Farmers would commonly refer to barn size in terms of bents and the rule of thumb was one bent will hang half an acre of tobacco. In some areas, bents were called "rooms," even though this just defined a narrow and tall division of the inside of the barn by the tier poles.
What is the standard size of a barn bent?
The bents ranged in vertical spacing from 20 inches to five feet wide. The bent itself became an important earmarker in determining crop volume. Farmers would commonly refer to barn size in terms of bents and the rule of thumb was one bent will hang half an acre of tobacco.
What are the bents in a barn called?
In some areas, bents were called "rooms," even though this just defined a narrow and tall division of the inside of the barn by the tier poles. In North Carolina, for instance, bents were called rooms, and a typical barn for curing flue cured tobacco was four rooms in size.
What is a “bent”?
A “Bent” is the basic building block of a post and beam home. It is made of structural beams that form a cross section through the building. Bents are typically spaced between 12′ and 16′ apart and are connected together with joists and purlins to give the house its shape.
What is a tobacco barn bent?
The bent itself became an important earmarker in determining crop volume. Farmers would commonly refer to barn size in terms of bents and the rule of thumb was one bent will hang half an acre of tobacco. In some areas, bents were called "rooms," even though this just defined a narrow and tall division of the inside of the barn by the tier poles.
What are the parts of a barn called?
COMMON RAFTERS-Light, inclined timbers, which are supported by purlins and which support the roof cover. CUPOLA-Small, tower-like structure on roof providing additional light and ventilation. EAVE-Lower overhanging edge of a sloping roof. FOREBAY-Eave side over-hang of upper level of the barn.
What are old barns called?
One of the most common barns in the American landscape, prairie barns (also called Western barns, one of which is pictured above), were the barn of choice for farmers in the West and Southwest because large livestock herds required great storage space for hay and grain.
What do you call the second floor of a barn?
Loft - A second story wood floor supported by beams and joists. In barn construction, different type of lofts are used.
Whats the top of a barn called?
A cupola is a tower or dome projecting out of the roof of a structure, and there's no doubt that they add an interesting architectural flourish to any building.
Why do old barns have gaps between the boards?
Original siding contributes greatly to the historic character and appearance of agricultural buildings and is often a good indicator of their age. Thick, wide boards with spaces between sheathed the earliest barns, the spaces providing light and ventilation inside the barn.
Why are barns left to fall down?
More than a few barely still qualify as freestanding structures. However, unlike houses, churches and commercial buildings, which might be renovated multiple times, a barn is commonly left to the inevitable process of entropy — until a fire, snowstorm or stiff gust of wind reduces it to ashes or a pile of lumber.
Why do old barns have an overhang?
Generally oriented to a southern exposure, the projecting forebay provided cooling shade to the livestock during the summer when the sun was at a high angle, and provided heat and sunlight during the winter, when the sun was at a lower angle.
What is the little house on top of a barn called?
A cupola is a small tower or dome-like feature projecting from the top of a barn roof. Ranging from large and ornate to small and simple, cupolas typically have three parts: the base, the vents and the cap.
Why do barns have doors up high?
In older style North American barns, the upper area was used to store hay and sometimes grain. This is called the mow (rhymes with cow) or the hayloft. A large door at the top of the ends of the barn could be opened up so that hay could be put in the loft.
What do you call a barn with no sides?
What are called Dutch barns in the United Kingdom are sometimes called a hay barrack in the U.S., a specific type of barn developed for the storage of hay. They have a roof, but no walls.
Why are barns red?
Rust was plentiful on farms and because it killed fungi and mosses that might grow on barns, and it was very effective as a sealant. It turned the mixture red in color. When paint became more available, many people chose red paint for their barns in honor of tradition.
What is a barn cupola?
Cupolas were originally designed to add natural light and ventilation to the area under a roof. They sit on the ridge of a roof and can be found in many shapes, including square, round, and octagonal. On barns, they're meant to allow a continuous flow of air into the hayloft, helping to dry the hay.
What are barn houses called?
barndominiumIf you're looking for a home with plenty of room, space to work and get dirty, perhaps it's time to consider a barndominium, or barndo. A barndo is just what it sounds like—a barn that has been converted into a living space.
What is an agricultural barn?
Agricultural building means a structure designed to house farm implements, hay, grain, poultry, livestock or other agricultural products.
What's the difference between a shed and a barn?
The Difference Between Barns and Sheds Barns are primarily used for housing farm animals like horses, sheep, pigs, and livestock. They are also used to store agricultural tools and feed such as hay and grain. Sheds are often used to store outdoor household necessities like mowing equipment, lawn tools, and ladders.
