Building an "old fashioned appearance" new barn

[Kyle241]

Nice house you have there not to mention gorgeous property. You really thought through everything for your house and property. We also have a masonry heater and my only regret take advantage of running water in the back of it and storing it for our hot water needs. Your underground storage tank is brilliant in my opinion. I didn't think of that and due to taking up room and wanting to get the house done, I did not run my water line into the stove. I would like to see whether I could retrofit somehow but not sure really how to make it work. Also considered going off-grid but didn't make sense for us as hookup was only $6k whereas whole house solar was around $35k at the time. One day I would like to build/buy a house that is off grid.

The verve wireless electrical is too cool. Never seen that before and another brilliant idea! I build a strawbale house and running wires in that was a bit of a challenge as well.

Looking forward to your barn build. I'm sure it will be top notch based on your other buildings.

 

[schweizer]

Thanks for the kind comments!

Update on the barn project: I was able to work a bit on it on Thurs evening and Sunday. The back wall framing on the 16' section is finished. Door framing is a little different when there is no bottom plate to nail to. Instead, I used a 4x6 pressure treated as a sill, and screwed each end into the vertical posts w/ Timberlok screws. Then I could frame up a door per usual fashion, except that you don't need a real header when there is no load bearing from above. I may need to pour some concrete as a footing underneath if it sags a little. We'll see.

Also, Sunday morning my Dad helped me with the plywood decking for the loft floor. The BCI's (wood I-joists) are 16" OC and the plywood is nailed and glued down w/ construction adhesive. At the end of the day I was able to hoist the 6x12 laminated beams onto the loft floor with my home-made boom-pole. After they get cut to length, we can manhandle them into position on top of the posts.

Here are my kids Evi & Sebby building their own "barns", and hotels, and roads with my off-cuts.

 

[Red Horse]

The floor should hold everything together IMO and the collar ties will strengthen the roof. If you don't think the collar ties are enough you can always cut plywood into triangles and nail them from the collar ties up to the peak. Looks great!

10-4 on the plywood-see attached pix. this is on a little 10 x 12 post and beam shed and the rafters are only full dimension 2 x 4's-and no ridge. the plywood is 5/8ths, glued and screwed.

 

[dweitzel]

Maybe something like this? I'm open to all suggestions. I've never seen this part done before.

I didn't know the actual name, always called it a birds beak. Had the truss co build it in upon ordering. Allowed a 2x4 to be placed on edge to overhang and create the detail. might have a few more pictures if needed.

 

[schweizer]

Thank you. That was very helpful to see how they framed it. I can see how one would have to use vertically oriented 2x4's if there is no ridge beam to carry the load. Since I'm using plywood gussets, I could just use larger pieces of plywood and notch 2x4's vertically into the 2x8 rafters like on your pictures. The tops of the 2x4's need to be flush w/ the tops of the rafters because of the plywood decking, unless of course I use skip-sheathing. Maybe since I've planned it with a ridge-beam cut into the last 2 "trusses" I could stay with just notching the 2x4's horizontally as on my Sketchup drawing?

Marcus

 

[kiotiken]

Thanks Mitch.

Yep, completely off-the-grid. It would have cost about $50k to bring power up here 1200 ft from the last house, and the power co. wanted a $200/month service charge just to have power because we're more than xx feet from the last customer. Solar power made more sense.

Think carefully about wind power. The sun is very reliable: is rises and sets on a predictable schedule, even if it's obscured by rain clouds. Wind, OTOH, is not predictable or reliable in most instances. Sure, solar power costs money initially, but once you've made the investment the panels are guaranteed for >20 years.

Here's our website documenting our off-grid project. I need to update it.
Mossy Hollow

Marcus

I just checked out your website. Jealous doesn't even start to describe it. I've worked so hard on my house, I doubt I'd ever sell it, but yours is really the dream I've always had. I really respect the thought, engineering and ingenuity that you put into every part of building it.

 

[schweizer]

Thank you, kiotiken. That means a lot. I've enjoyed reading about the saga with your new tractor, BTW, and that rock you tried to pick up is pretty heavy even for a DK50.

 

[schweizer]

Just when you thought this thread was dead because I hadn't updated in over 2 weeks, here are some new pics so you can see the progress. Everything is slow when I have to work on weekends and evenings.


There are metal T-plates and L-plates behind the plywood gussets for strength in the inside where the pushing-out lateral forces from the rafters and trusses will be:

Notice how all the 6x12 glulam beams are now in place. Not all the gussets are nailed up yet. Also, installed the header for the 16' wide front door (10' head height). You can see the 1x12" pine siding stickered on the right.

First truss built. You can't see it well because it was dark 2 nights ago when I finished, but there are pockets for the rafters to sit in, which act as a template. 18 more to build -- probably some tomorrow if possible. I have to work today and all next weekend.

Here's Sebastian making a "bulldozer" drive on his "road" from the off-cuts:

And Evi making a "campfire":

 

[schweizer]

Ready to set trusses tomorrow morning. Glued & screwed & nailed gussets on the collarties.
Even though it's only a 16' span, I built the trusses with 2x8's instead of 2x6's for strength. Who knows how much I'll want to hang from the ceiling later...
The gable end trusses have notches for the 2x4's for the eves.

Also built a quick ladder, to be permanently attached later.

Horizontal 2x6 joist hangers for pockets for the trusses to sit in.

 

[sfloggie]

Absolutely blown away by your location, infrastructure, planning and work of your Wife and you. Very commendable and thank you for the posts. Jim