 The unsuitability of unarmored iron for warship hulls meant that iron was only adopted as a building material for battleships when protected by armor . However , iron gave the naval architect many advantages . Iron allowed larger ships and more flexible design , for instance the use of watertight bulkheads on the lower decks . Warrior , built of iron , was longer and faster than the wooden @-@ hulled Gloire . Iron could be produced to order and used immediately , in contrast to the need to give wood a long period of seasoning . And , given the large quantities of wood required to build a steam warship and the falling cost of iron , iron hulls were increasingly cost @-@ effective . The main reason for the French use of wooden hulls for the ironclad fleet built in the 1860s was that the French iron industry could not supply enough , and the main reason why Britain built its handful of wooden @-@ hulled ironclads was to make best use of hulls already started and wood already bought . 
 The unsuitability of unarmored iron for warship hulls meant that iron was only adopted as a building material for battleships when protected by armor . However , iron gave the naval architect many advantages . Iron allowed larger ships and more flexible design , for instance the use of watertight bulkheads on the lower decks . Warrior , built of iron , was longer and faster than the wooden @-@ hulled Gloire . Iron could be produced to order and used immediately , in contrast to the need to give wood a long period of seasoning . And , given the large quantities of wood required to build a steam warship and the falling cost of iron , iron hulls <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> increasingly cost @-@ effective . The main reason for the French use of wooden hulls for the ironclad fleet built in the 1860s was that the French iron industry could not supply enough , and the main reason why Britain built its handful of wooden @-@ hulled ironclads was to make best use of hulls already started and wood already<a href='been_done' title='2'><mark></mark></a> bought . 
The unsuitability of unarmored iron fir warship hulls meant that iron was only adopted as a building material for battleships when protected by armor . However , iron gave da naval architect many advantages . Iron allowed larger ships and more flexible design , fa instance the use of watertight bulkheads on tdalower decks . Warrior , built of iron , was longer and faster than the wooden @-@ hulled Gloire . Iron could be produced to order and used immediately , in contrast to the gotta give wood a long period of seasoning . And , given thdaarge quantities of wood required to build a steam warship and thedallin cost of iron , iron hulls was increasingly cost @-@ effective . The dan reason for the French use of wooden hulls for the ironclad fleet built in the 1das was that the Frdah iron industry could not supply enough , and the main reason why Britain built its handful of wooden @-@ hulled ironclads was to make best use of hulls already started and wood already done bought .