The Amish people of the U.S., who live primarily in New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana, are unique in that they shun most regular appliances -— everything from cell phones to cars -— are very religious, and live in close-knit communities that are largely separated from the rest of society.
Why are Amish goods so highly sought after? There are a few reasons their work has come to earn high accolades. Amish furniture is known for its quality of both workmanship and material. Their goods are not manufactured in a large plant, but in small communities, where each piece is given detailed attention.
Although Amish furniture has been popular for many decades, it’s only lately that Amish barns and sheds have begun to truly catch on with people who are tired of poorly constructed garages, barns and sheds and interested in spending money on true, lasting quality. Here are a few things you should keep in mind if you are thinking about purchasing Amish built barns and other outdoor buildings.
The Characteristics of a Shed You’ll Need to Consider in Choosing Yours
- Insulation. How important insulating properties are depends on what you’ll be storing. For more temperature sensitive materials, you don’t want to accidentally create a hot-box. Lighter softwoods tend to be better insulators. Heavy woods, on the other hand, tends to transfer heat very quickly.
- Rot resistance. Rot has been the end of many a good barn, so it’s worth paying attention to building principles that help prevent it from forming. Amish storage barns with bark still attached to them might seem visually interesting, but it is practically an invitation for rot.
- Stability. Wood has a tendency to either expand or contract depending on the weather. The woods that resists this best are the lighter, softer woods.
Signs of Quality in an Amish Built Shed or Barn
- You want to look for buildings constructed from top grade lumber. This makes wood less likely to warp, split, and expand over time.
- Alos crucial? Low-maintenance features. You want to have to touch up the paint every 10 years or so, not once a summer.
- Proper overhang is important -— this is how far the edge of the roof extends beyond the walls. It should be even all the way around, and ideally about 16 inches in length. When overhang is too short, water from the roof is more likely to pool at the bottom of the building, encouraging rot to form.
- For Amish horse barns that have to withstand the daily activities of large animals, strength is very important. For this reason, Brazilian hardwood and Southern yellow pine are both popular choices for building Amish horse barns.
Are you looking at Amish horse barns, garages, or sheds? Let us know in the comments.
