Re-roofing the 1880s barn: what color?

[EssexFells]

This year we are replacing the current galvanized metal roof on the barn and adjacent garage/shop with new (also metal). Will be sticking with the red walls.

They’re both large roofs, especially the barn-- totally dominant in the overall view of the farm from any angle. I’m worried white will seem too blinding. These pictures are right after a recent snow, so it’s a good approximation!

Our house has a black metal roof but when I did a mockup of black roof on these outbuildings it looks weird:

I dunno, maybe a cream / off-white color? WWCD?

[clanter]

@EssexFells

maybe a cream / off-white color?

From my youth I just remeber how stunning the barns at Hermitage Farm in Goshen Kentucky always stood out…the barns are Black with Red Trim and an off white/cream metal roofs… all fencing (and there are miles of it) is Black four or five board

I grew up nearby and always admired those barns

Your barns if maybe adding a Black trim I believe would be just as impressive

[lenapesadie]

I kinda like the bright white! Cream or off white would be nice too. The bright white likely won’t stay blinding bright white for very long anyways if that’s any comfort?

As an aside, is that a barn quilt?

[NaturallyHappy]

We used silver to better reflect heat. I think it helps…they used to be dark green.

[B_and_B]

What about a brown that approximates cedar shingles?
I can’t really ‘see’ a white roof. Off to Google…

[Bluey]

@NaturallyHappy

We used silver to better reflect heat. I think it helps…they used to be dark green.

Straight silver galvalume seems to be considered best all around for here.
Any other, all those pretty colors, are preferences, but as far as lasting and protecting from heat and cold changes, plain galvalume seems to be best.

That is what our builder put in our house, the one made for standing seam for houses and straight galvalume in the barn.

[SonnysMom]

My first thought was grey/silver.

[PaddockWood]

My barn roof has a silver color too. Helps reflect heat. Your barn looks pretty with that light roof color.

[EssexFells]

@lenapesadie

As an aside, is that a barn quilt?

Yes, I like to paint barn quilts. My husband, however, is less enamored of hanging a heavy plywood 4x4’ on ladder 20ft up.

I painted a new one last spring because that one in the pic above was getting overly weathered.
This one’s a ‘dutch rose’ pattern-- I like how the pattern seems dynamic. One day you’ll look at it and see folded book pages, another day you’ll see diamonds arranged in a star.

[lenapesadie]

Those are both smashing! I love them!

[EssexFells]

Yeah, this might be the right answer-- just go with galvalnized again. I actually like the look of the current galv roof (well, if it weren’t so pitted and rusty, but not its fault, it’s 50+yrs old). But after several major storms over the last 2 years, both buildings have developed leaks, so it’s time to get this fixed.

[colorfan]

Agree, white or black too much. If it were me I would go with a darker green. Would not call attention to itself but pleasant when noticed. I think it would be complimentary to the shade of red, on my monitor it looks brickish red?
Very lovely setting!

[2DogsFarm]

I like the white.
An older red barn here just got a new white metal roof (& windows) & looks very nice.

Your quilts are awesome!
I’d love one for my barn, just need to pick the right distelfink

[FitToBeTied]

Be careful of the bright colors and how the sun hits them. Friends had a silver metal roof and in the afternoons it was blinding walking to the barn.

[Bluey]

@FitToBeTied

Be careful of the bright colors and how the sun hits them. Friends had a silver metal roof and in the afternoons it was blinding walking to the barn.

Galvalume is more of a dull silver, not shiny like a mirror, an aluminum silver shade.

None of ours has ever been shiny enough to blind you, but maybe other colors do?

First picture big barn roof, second house.
They tend to change a little hue when cloudy, looking more light grey than aluminum color:

[frugalannie]

In what state are you located? My suggestions would be to drive around and look at other barns the size of yours (which are lovely, BTW) and see what you like/ don’t like. Here in New England, you’d likely see dark brown, or slate gray because roofs were either slate or cedar shingles until they were replaced by composite shingles or metal roofs.

[candyappy]

White for the roof metal. I can’t even fathom putting black on a metal roof? Might " look " interesting but I can’t imagine how much hotter it would be inside with the sun beating down all day in summer???

[EssexFells]

@2DogsFarm

I’d love one for my barn, just need to pick the right distelfink

Just googled “distelfink” and that would be gorgeous. I’ll have to stick with (mostly) straight lines-- don’t have the talent to paint all those birds and swirly things.

That said, I donated one for the historic country church on our road, which had just put up a new pole building for wedding parties on the property. Because there’s a big Irish history with this settlement, I put a claddagh symbol in the center and ornate celtic crosses at each corner. About halfway through I was seriously questioning why I’d volunteered that particular design.

Nice thing though is that minor mistakes aren’t really apparent once it’s up on the building. Any squiggles in your line can be chalked up to “rustic character”

[EssexFells]

Good idea! Here in Iowa the accurate historic look would be cedar shingles which is not remotely in my budget (even with some grants that are available to old barn restorations). Unfortunately there are precious few of these old barns around anymore.

I also want to see if we can just put new metal over the existing roof. Extremely unlikely, I know. Just hate to think about what issues we could cause by tearing the old one off, and the building with its 12" old timber posts can more than handle the weight.

The other thing that’s keeping me awake is wondering How. Many. Damn. Nails. are going to be unleashed upon my barnyard. Ugh. makes me want to just pave the whole thing with concrete when they’re done LOL

[B_and_B]

Lol on the nails! We redid the front wall of our barn this year: an 1870’s barn, badly hacked to be a garage in the 1940s, taken back to its original post and beam construction and layout. (And I do mean original post and beam style) We were finding nails for weeks! Even with a careful builder and sweeping magnets. The funny thing is that most were ancient, rusted out ones that must have shaken out of the walls. But they just kept appearing. Drove my husband nuts as he has a thing about nails and horses or nails and tires.