why have barns always been painted red?

Answer 1

Not all barns were painted red, but many were red as the paint was more affordable and durable for such an important building. (This was before paint could be readily obtained in any color imaginable.)
"Many barns in the northern United States are painted red with a white trim. One possible reason for this is that ferric oxide, which is used to create red paint, was the cheapest and most readily available chemical for farmers in New England and nearby areas. Another possible reason is that Ferric Oxide also acts a preservative thus painting a barn with a paint rich in this pigment helps to preserve one of the most important structures on a farm."

Answer 2

Centuries ago, European farmers would seal the wood on their barns with an oil, often linseed oil -- a tawny-colored oil derived from the seed of the flax plant. They would paint their barns with a linseed-oil mixture, often consisting of additions such as milk and lime. The combination produced a long-lasting paint that dried and hardened quickly.

Farmers added ferrous oxide, otherwise known as rust, to the oil mixture. Rust was plentiful on farms and is a poison to many fungi, including mold and moss, which were known to grown on barns. These fungi would trap moisture in the wood, increasing decay.

As European settlers crossed over to America, they brought with them the tradition of red barns. In the mid to late 1800s, as paints began to be produced with chemical pigments, red paint was the most inexpensive to buy. Red was the color of favor until whitewash became cheaper, at which point white barns began to spring up.

Now people may paint thier barns red for a traditional look.

Answer 3

The practice of painting barns red goes back hundreds of years when farmers used to make their own paint using a combination of linseed oil, milk and rust. The rust was added to prevent mold from growing in the mixture—and that's what gave it the red color. In keeping with tradition, many barns are still painted red using modern-day red paint instead.

Answer 4

Barns were painted red becuase it was convient. The farmers used animals blood to paint their barns. It was plentiful and conveint. When it was time to sluaghter the animals, the farmers would use their blood for paint. It was not expensive, plentiful, and did the job. Simple discusting fact but true.

Today, the fashion has just carried on with the generations but they now use commerical produced paint.

Answer 5

The Red Barn in the Green Field, so that the farmer can see his beloved barn from his distant home, would not fly away all of a sudden...

Answer 6

I think the substance they have in the paint/pigment helped protect the wood. And also, red is easy to spot from afar.

Answer 7

Because red was always the cheapest color. Same reason that schools used to always be red.

Answer 8

actually farmers would take rust shavings and mix it in therefore giving it that red colour.

Answer 9

so the animals can see it LOL