Barn painting and fixing

[riptides]

What type of barn is this called.

How to paint the roof?

How to paint the sides?

As you can see it is up there.

Looking for creative ideas, and if anyone is available this summer, BYOB. Bring your own Brush.

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Indydirtfarmer]

That is a Gambrel (sp) roof. The shape of the roof gives more room in the hayloft area. To work on the roof, you need to rig a "chicken ladder". There are people who do nothing but paint barn roofs. (There are some mighty shadey characters in this field too) They can supply the paint and labor often times for less than you'll spend on paint. I reccomend using a sprayer on the roof AND sides. (And NOT a little Wagoner airless, but a large commercial airless-usually available at better rental shops)

I'd rather take a whoopin' than paint.....SORRY! You're on your own /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[JimR]

I was considering picking up a used ladder or bucket truck to paint my barn next spring. I am planning on spraying mine. No brush work as it is too slow. Good luck on your roof. You could rig ropes from the other side. That's one roof I would not want to be on.

 

[JD3130]

MIke,
Go over along route 20 between Charlottesville and Madison and you will see a number of those old barns painted and repaired by us. Use to help my dad and uncles do that when I was a lad. From what I can see in the photo you have more problems than paint! But it may just be the picture?
Those standing seams roofs will last forever? If they are taken care of. If you decide to do it yourself, be sure and check for rust, wire brush them, and use a good commercial red primer. Spraying is faster, but brush and roller will last a lot longer. You didn’t say anything about color? They make special paint for that type of roof, has the aluminum in it which makes it wear longer.
Looks like there is some damage there in the valley. If it's been like that very long, plan on replacing the planks under it. Repairing it is not much of a job, feel sure you could handle it; it does require some special tools. If you can't borrow them, might be cheaper to just get someone to fix it.
Also looks like that tree has some branches rubbing on the roof. Don't take long at all for a branch to damage a rib or rub a hole in the tin. leaves whole moisture and dirt which will lead to rust-out. One thing about tin roofs, they don’t that well to stuff laying on them.
The best way (and safest) is to work a 10-12 ft section of the roof at a time. Use ladder hooks (chicken ladder) along with ladder jacks; with a pitch as high as yours tie the ladders off over the top and use a safety harness. We used a mountain climbers rig, was cheap and we already had them. use two ladders, with a 2x12 between them.
I wouldn't wait until summer; you will be like dogs on the grill.
Hope that helps.
be careful
JD

 

[JD3130]

Here is a ladder jack. Only picture I could find. They make them that will adjust to any angle. Also the picture of the hook would not be the correct one for your barn, but you get the idea. If you weld you could make you own.

I been away from VA for some time, but they were getting kind of fussy about the old barns over where I was from. Had to be painted original colors, couldn't change the look or do anything without a permit. real pain!!

 

[JD3130]

Mike
Couldn't tell from the pictures how much work is needed on the sides. But from the age of the barn, I bet you have some problems! We found a lot of these old barns have been white washed, which meant there wasn't any old paint to scrape off. But if it's been painted 20 times, it was mostly lead based paint. That's a whole bucket of worms, and you better let the pros handle that. EPA will be on you in a flash, especially in old VA. If it were me I would nose around the Historical society and see if they would help you. In some areas they will they have inspectors that will tell you what you can do, and take a paint sample, before some busy-body gets involved! (Anybody want to know why I left Va)
Anyway once you get down to bare wood or find out there is no lead to worry about. Rent a set of scaffolds or a electric scissor platform. Scaffolds are a lot cheaper, but are more trouble moving around. There are a lot of mill shops that make matching siding for any pieces you may have to replace. Then just follow standard painting practices. Again Spraying is faster, but for quality work, I would use a brush.
Oil base primer, your choice of top coat.
Let us know how it comes out.
JD

 

[riptides]

JD,

Thanks for the pics and advise. The barn is in pretty good shape inside and out. I think the picture quality I posted is poor and makes the wood look like it is coming apart.

There are no trees touching the barn. Those seen in the picture are behind it, and are huge. Must be over 150 year old maples. We hope to keep it silver roof and white sides. It sure looks good that way, to us.

Unfortunate that I am planning on a summer job. I do my best work in the heat. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif The house will require my attention until then.

And yes, I have thought about living in the barn, somehow the family does not see my humor.

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[JD3130]

Mike,
Was involved in that with a barn over near Waynesboro,VA. turned out nice, but are you still living in a barn. By the time we jacked up the barn to get the footing to pass codes, and replace all the rotting beams that had been in contact with the ground, etc. The owner wish he hadn't started it. If I remember correct, it cost 12,000 to have the barn jacked up and the new footing pumped in. Your barn is on level ground and the footing may be good, but these are things you need to check before you jump in. It may be cheaper to just build a new house and keep the barn. There is more to making a home out of a barn than just moving in. We found the smell hard to get rid of. didn't notice it until we got it all closed up. then it just seem to leach out of the beams. Ended up having to seal them all. Little things like that.
Hey, just think what a fine shop that would make, wood shop up stairs, autoshop and tractor area, maybe even a machine shop.
I'm sure the guys here can give you lots of useful ideas for a nice barn like that.
Good luck.
JD

 

[rmlucasco]

Mike,

I manufacture roof coatings for the type project you're undertaking. I don't ship to Virginia but I'd be glad to give you any advice you require. You may visit my web site to find out more. Contact me via e-mail with any questions.

http://rmlucas.com/

Rob