How to Date the Age of Wood in Barns

Look for signs of axe marks. The earliest barns were made out of timber that was hewn with an ax. These chop marks, once seen, are most often unmistakable. A barn built solely with this type of wood was made when the area was first settled (before there were mills, or easy modes of timber delivery, such as trains).

Most cities proudly display the date their area was settled. This can be used as a rough guess for the oldest date of the wood. Hewing wood with an axe was done until the mid-1800s. Thus, the age range would be between the town founding date until the mid-1800s.

Look for wood from the sawmill. Sawmills cut timber in an up-and-down motion, leaving behind parallel lines. Also, this type of timber is usually smaller and shorter. Look for sawmill-cut timber used as braces and siding girts. A barn that has been built with both hewn and sawmill-cut wood can be dated to between 1820 and 1860.

Finally, look for signs of a steam mill. These mills had the power to run large circular saws, leaving behind parallel arched saw tracks on them. A barn with both hewn and circular-sawed wood was probably built after 1860. A barn with only circular-sawed wood could date from the late 1800s to the early 1900s.