Sheet Metal Barn Siding vs. Wood

Married2Allis · Mar 9, 2015

I see a lot of barns in Pennsylvania getting re-sided with sheet metal to cover or replace the wood planking. Sad to see the original beauty get covered up, kind of like Miss America wearing a shower curtain. I know that most folks have a really tight budget, but how much cheaper is metal?

Mike Groom · Mar 9, 2015

I don't think the metal cost is the big thing,I
think upkeep might come into play,you do it once and
it's pretty much finished.It's sad to see the old
wood disappear but I like to see them being saved
other than have the roofs and sides collapse and be
gone forever.

larry@stinescorner · Mar 9, 2015

Ijust painted some of the barns last fall,the wood does get bad,and I Replaced some of it,what I could,,hopefully the paint will hold for a awhile

Cory Schmidt · Mar 9, 2015

Sometimes its cheaper to sheet then to paint. wood will keep soaking in, with no results, unless painted regularly. And if insurance has their way, paint or sheet a barn that's caving in and its insured: leave it weather and fix so it stands good, NO insurance for you for lack of up keep.

Yes I have seen this many cases. Our barn and few like it no paint no insurance. Barn near by painted good on outside (can't trust walking inside) insured by SAME COMPANY that won't cover ours. I saw a few times the barn actually caved in or roof boards(sometimes rafters too) blew right off with steel, yet boy did it have a good paint on the walls.

rick1 · Mar 9, 2015

it depends on what you are going to use it for.the
temperature inside a building will be higher in
the summer time than a wood sided building.
RICK

M Nut · Mar 9, 2015

We had our 1900 era barn re roofed and sided with new door
and windows two years ago. Went with steel roof, siding, and
doors. Vinyl windows. In my opinion it turned out great and it is
virtually mantinance free. That's worth a lot to me. Now I'm
slowly redoing the inside to better fit my calving needs. We
installed a nursing pen with a head gate and flip up side
panels for allowing newborn calves to nurse, also installed a
new head gate and chute for assisting in difficult births. Now
we are redoing the pens with alley ways and new swinging
gates. Took an old building that I really don't think would have
lasted many more years and turned it into something that will
hopefully last as long as I am farming. Yes, it's nice to see the
originals, but upkeep is not cheap or easy.

john in la · Mar 9, 2015

I was quoted $1.79 per linear foot for painted rib steel roofing/siding like they use on pole barns.
It is 29 gauge and has a 45 year warranty on the paint.
That's 0.5966 per square foot.

You would be hard pressed to find sheet siding (plywood) for that price never alone roof shingles or dimensional lumber siding.

JD Seller · Mar 9, 2015

Well good hemlock wood siding installed is just about four times the cost of steel siding and you still have to paint it regularly.

I would rather see a barn sided/roofed with metal and still be standing over just letting the "wood" siding rot off an the whole barn fall in.

Bret4207 · Mar 10, 2015

I'd like to put steel on my barns. It's not a cost factor as far as initial purchase, it's longevity and wind proofing. The rain and snow get driven into the barn despite the board and batten because wood shrinks, loosens on the nails and decays. Upkeep is a bear with wood. It would simply look a lot better, (my barn isn't pretty), last longer, stand the weather better and be marginally warmer in winter.

Zachary Hoyt · Mar 10, 2015

I use wood because we have a sawmill so it is very cheap. Around
here you can buy 1x lumber for 50 cents a board foot or maybe
less, and galvalume is $1.79/lf last I knew, so the price is very
similar. I have never painted board and batten siding. I just let it
weather and figure on replacing it in 20 or 30 or 40 years. The
local Amish don't paint theirs either.
Zach

M Nut · Mar 10, 2015

All of what you said is very true. I am amazed at how weather tight our 110 year old barn is with the new steel roof and siding. It used to leak like a sieve and had snow blow in all over. Now in an utter down pour, not a drop of water, no snow in blizzards, and you can hardly hear the wind let alone feel it. It cost me $25,000 to hire out and have it all redone the right way, and I don't regret doing it. I'm 36 years old, and confident it will outlast me.

fixerupper · Mar 10, 2015

The discussion about steel being near maintenance free is the main reason people go to steel. I plan to put steel on my old board and batten barn as soon as I get around to it and some cheap used roofing steel falls in my lap. I would think sheet steel siding would also make the building stronger though I have no way to prove it.

hd6gtom · Mar 10, 2015

The local barn historians really throw a fit when someone takes a 125 year old barn and covers it with steel. In a way they have a point, but they are not the ones who have to paint it and constantly maintain it. Most farmers don't have a flock of kids to do this kind of work like we did in the 1950's and 1960's.

ObsoElitist · Mar 10, 2015

When i bought this place I re-rooofed all 4 buildings in steel, and the shop i build will be all metal too. I dont want to have to do roof repair when i get old, and love it when snow slides off.

Leroy · Mar 10, 2015

The Amish use steel.

Sheet Metal Barn Siding vs. Wood

Married2Allis

Well-known Member

Mike Groom

Well-known Member

larry@stinescorner

Well-known Member

Cory Schmidt

Well-known Member

rick1

Member

M Nut

Well-known Member

john in la

Well-known Member

JD Seller

Well-known Member

Bret4207

Well-known Member

Zachary Hoyt

Well-known Member

M Nut

Well-known Member

fixerupper

Well-known Member

hd6gtom

Well-known Member

ObsoElitist

Member

Leroy

Well-known Member

Similar threads