Useless Knowlede of the Day

I sometimes post about some little tidbid that I either recalled from the back of dusty brain or it catches my eye.

Why are most barns painted red?

This tradition began in Europe and migrated with European farmers to America. Farmers would paint their barns red because red paint was easy and inexpensive to make. It also dried quickly and protected the wood from the elements.

By combining milk, linseed, oil, lime, and ferrous oxide (rust), farmers were able to create a paint that hid dirt well and protected the wood by killing fungus, mold, and moss. The tradition continued even after commercial paints became readily available because red paint was still inexpensive to manufacture.

By the way, white paint, also inexpensive to make, is another popular color for barns.