There are three reasons we see so many red American barns. It’s traditional, it’s practical and the color looks good.
Although a main reason to paint wooden buildings is for appearances, paint also protects the wood so it lasts longer.
During the 1700s and early 1800s, barns on family farms in the Northeast were typically covered with thick vertical boards. When they were left unpainted, the boards would slowly weather to a brownish-gray color. – Source
While you may not want to paint the outside of your home barn red… We have plenty of other wonderful paint colors to choose from.
