Know About The Barns And The Why Red Colours Is Used To Paint It

Barns are potential warehouses used for storage purposes near or on farms. When you go to the rural and remote areas, you often come across such barns that are used to house cattle and livestock as well as other equipment. Sometimes these buildings are also used to store fodder and grain. The covered workplace is often used for activities such as threshing and also known as a dairy barn, sheep barn, tobacco barn or potato barn, and more.

When you drive through the rural areas, you often see red barns that stand out like a speckle in the farming landscape. We have stated the story behind the color for you in case you have wondered why these barns are often painted in red.

The Story Behind The Red Barns

Centuries ago, the farmers in Europe used linseed oil to seal the wood on their barns. The yellowish-brown oil is derived from the flax plant seeds. The European farmers created a mixture of milk and lime and linseed oil to create a long-lasting paint that not only dried quickly but took no time to harden up. Even today, the linseed oil is used as a wood sealant in home-improvement stores. The red color you see on the barn is not the bright red but a kind of burnt-orange red. Theories behind the red color of buns:

The blood of the slaughter

There are different theories behind how the barns turned traditionally red. One theory is that the richer farmers added blood of the slaughter to get the red color and when the paint dried, it turned into a darker, burnt red.

Addition of ferrous oxide to the oil mixture

Another theory states that farmers added ferrous oxide to the oil mixture. Regardless of how and why the farmer got his paint ready for the barn, the red color became like a suitable color for the barn, and every farmer was painting his barn only in red.

Became a fashionable thing

Perhaps, it became a fashionable thing as the red colour stood out in clear contrast to the traditional white farmhouse. When those European farmers moved to America, the tradition of red barns followed them, and soon there were red barns in America too.

Gradually, when chemical pigments were developed by the late 1800s as paints, the red colour was cheaper and hence the colour wad frequently used by the farmers. However, today, you may still see barns in red, but there can be other colour variations. A lot relies on how the barns are used. Another essential element to keep the barn safe and protected is Barn lime.

The Use Of Barn Lime

• Ammonia can be a source of problems for livestock such as respiratory and immune system issues. Barn lime can help get rid of ammonia and those smells and keep the indoor space all clean and dry. Barn lime is usually very cheap and affordable. Just clean the whole place before using the lime on the floors and other surfaces.

• The agricultural building often outside on the farms is exposed to harsh climate conditions that can cause irksome moisture in the barn. The moisture can further lead to issues like mould, insects, and other problems.

• One effective way to keep the barn dry, clean, and free of moisture is with the use of dairy lime. Also known as barn lime, the lime is a mix of crushed up limestone or Calcium Carbonate that can dispel the smell of ammonia due to odors in barns and stalls because of the livestock waste.

 Keep the indoors and outdoors of your barn cleans, dry and protected. Damp and unclean conditions are an invitation for troubles. Color your barn read if you want to stick to the traditions!