exposed fasteners. Nothing to back out over time, and nothing for a would-be climber to unscrew.
- Strength without bulk. Welded connections keep the panel rigid while the profile stays light and open.
- A coating system built for weather. Corrosion-resistant coating over the steel keeps the fence looking finished for years, not seasons.
- Panels that follow the ground. Montage panels rack to follow grade changes, so the fence line stays parallel to the ground on the sloped lots northeast Oklahoma is full of, without stair-stepped gaps.
If you are weighing ornamental steel against true custom wrought iron, our answer on ornamental iron vs wrought iron breaks down that trade-off, and our answer on what an Ameristar Montage steel fence is gives the quick version of this guide.
Choosing a Montage Configuration by Application
Montage comes in multiple picket-top styles, from clean flush tops to extended spear-top pales, along with rail counts and heights suited to different jobs. Rather than memorizing series names, choose by what the fence has to do.
| Application | Typical Configuration | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Residential front yard or accent | 4 to 5 foot, decorative picket-top style | Defines the yard and elevates curb appeal without closing off the view |
| Pool enclosure | Configuration matched to barrier requirements, with self-closing gate hardware | Ornamental steel is the standard where safety codes and appearance both matter |
| Full perimeter with pets | Taller panel, tighter picket spacing where needed | Containment with sightlines, and no fasteners for a determined dog to work loose |
| Commercial frontage | Taller commercial-grade panels, 3-rail strength | Professional appearance with real perimeter control |
| Security perimeter | Extended spear-top pales, commercial height | Difficult to climb while keeping surveillance sightlines open |
At your estimate we bring the style and height options that fit your property, and our project gallery shows Montage installs across the metro.
Heights, Rails, and the Structure Behind the Look
Two structural choices shape every Montage install, and both are worth understanding before your estimate.
Height. Residential Montage typically runs 4 to 5 feet, which defines the space and contains pets while keeping the open feel that makes ornamental worth choosing. Commercial and security applications step taller, subject to your city’s zoning rules. Our fence permit guide covers how height rules work across the metro.
Rail count. A third rail stiffens the panel, which matters as heights climb, spans lengthen, and duty shifts from decorative to perimeter control. On commercial frontage and long runs, the 3-rail configuration is usually the right call, and it slightly changes the look, so we bring both options to the estimate.
Where Montage Beats the Alternatives, and Where It Does Not
An honest comparison sells Montage better than a pitch does.
- Against chain link: Montage wins on appearance and climb resistance, chain link wins on budget for long utility runs. We broke this down in our chain link vs ornamental comparison.
- Against wood privacy: different jobs entirely. Wood blocks sightlines; Montage preserves them. If you want privacy, you want cedar, and some properties use both: wood around the living space, ornamental along the frontage.
- Against custom wrought iron: Montage delivers the iron look with modern coatings and welded consistency at a friendlier number, while true custom wrought iron still owns fully bespoke designs. Our ornamental vs wrought iron answer covers the trade-off.
Montage for Pools: Where Code and Curb Appeal Meet
Pool fencing is where ornamental steel earns its keep twice. Pool barriers carry height, gap, and gate hardware requirements, and a Montage enclosure meets the moment without making your backyard feel fenced in.
Self-closing and self-latching gate hardware is added where needed, and because pool barrier requirements vary, confirm the specifics with your city, HOA, and insurer. Our answer on pool fence requirements covers the basics.
Montage for Commercial and Security Applications
On commercial properties, ornamental steel solves the problem chain link cannot: it secures the perimeter while looking like part of the architecture. That is why it fronts medical centers, churches, office buildings, and campuses across the metro.
For security-driven sites, the vertical pickets, called pales, do the deterrent work. Extended spear-top pales rise above the top rail to discourage climbing, tighter pale spacing eliminates footholds, and the welded, rail-secured construction resists removal, all while keeping full visibility for cameras and patrols.
We compared the two most common commercial contenders in our chain link vs ornamental fencing post, our answer on the best fence for security covers the decision factors, and our high security fencing page covers the engineered systems beyond standard commercial ornamental.
Gates That Match the Fence
A Montage fence deserves a gate that continues the line. Manufacturer-built Ameristar gates match the panel styles for walk and drive openings, and for openings that call for something the catalog does not cover, we build custom welded ornamental gates in our own shop.
