Why Do They Paint Porch Ceilings Blue

Now mimicked by paint companies the first-ever haint blue is said to have originated in Gullah Culture in the Carolinas hundreds of years ago. Certainly a blue porch ceiling can create calming ambiance and boost.

The Legend Of Haint Blue Does A Painted Porch Keep Spirits Bugs Away Al Com

In South Carolina and Georgia it is a tradition for people to use a special type of blue color called Haint Blue.

Why do they paint porch ceilings blue. Blue porch ceilings became widespread in the Victorian period when blue paint first became available to the masses. Its permeated into porch design In fact the. Is there a way to prevent birds from nesting in a porch area without having to net the porch off.

Painting a porch ceiling blue will keep wasps away but you need to use a lighter color blue rather than a darker color blue. This is Virginia - we have a lot of those here. One held theory is that it is.

Today a variety of blue shades are used for porch ceilings including aqua periwinkle and teal. In Virginia folklore a ghost is also called a haint. People paint the porch ceiling blue because the color seems to emulate the natural sky and makes the daylight hours feel as though they last just a little longer says Sue Wadden director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams.

The Gullah Geechee people painted their doors window frames shutters and their porch ceilings as a means of protection. According to the literature of the time blue ceilings were thought to extend the. It is believed to be the best blue for keeping wasps away.

There are many theories about why porch ceilings are painted blue. Blue ceiling on this porch allegedly convinces birds not to nest there. When visiting a museum in the Kalispell MT area I asked why the porch ceiling was blue.

The idea was and for some still is that blue porch ceilings act as a natural bug repellent because the porch looks like the sky and fools the bugs who obviously won t build their nests in the sky. Across the South the tradition of painting ceilings blue is passed down from generation to generation. In the Gullah culture of the.

Accessibility links Skip. Many who have strolled the streets of the South and admired the quaint blue porch ceilings have wondered about their origin. Regardless of the color you choose its important to use a high-quality exterior paint.

I recently heard that there may be a way. Lye was a primary ingredient in the original paints used for blue porch ceilings. This chemical may have been a deterrent for wasps and other insects.

Look up in the left hand corner of the photo above youll see how the color of the sky is a pretty good match for the porch ceiling. The real reason is according to traditional Virginia folklore that a blue porch ceiling wards off ghosts. Others claim the milk paint people used to use for their blue porches contained lye which worked as an insect repellent.

So why did people start painting their porch ceilings blue. Porch ceilings are well-protected from the elements but they are still susceptible to moisture and debris. There are many stories and legends as to why and its.

However today most southern states have homes with blue porch ceilings including several antebellum manors in Alabama. While these colors include yellows ochres olives and purples the color blue was often used for ceilings because it is reminiscent of the sky. The assistant manager of a paint store a tour guide in Charleston SC and an expert on insects look at theories on why so many porch ceilings are painted this color.

In addition to insects many believe that a blue porch ceiling prevents birds from nesting in the eaves of the porch. One often finds warm colors commonly found in nature on Victorian homes. No one would think twice about painting their porch blue because their grandmothers and their parents porches were blue ONeill explained.

Tackle the process with the best possible formula and youll able to enjoy the overhead view for years to come. Because the paint wouldnt last long homeowners would add a. Blue Porch Ceilings The Origins Once upon a time in the deep South many people painted their porch ceilings a specific shade of Haint Blue a soft blue-green to ward off evil spirits called haints Its especially common in the historic homes.

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