A Barn For Christmas

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Kiwi cop's "nothing" thread reminded me of a conversation with my wife this week.

Background. A few months back I asked my wife if it would be OK with her if I took down one of the old barns that is in bad shape. I'm guessing it is 125-plus years old. It is leaning on the old rock foundation, and the tin roof and siding are in bad shape. She said yes, if that was what I thought best. There is salvageable lumber there, and the old doors are beautiful. A few days later she said, "Do we have to tear the old barn down?" I told her we certainly did not have to, and we could restore it.

It is her home place. Has been in her family at least 120 years. She grew up there, and has always wanted to preserve the old buildings. I wrote about rebuilding a structure a few years back.

Luckily, I had bought a bunch of good pine lumber straight off the sawmill a few years back, and had it drying under another barn. Good 12 inch wide, 1 inch thick stuff. I called a retired police officer/builder who had done work for us before. He and his crew showed up Monday and started to work. Jacked the barn up and got it stabilized. Started with the siding. Will probably be after Christmas before they get it roofed. Will probably wind up costing at least $4K. Should be good for another 100-plus years.

Anyhow, I asked Bunny what she wanted for Christmas. "We are giving each other a barn," she answered. Suits me fine.

Some pictures.

 

[Muley Gil]

Looks good.

My old barn is tumbling down. It is post and beam construction. Not much left these days.

There still are a lot of old log barns in the area.

 

[steelslaver]

There area few in this area that I have been watching slowly fold to the ground

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

The flipper that bought my farm came in with a hoe (Track hoe/shovel) and dug out all the shrubs, ripped out all the 120 year old paving stone sidewalks and tore down all the out buildings. Hauled it all away without salvaging a single stone, timber or plank. Used a bush hog to mow down all the black- and raspberry patches and then ripped out half a dozen apple trees. Then complained that he only broke even on the property.

Some people know everything and end up with nothing!

Ivan

 

[pharmer]

Barns are falling down all around here. They must be good "seeds" because dozens of "McMansions" appear in the same spot. Joe

 

[JET4]

Looks good. Nice to restore one than tear it down.

 

[Marshal Tom]

Barnwood Builders is one of our favorite shows to watch on TV. Those guys really know their stuff. I just lost my brother after 20 years of parkinson's. He was one of the primo builders on Marthas Vineyard. He actually had a barn supplier he worked with that would take down barns, deliver them to the island and then my brothers crew would reconstruct/reside them etc. They were often gorgeous structures when completed.

 

[Old Arkansawyer]

I applaud you and your wife for restoring the barn. To many of these
treasures have gone to ruin or destruction. My home place which my
nephew now owns has a 72 year old barn that my dad built using oak
cut on the place. My dad and older brothers hauled the logs to the
mill two miles away and hauled the lumber back using horse/mule
drawn wagons. My nephew put on a new metal roof a few years back,
otherwise, it still stands tall and straight, never been painted and those
oak boards are as hard as a rock.
I appreciate anyone like yourselves that keep those old structures up
and useful.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

My best friend is built like a Black Bear, and was a wrestler in High School. A local guy hired him to be his apprentice. Most of what they did is "De-construct" log cabins and timber frame structures, then relocate them to some customer's land. The both came out of retirement for the restoration "Job of a Lifetime", the complete restoration of a Victorian, 3 story, timber frame HOUSE, with a corner entrance. It is the President's residence for a small Ivy League Collage. While not unlimited, the budget was AMPLE.

Earlier in their careers together, they occasionally did additions to log and timber frame homes (original only, no modern logs) All trim was nailed with "Cut Nails" at no extra charge, and hand forged nails as a upcharge!

Lots of those old structures set on short stone pilons and the termites destroy the sill beams and/or the structure sags. You get handy with a set of 20 ton hydraulic jacks! But one or two new sills usually get a building trued up in a hurry. But then you are in lath and horse (or hog) hair plaster. Finding good old style plasterers has been the big issue! Drywall or Blueboard just won't do!

Ivan