Working on 1800's barn

[AlexR 1,281]

Getting the last section done. Started the pile on fire, filled the trailer and threw that on the pile of coals that was left, and that all is burned up now as well.

 

 

 

[SylvanLakeWH 27,498]

Looking good!!! 

 

Man that's a lot of work!!! 

[ebinmaine 70,696]

Really enjoying this thread.  Great progress!

[AlexR 1,281]

Thanks guys! Means a lot to me. 

 

We'll see once I get the rest of the floor up, if I can replace the one beam without help. I got some ideas so we will see how it goes. 

 

Its hard to tell from the photo but the end of the beam is broken off and they bolted a piece of metal that they actually cleverly welded but it needs replaced. 

[Wayne0 921]

On 4/1/2025 at 8:14 PM, AlexR said:

Thanks guys! Means a lot to me. 

 

We'll see once I get the rest of the floor up, if I can replace the one beam without help. I got some ideas so we will see how it goes. 

 

Its hard to tell from the photo but the end of the beam is broken off and they bolted a piece of metal that they actually cleverly welded but it needs replaced. 

Jacks and braces will get it done.

[AlexR 1,281]

My Amish neighbor came over and helped me today and we got the rest of the floor tore up. 

 

Pieces of plywood are loose just to walk on to get the barn doors closed. 

 

 

[AlexR 1,281]

Getting some more work done, got the bad beams cut out. Getting the whole area beefed up. Used the beam I had from the loft as a extra support beam going across underneath the other beams and under the support posts that were just being supported by the beam itself. 

 

 

I ended up cutting the entire beam out it was dry rotted all the way. I am going to glue, nail, and timber screw together some of the floor joists from the loft to make one long beam probably going to do 6 wide. 

 

 

Got this threshold replaced with a new treated ground contact board.

 

 

[ebinmaine 70,696]

Excellent progress! 

[AlexR 1,281]

Spent some time today cleaning up the bottom of the barn from all the dirt, dust, and everything else that came down. While pulling up the floor up above. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SylvanLakeWH 27,498]

Man you are making great progress!!! 

[Wayne0 921]

That's a labor of love. I admire your dedication!

[AlexR 1,281]

43 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Man you are making great progress!!! 

Thanks!! I am getting pretty antsy to get to getting the flooring down, that is when it really looks like progress is being made haha. 

[AlexR 1,281]

43 minutes ago, Wayne0 said:

That's a labor of love. I admire your dedication!

Thank you very much. 

[Beap52 1,179]

I hope you're wearing a mask while cleaning the dust off of the floor.  Too many years of not wearing a mask has me with breathing/congestion and coughing that I attribute to sucking in too much dust, such as you are dealing with, as well as "clean" sawdust especially from tropical wood when we were living in Asia and sawdust from old wood and walnut.  Some of the new plywood really gets me coughing.  I don't know if it's the species of wood or chemicals in glue.

 

Also, we were working in an attic of a house a few years ago. It had coons and squirrels in there at some time.  We were trying to patch up holes that gave access to these creatures.  Later, talking to owner, his insurance company paid big bucks to have his old contaminated insulation removed, the attic sprayed with some solution, and new insulation installed. Apparently feces from these animals can carry disease that's not good for a fellow.

 

I really am enjoying watching all of your hard work. Good job!

[AlexR 1,281]

Got most of the new beam made and in just got to add one piece to each side to make it 6 wide. Its made out of 2x10's that I pulled off the floor in the barn and it's 35' long.

 

 

 

[Handy Don 13,340]

I like the reuse with a built-up beam--nicely done.

 

Please consider spacing some TimberLock screws along the full length to assure that any future warping in any one layer will be absorbed. When I make built up beams, I put a strong C-clamp on either side of where I’m putting in the Timberlock to make extra sure the beam layers are tight together. Yes, it’s a bit tedious but you want this to be once and one for your lifetime, right?

[AlexR 1,281]

Added the last two layers for the beam, and yes I used 8" timberlock screw lags in the beam both sides. @Handy Don 

 

Not sure if I will have any more posts until I start laying down the new flooring, as it's not really noticeable leveling out beams in the photos. 

 

 

In a side note we got some chicks. We've been talking about getting them for the 4 years we lived here but never were quite ready for them. So over the summer I will need to build a coop into the bottom of the barn. I do have something to put them in for the summer and early fall, but will need a coop for after that. 

 

[953 nut 57,854]

Looking at the beautiful straight beams in your barn I can only imagine the amount of work that went into felling, hauling and preparing those beams to build your barn.  There are several craftsmen in heaven looking down with smiles on their faces as you rehabilitate their workmanship.                    Great job.

[AlexR 1,281]

15 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

Looking at the beautiful straight beams in your barn.

And over half of them are 35' long! I don't think I could easily replicate them. Finding a decent tree would be hard enough haha.

[AlexR 1,281]

Strapped the beams that needed it got 36" straps so they go all the early around.

 

And put some concrete footers in for additional supports that are needed. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AlexR 1,281]

Well... Got another beam to replace I should have seen this one coming I knew it was cracked they had a couple boards on either side, but I decided it would be better just to replace it. 

 

And yes I need to do some concrete work behind that beam. 

 

 

Can't really tell haha, but I leveled out the beams along the front of the barn.

 

I started working on the back side as well. Once I get that done I can do the middle, then run a string line the length of each beam to level out any low spots. 

Edited Saturday at 09:45 PM by AlexR

[AlexR 1,281]

Got the beam replaced. 

 

And lifted and supported the main support beam it actually looks fairly level in the picture now. 

 

 

[ebinmaine 70,696]

This is just flat out impressive.  

[SylvanLakeWH 27,498]

[AlexR 1,281]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

This is just flat out impressive.  

Just wait till next week! Pretty sure I will have all the beams leveled out by the weekend so next week I should be putting the new floor down. 

And once it is all down, it's getting some Cabot Australian Timber Oil on it.