why are barns red or black?

Answer 1

I was in Kentucky last spring and saw lots and lots of barns painted black. I, too, wondered why, so I asked one of the local people.

He said the black kept the barns warmer, making it better for drying tobacco.

Red, of course, was due to inexpensive paint as others have stated.

Answer 2

Although most people could care less. It's actually an interesting question.

Black Barns are usually found in northern areas where the black color can absorb heat to keep the barn warm.

Red is chosen in some areas because of the types of pigment color found in the various plants or soils in the region going back hundreds of years ago.

A similar reason could be asked as to why barns have differnet shapes in different areas of the world. It's all an evolutionary process usually born out of a practicality and now upheld as a tradition or prefernece.

Answer 3

Never seen a black barn. Barns usually are dark red or white because the paint's cheap and it looks nice rather than say, a blue barn?

Answer 4

Barns used to be painted red because that was the cheapest paint (most affordable) you could buy 100 years ago. Now they are painted red more out of tradition then anything else..

Answer 5

Black is creosote. It is cheap, weatherproof and lasts a lifetime. Everything you'd want from 'paint'.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creosote

The red is ferric oxide. It is also cheap and will not fade.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferric_oxide

So cheap and long-lasting is the reason.

Answer 6

red paint was cheaper, simple as that.