Old Barn Technical Tips

Technical Information for Your Old Barn

It can be overwhelming when trying to decide where to start with barn maintenance or a barn project. We hope you find the following information useful in helping to maintain and preserve your historic barn. And don't forget, we're here to help!

Know Your Barn

• Frame Nomenclature

• Preservation Brief 20: The Preservation of Historic Barns

• Common Barn Types in New Hampshire

• A Simple Way to Help Date Your Barn

• Barn Resource Books

Maintenance Tips for Barn Owners

• Ten Steps to Add Life to Your Barn

• Six Basic Steps to Preserve Your Barn

Finding a Contractor

Getting professional advice is an important first step in caring for a historic barn.  We are happy to provide a list of approved historic barn preservation contractors who do assessments and barn repairs or check our Preservation Directory.  

Include Your Barn in the Statewide Barn Survey

Help us compile accurate data on barns to strengthen the case for funding and other tools to help save New Hampshire barns.  Download and complete the statewide barn survey form for your barn and send it to the NH Division of Historical Resources. Better yet, get your community together and survey all the barns in your area. 

• Statewide Barn Survey Form

Town-wide Barn Surveys

Many towns are doing a town-wide survey of their remaining historic barns.  It's is a great project for a Heritage Commission or historical group, and engages the community, promotes the value of preserving historic barns, and opens the door to greater investment in these agricultural structures.

• Town-Wide Barn Survey Tips & Stumbling Blocks

• Town-Wide Barn Survey Tips & Stumbling Blocks (Presentation Slides)

Solar Installations on Barns

• Solar Panels on Barns Tip Sheet

Quick Links to Pages in the Old House & Barn Resources Section

The Directory Financial Assistance Old House Tips Old Barn Tips Webinars Blog Preservation Easements