Why are Barns painted red?

[stuckmotor]

I I saw a similar explanation somewhere. It continues to puzzle me as to how they make the paint a darker red than the clay. Maybe the old homemade paint was a lighter shade.

I have always heard that it came from farmers making a home made paint. They would take skim milk and mix red clay with it and somehow it stuck, and the clay was quite weather resistant. So that started the tradition. It would be interesting if someone volunteered to try this and reported back on it.

 

[jonnmero]

I I saw a similar explanation somewhere. It continues to puzzle me as to how they make the paint a darker red than the clay. Maybe the old homemade paint was a lighter shade.

Here in Scandinavia you can buy that kind of paint ready-made, although using it is quite a process. falu-rodmaling. And when one liter (a quart) only covers 2 -3 sq m, it takes a lot of paint. But when done it is supposed to last for at least 20 years. Had plans on doing it to my house (which is at least 120 years old, maybe from the 1860's), but after seeing the price of the paint, combined with the preparations, I have settled for 'ordinary' house paint.

 

[stuckmotor]

When I think about it, most of the old barns around here don't seem to have been painted at all. Farmers were lucky to be able to paint their houses.

 

[riptides]

I looked around where I am at. Most (including mine) are white. My neighbor, though, while not "technically" a barn, has most his "buildings" red.

Personally, white "looks" newer, fresher.

 

[jonnmero]

I looked around where I am at. Most (including mine) are white. My neighbor, though, while not "technically" a barn, has most his "buildings" red.

Personally, white "looks" newer, fresher.

Huh, REAL BARNS are red!

 

[cqaigy2]

Huh, REAL BARNS are red!

Ha, i was just going to say that.

 

[frottoir]

You dopes. Farmers are Cincinnati REDS fans. Red like a rose -- Pete Rose. You can bet on that. And besides that red light wakes you up quicker. I am painting my new barn Green because I won't go see major league baseball anymore -- too Hollywood. Now I am a Dayton Dragons minor league fan. And everybody knows Dragons are green.

 

[tomwo]

I read, and it makes sense to me. Barns were originally painted with some type of oil, often linseed oil to protect the wood. To add some color farmers added what was the cheapest and easiest to obtain. Namely rust. Yes, they simply added rust from a bucket of nails etc. to give color to their work.

 

[jonnmero]

I read, and it makes sense to me. Barns were originally painted with some type of oil, often linseed oil to protect the wood. To add some color farmers added what was the cheapest and easiest to obtain. Namely rust. Yes, they simply added rust from a bucket of nails etc. to give color to their work.

If you check out particle-size in rust in a bucket of nails and the quantity you'd need, you'll find that your idea doesn't stand scrutiny. Some places had ochre which is also an iron oxide, containing silicates and zink, which was ground to get much finer particles. Have a look here to get a general idea, if you're interested: falun-red-paint

 

[DFB]

I told you guys my well water runs thru ochre that stuff stains everything...especially a white toilet bowl :laughing:


Good thing mine's platinum grey

Here's a interesting Native New England history link

Stone Structures of Northeastern U.S. - Prehistoric - Colors