traditional barn finishes

I see many barns in the northeast here that have the most beautiful brownish, black but still undoubtedly red color to the siding. It is really the most appealing finish to me and I am sure it has a lot to do with the fact that they are quite weathered already. Still I wonder if anybody knows the technique that the builders of these early barns used to provide the finish that I am describing? I know of the technique of using creosote to stain the siding but I believe this produces the dark blackish brown siding that seems to last forever. I see many of this type in the area as well and it is quite beautiful too , but I believe it is also illegal as well now. Still I much prefer the nice dark uneven blood-red( perhaps they did even use blood from slaughtering in the finish stain-paint) finish that i am describing here that seems to be some sort of stain-paint blend as well as years of weathering that produces this finish.. Anyone have any knowledge of traditional finishes and techniques for application on barn siding perhaps even the type that I am describing?? tb

Hey,TB
I don't know about the traditional stain in North America, but in Sweden, the famous red houses and barns were made from the by-products of a copper mine near the town of Falun. The name of the colour is Falu Red.



They still produce the paint there, apparently it's dirt cheap, too.

Thanks timber goddess. what an awesome clor and tone on those buildings. I love it. I am quite surprised more people have not had any input on this matter.?, as it seems to go right along with the naturalist, traditionalist concepts of timber framing itself. tb

I believe that it's red oxide pigment in linseed oil.
B

HI TB
This is a fascinating subject, I worked along with an historic painter or 2 in my time, One from Holland, and the other of English extract.

Red was a very common colour for paint, and for dying wool for cloth.

Red paint was formulated using a red iron oxide powder pigment mixed with linseed oil and white lead. The white lead now has been replaced with white powdered chalk, making it very enviromentally friendly.

The red colour for dying wool was formulated using cochineal a red bug from South America.

I have heard stories, and read accounts that the early settlers used the Thick fresh milk from newly calved cattle, as a basis for what was referred to as milk paint in which they mixed the red oxide powder.

Today of course the Barn red paint is readily available and mimiks the red paint of yeateryears gone by.

One thing that you will find is that the modern red paint will change rapidly back to its basic clours when exposed to the sun's rays, it will eventually change to an orange, and yellow.

I hope this helps

NH

TG,

Do you have any more pictures of Swedish buildings or homes?

I don't have any on my computer, but I have many in books... I suppose I could dig them out and scan them, as my luck in googling the ones I know isn't very good.

One of my favorite homes in Sweden is the one of artist Carl Larsson:


I'm having a hard time finding a good pic of it.

Here's a couple more of some other places...

on the subject of Scandinavian finishes, I have heard of one including a component of Pine Tar. Does anyone know anything about this?

Hello, first post:)

I have used a varnish using ground up pine rosin dissolved in alcohol. It works pretty well, and does darken the wood somewhat, depending on how much you use and how thin you make the consistency of the mix.

Jesse Frank

Here's an 1820 paint recipe I just ran across, from the Russian American Company, used here in Sitka. The recipe was deemed good enough to send across the Pacific, back to company headquaters in Russia.
I'll include only the imperial equivalents.

"Paint for wooden roofing or walls
16 mugs or 2 buckets

6.5 gal water
1.8 pounds green vitriol
13 cups red ocher or yellow ocher
13 cups sifted rye flour

"From the two buckets of cold water, remove two mugs and dilute the flour in it. Put the remaining water with the vitriol and red ocher on the fire and when it boils add the remaining water and flour. Stirring constantly, boil the whole mass until it will begin to coat a board evenly and thickly.
"One should apply this compound hot, but the roofing or wall at the time of painting should be in the shade, because if the compound is heated with the sun's rays while painting or if the walls will be heated, the compound will come off.
"Cover with this compound once, and repeat no sooner than after a year, and not two times running.
"Do the same if yellow ocher is used instead of red."


I'm not sure if Glidden will start up a new line...

Zach

Thanks all. What is this red iron oxide powder that you speak of? where did the old timers get it? and are you able to still get it today? I fancy the idea of mixing your own paint as I think I might be able to get a more natural, already aged look than if I used the paints of modern day as the are just too perfect looking lacking the character that we love to see in the old barn siding that people now pay a premium price for. Any else mess around with mixing their own traditional finishes or am I the only crazy guy who would waste his time doing so? Thanks again everyone. tb

Cool thread. I do not know much of paints but I think I might be able to help a little with the red iron oxide powder. I think Iron ore might be the cause. Ferric Oxide (ferrum: latin for iron) is found in hematite. hematite is red due to the oxidation of the iron in nature. i believe you can quarry it. I do not know how you could make the powder except for maybe crushing it?.

You can get red iron oxide from the ground, if you've got it, like from some forms of hematite, and from limonite, but it's easier to order it from a pottery supply:)