Why are old barns so tall?
Many of the oldest gable barns had a thatched roof. Thatched roofs are basically a tight bundle of stiff straw. If rain water was allowed to sit on the roof it would eventually leak through. Therefore these barns needed to have a very high pitched roof so that rainwater would not sit and soak through.
What is bent in construction?
Rather, bents are simply cross-sectional templates of structural members, i.e., rafters, joists, posts, pilings, etc., that repeat on parallel planes along the length of the structure. The term bent is not restricted to any particular material. Bents may be formed of wooden piles, timber framing, steel framing, or even concrete.
What is a bent timber frame?
Traditional timber frame bents were one component of a braced frame in timber framing. Historically, mortise and tenon joints were used to joint bents to posts and beams due to the unavailability of nails. Bents are generally pre-assembled, either at the timber framing company's shop or at the construction site.
How are bents lowered?
After the basic post and beam structure of the frame has been set in place, the bents are then lifted and simply lowered into place one by one by the crane. Next, the workers bring in additional members, purlins, which tie them together and give the frame a more rigid structure. This process is very safe and efficient, as it allows a crew to assemble a large portion of the frame without ever stepping off the ground. This, in turn, minimizes the amount of time that the crew must spend several stories in the air clambering along beams not much wider than their own feet.
What is bent in architecture?
Bent (structural) A bent in American English is a transverse rigid frame (or similar structures such as three-hinged arches ). Historically, bents were a common way of making a timber frame; they are still often used for such, and are also seen in small steel-frame buildings, where the term portal frame is more commonly used. ...
What is the Dutch word for "bind"?
The Dutch word is bint (past participle gebint ), the West Frisian is bynt, and the German is bind. Compare this with the term bend for a class of knots. Bents are the building blocks that define the overall shape and character of a structure.
What is the Dutch side of a beam bent?
A mixed type of bent framing in the Netherlands. The left side is in Dutch is framed as a dekbalkgebint (roof beam bent) and the right side is an ankerbalkgebint (anchor beam bent). Image: Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands.
Where is the anchor beam bent?
An anchor beam bent in the Netherlands. Image: Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands.
What is a tobacco barn?
The tobacco barn, a type of functionally classified barn found in the USA, was once an essential ingredient in the process of air- curing tobacco. In the 21st century they are fast disappearing from the landscape in places where they were once ubiquitous. The barns have declined with the tobacco industry in general, and U.S. States such as Maryland actively discourage tobacco farming. When the US tobacco industry was at its height, tobacco barns were found everywhere the crop was grown. Tobacco barns were as unique as each area in which they were erected, and there is no one design that can be described as a tobacco barn.
Why do tobacco barns have vents?
The vents are used to slow the drying process down which allows for a critical chemical break down to occur, turning the leaf from green to yellow to brown. To maintain ideal curing temperatures over the course of the curing process, farmers not only rely on the vents but on heat. While charcoal fires have been replaced in many barns with propane heaters, both methods help reduce moisture. With all of the variables that can impact the curing process, it is no wonder that the unique design of the tobacco barn has remained constant as a time-tested method for drying tobacco.
What are the elements of a tobacco barn?
Design elements which were common include: gabled roofs, frame construction, and some system of ventilation. The venting can appear in different incarnations but commonly hinges would be attached to some of the cladding boards, so that they could be opened. Often the venting system would be more elaborate, including a roof ventilation system. In addition, tobacco barns do cross over into other barn styles of their day. Some common types of barn designs integrated into tobacco barns include, English barns and bank barns.
What is a tobacco shed called?
In the Connecticut River Valley (Tobacco Valley) which extends through Connecticut, Massachusetts and up to Vermont, the curing "barns" are properly called "sheds" (tobacco sheds). The term "barn" is exclusively used to refer to structures that house livestock in this area (New England).
What does "so bent" mean?
a : different from the normal or usual … she was so bent that she's probably a woman who ought to be locked up somewhere … — Robert Redford
What is the synonym for "bent"?
Choose the Right Synonym for bent. gift, faculty, aptitude, bent, talent, genius, knack mean a special ability for doing something. gift often implies special favor by God or nature. the gift of singing beautifully faculty applies to an innate or less often acquired ability for a particular accomplishment or function.
When was the word "bent" first used?
First Known Use of bent. Noun (1) 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1. Adjective. 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1. Noun (2) 1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1a.
