QA

How To Make A Wooden Barn Quilt

What kind of wood do you use for barn quilts?

Just about any type of plywood can be used for making a barn quilt, but you will get the best results out of working with a smooth surfaced plywood, like signboard. If you can’t get a signboard, then a sanded softwood plywood or MDF (medium-density fiberboard) will work almost as good.

How do you make a rustic barn quilt?

What do I need to make a barn quilt?

Supplies used: pressure treated plywood (cut to 4′ square in store, or whatever size you choose to make your barn quilt) 2×4’s to brace the back for hanging. L-brackets. outdoor marine paint in colors of choice (they’ll tint it in-store for you) paint brushes and rollers in various sizes. painter’s tape (optional).

What size are barn quilts?

Many traditional barn quilts are eight-foot squares, but the space available on my barn wasn’t quite so big. I scaled down so that my quilt was built upon a 4′ x 4′ piece of 1/4” plywood base, and planed 1×8 pine boards.

What is a barn quilt block?

A Barn Quilt is a large piece of wood painted to look like a quilt block and hung on the exterior of a barn, house, garage or other building. The majority of Barn Quilts are made of solid colors and comprised of simple geometric shapes such as squares, rectangles and triangles.

Do barn quilts need to be sealed?

Keep going until your whole design is painted with at least 3 coats of color. Again, apply at least 3 coats of paint. Do not put a sealer or varnish on the barn quilt. Varnish will turn the colors yellow, and a sealer of any kind will prevent retouching, which you may want to do at some point.

Why are quilt patterns painted on barns?

Barn quilts began as a way to honor a loved one with a gorgeous piece of folk art. In Adams County, Ohio, in 2001, Donna Sue Groves set out to honor her mother, Maxine, and her quilt art by painting a quilt block on her tobacco barn. The idea was a hit, and soon friends and neighbors wanted painted quilts of their own.

What do you seal a barn quilt with?

All my Barn Quilts are finally sealed with a water-based Protective Sealer. This is the final step to making your American Garden Barn Quilt weather resistant. I don’t use any type of polyurethane as this can discolor your barn quilt over time.

Can you use acrylic paint on barn quilts?

Materials. 1 piece Plywood or beadboard cut to 4′ by 4′ Or any size you want, square recommended. Several colors of paint Leftover house paint works, acrylic craft paint also works fine – you will be surprised at how little paint it takes really.

How much does a barn quilt cost?

What does it cost to have a barn quilt? The average cost is $350 which is for an 8′ X 8′ block. Depending on the size of the barn and distance from a public road, the block may be smaller or larger.

What is the best size for a barn quilt?

Since a sheet of plywood is 4′ x 8′, the Columbia County barn quilts are primarily 8 feet square, which is a nice size for most barns. For an 8-foot barn quilt, volunteers design a 3-inch border around the outside edge of the quilt.

What are the geometric designs on barns?

Barn Quilts are simple geometric shapes (quilt blocks from quilting patterns) that are painted on wood and hung on buildings. Although most are traditionally displayed on barns, they can be and are hung on various buildings including homes, cabins, yard barns and even stores.

Who started the barn quilt?

Barn Quilts Started with Donna Sue Groves in 2001. Contrary to common myth, Donna Sue was not a renown Amish quilter from generations past, but a contemporary quilter in Adams County, Ohio. Donna Sue, being the sweetheart she was, wanted to create a project to honor her mother, Maxine, and her Appalachian heritage.

What’s the story behind barn quilts?

Barn quilts are the brainchild of Donna Sue Groves of Adams County, Ohio. A breast cancer survivor, she wanted to do something in honor of her mother, a celebrated quilter, while sprucing up her barn at the same time. In 2001, she painted a wooden square like a traditional quilt block and hung it on her mother’s barn.

What is the Appalachian Quilt Trail?

The Appalachian Quilt Trail boasts more than 130 quilt barns. Headquartered in Rutledge, it stretches some 300 miles across 19 counties, piecing together farm stands, art galleries, and small businesses from Englewood in McMinn County to Kyles Ford in Hancock County.

What are the square symbols on barns?

Some of the squares, like Groves’, are created to honor or remember a quilter. Parron related the story of one woman who created a barn quilt in the Dutch doll design that had special meaning for her mother.

What kind of paint is best for barn quilts?

Paint – Outdoor house paint works really well for barn quilts. It’s meant to be outdoors and should hold up to the sun, rain, wind and snow. It’s also thick enough to fill in any gaps in the plywood. I had small sample jars made in my colors and I had about half a jar of each left at the end.

How do you age the edges of barn wood?

Use tea plus Iron vinegar on pine Boil water and add 2 black tea bags for each cup of water. Let steep for 5 minutes. Brush the tea onto the board. Let dry. Now apply the iron vinegar and let it dry. You’re done!.

What type of wood is barn wood?

Barns are one of the most common sources for reclaimed wood in the United States. Those constructed through the early 19th century were typically built using whatever trees were growing on or near the builder’s property. They often contain a mix of oak, chestnut, poplar, hickory and pine timber.