When we deconstruct a barn, we're not just salvaging lumber — we're engaging with a piece of American history. The barns of the Midwest represent one of the great vernacular building traditions in North America, and understanding their architecture helps us appreciate the wood we reclaim.
The earliest barns in Iowa and surrounding states (1840s-1870s) were simple crib barns — rectangular structures with log or heavy timber frames. These barns used whatever wood was locally available: white oak, elm, and cottonwood were common in Iowa. The framing was typically hand-hewn, with mortise-and-tenon joinery held together by wooden pegs.
The classic bank barn appeared in the 1860s-1890s, built into hillsides so that the upper level could be accessed from the high side while livestock entered from the lower level. These barns were larger and more complex, requiring significant timber: a typical bank barn might contain 15,000 to 25,000 board feet of structural lumber.
By the 1880s-1920s, the gambrel-roof barn had become the dominant style across Iowa. The gambrel roof allowed more usable hay storage in the loft without increasing the building footprint. These barns were usually built with a combination of hand-hewn and saw-cut timbers.
The early 1900s also saw the rise of round and polygonal barns, which were promoted as more efficient for dairy operations. These unusual structures used curved or angled framing that's particularly interesting to reclaim — the beams often have unique angles and profiles.
Several factors contributed to the decline of these barns: the mechanization of agriculture made smaller barns obsolete, property consolidation reduced the number of working farms, and modern pole buildings offered cheaper alternatives. Iowa alone has lost an estimated 50-70% of its pre-1940 barn structures since 1980.
Every barn we work with tells us something about the people who built it — the species they chose, the joinery they used, the dimensions they preferred. We try to honor that heritage by handling the lumber with respect and finding it a worthy second use. In a very real sense, the woodworking skills of 19th-century Iowa farmers live on in the reclaimed beams and boards we supply today.