Barns

Barns served as the central hub of the first farms that arose across Europe. Then, as settlers arrived in America, they rebuilt their barns following the patterns of earlier years. Today, it is still possible to see the many different styles of barns that dot the country.
Barns were as important, if not more, to farmers as their... more »

Pole barns are a great way to add space to a living area without the costly addition of a garage or home extension. Pole barns can be used for a variety of purposes, and can provide adequate and safe storage for large home items, animals and farm equipment. Made from wood or steel frames, pole barns often consist of galvanized roofs... more »

Mice are small creatures, but they can do big damage. If you have mice infesting your barn you could have a few problems. First, the mice could be eating your animal's feed. Second, the mice could scare your animals. Third, the mice feces and urine carry nasty diseases that both you and your animals can contract. It is important to... more »

Oil base paint is rarely used any more for painting a home's exterior because acrylic (water-based) paints have improved and are more durable. Additionally, oil based paint is a lower quality now, since it has been changed to conform to EPA standards. It is still used for painting interior trim because nothing equals the gloss and... more »

Most lumber is plain sawn, meaning that a series of parallel vertical cuts are made completely through the log. As the cuts near the sides of the log, the grain crosses the lumber at an increasingly acute angle, yielding boards that will cup toward the sapwood side while drying. Quarter sawn lumber is cut so that the wood grain... more »