Old Barn - Restore or Demolish Replace?

[farmer2009]

Repair or salvage (take down and reuse what you can). Is my vote. Doesn't sound to be beyond repair. Like you said be careful although it sounds like you have the experience and ability to do this. Start at ground level and go slow it will take days if not weeks to fix a and don't try it alone. That extra set of eyes are invaluable.

I had to lift my barn last winter and it took a lot longer than I thought it would.

Good luck. Be safe.

 

[Lloyd_E]

All good advice. I hate to see old barns demolished. If you think or others think it is salvageable please do so. There is a lot of cultural history there. I would assess the cost of materials and or your time. Deal with the worse stuff first - sills - main beams. There is a barn being restored down the road from me. It is 200+ years old. They replaced the sills first, then posts and any connecting beams. They replaced rotted sheathing before apply cedar shakes. They have one wall(ocean side - worst side) completed - now starting the gable end. Once all the sills are replaced and it is structurally sound they plan on raising the ban and putting a slab underneath. Worst case I would look at restoring part of the structure to your needs even if it means taking down a section or bent and reusing the material. Would be a great project to do and document - WITH pictures to post on TBN!!! !!!

 

[EddieWalker]

If you are emotionally attached to it, then time and money are not an option. How much time and money do you have? In most cases, the money isn't nearly as bad as all the time it will take out of your life to do this.

Since I'm not attached to it, I would either nock it down and pick through what is salvageable, or sell it and make what you can off of the old timbers. Then I would build brand new something that is exactly what you want.

Eddie

 

[Marveltone]

This thread hits close to home for me, as we are in a similar situation. My wife is the 3rd generation to live on the farm since it was homesteaded 103 years ago. The barn was built in the low-to-the-ground, single-story log Swedish tradition. The years have taken their toll, as the walls are sagging from the rotted logs making up the lower three rows. The roof is also all but gone. My dad and I have deemed next summer as the make it or break it year. We will jack it up, block up the walls and see if they can be straightened. If we can get them straight and level, we'll replace the roof to halt any further water damage. We'll then decide how to attack the rest of the building. When we get ready to start, I'll start a new thread for you all to see. Meanwhile, I'll pay close attention to this thread.

Good luck!

Joe

 

[TomSeller]

Mine is 100 years old and 100' x 200' and 45' high. It was last roofed in the 70s but in need of a lot of repair

 

[JD 4520]

Mine is 100 years old and 100' x 200' and 45' high. It was last roofed in the 70s but in need of a lot of repair

Now that sounds cool. A picture would be great. I can only wish to have something like this in the family.

 

[yanmars]

You might check your farm service agency or county extension agent. One of those groups had a training session on old barn repair/conversions in my county several years ago and a barn restorer was available and explained what was involved. Names and numbers of experienced restorers were given. That might give you a starting point.

 

[Bill 55]

If the Amish are an option they do great work usually at reasonable prices. If anyone knows barns it is the Amish.

 

[Fidler4]

Call Woodford Bros. Inc. 1-800-653-2276 They did a great job repairing and straightening our barn.

I looked at their web site and they have a ballpark estimator you can complete and send back to them for a free ballpark estimate. http://www.woodfordbros.com/index.php

I have an old barn that I would like to restore but lack construction experience so hopefully within the next several years I can have my barn restored depending on the cost.

 

[GGB]

I don't envy your decision. My Bride's folk's farm had a medium sized barn with a loft that needed a lot of repair to even make it somewhat serviceable. We opted to repair but we could have built a new larger, more efficient pole barn for not much more money.

But when the barn was already built when the great grandparents bought the place in 1903, and my MIL still lives there, it was obvious what we should do. Yes, it's not as perfect as we'd like, but the farm just wouldn't be the same without it.

We hope to build a new machine shed in a few years to get what we need for everything else. Just need Mother Nature and the grain markets to cooperate.....

Good luck with your decision!