On commercial sites, ornamental swing and slide gates pair with automated operators and access control. Our fence gates page covers the options, and our answer on automatic gate openers explains the commercial automation side.
How Montage Handles Oklahoma
Northeast Oklahoma throws wind, ice, heat, and expansive clay soil at every fence we build, and ornamental steel is well suited to all four.
- Wind passes through. The open picket profile takes very little wind load, a real advantage in a region where sustained wind works on solid fence panels year-round.
- The coating handles the weather. The corrosion-resistant coating system stands up to our freeze-thaw cycles and summer heat without the maintenance a painted iron fence demands.
- Rackable panels follow the grade. Sloped lots get a continuous fence line with no stepped gaps at the bottom.
- The posts still decide everything. Like every fence in Tulsa clay, ornamental steel lives or dies at the footing. We set posts to spec for the soil, the height, and the panel load.
The Install Details That Decide Year Ten
Montage panels arrive consistent from the factory. The variables are all in the installation, and they are where an experienced crew shows.
- Post setting in Tulsa clay. Expansive soil works on every post through the wet-dry cycle. Depth and footing size have to match the soil and the panel load, not a generic spec sheet.
- Layout and spacing. Ornamental fencing is unforgiving of sloppy spacing, because every panel is identical and the eye catches any post that drifts.
- Racking on grade. Getting a racked panel line to flow smoothly down a slope, instead of kinking at each post, is layout craft. Our guide to fences on slopes shows why grade handling separates installers.
- Gate posts. Gates carry live loads, so their posts get bigger footings and more concrete than the line posts around them.
What Drives the Cost of a Montage Fence
We do not price from a chart, but the drivers are consistent, and knowing them helps you budget before the estimate.
- Linear footage and height. The perimeter sets the baseline, and taller panels with heavier structure raise the per-foot number.
- Style and rail count. Decorative profiles, extended spear-top pales, and 3-rail configurations each move the price.
- Gates. Walk gates, drive gates, and automated commercial entries are often the largest variable on the project.
- Terrain. Racking panels down a slope takes more layout care than a flat run, and rock or access issues affect labor.
The comparison that matters is lifecycle cost. A Montage fence asks almost nothing of you for decades, and that low-maintenance span is where it earns back its premium over cheaper fencing.
Maintenance: What Montage Owners Actually Do
Not much, which is the point. An occasional rinse keeps the finish clean, a periodic walk of the line catches gate hardware that wants adjustment, and that is the realistic maintenance calendar. There is no staining cycle, no picket replacement, and no repainting ritual like old-school iron demanded.
Our answer on low-maintenance fencing puts Montage in context with the other easy-keeper options we install.
Why Have Empire Fence Install Your Montage Fence
We are the largest fence company in northeast Oklahoma, and we have installed Montage across the metro, from Broken Arrow and Owasso to Jenks and Bixby.
Panel quality is only half of an ornamental fence. Post depth, footing size, spacing, and grade handling are the installer’s half, and they are what determine whether the fence line looks crisp in year ten. Our crews build to our exacting installation standards, and on residential projects the finished fence is reviewed by our QA inspector, with most qualifying new installations earning our Gold Seal Certificate of Excellence.
New installations are backed by our 1-year workmanship warranty, and Ameristar’s manufacturer warranty passes through on the product, subject to the written warranty terms.
The Bottom Line on Ameristar Montage in Tulsa
If the fence will be seen, and you want security or definition without a wall, Montage is the strongest option we install: welded construction, a weather-ready coating, panels that follow Oklahoma terrain, and styles that run from front-yard decorative to security-grade spear-top. Pair it with the right gates and a properly set foundation, and it is a decades-long asset to the property.
Ready to See Montage on Your Property?
Walk your property with our team and compare Montage styles and heights against your goals and budget.
- Get an instant quote for your project in about 60 seconds.
- Schedule your free estimate and see style samples in person.
You can also reach us directly at (918) 437-1671.
Empire Fence installs Ameristar Montage ornamental steel fencing across Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Owasso, Jenks, Bixby, and northeast Oklahoma. Explore our Ameristar page and commercial fencing page to see what we build.
