Barn takedown and hayshed repair

squisher

THE CALM ONE!!!!
Joined
Sep 25, 2006
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Vernon, B.C.
I've got a interesting little project to undertake this spring and thought I'd run it by the diverse group of people we have here at The Treehouse who have never ceased to amaze me with the broad depth of knowledge assembled here.

I am going to be taking down the barn pictured here in front of the hayshed. So my plan is to rent a lift this spring(ironic I know as I had my own wicked boom trucks for along time). But I'm going to use a lift to remove first all the roofing and then as much of the upper siding as I can, then I'll get the lower siding off and lastly at that point my plan is to start pulling either the whole thing or sections of it down with a truck/tractor. I do want to salvage as much of everything as I can for use in rebuilding a replacement. I'm open to suggestions/criticisms of my demo plan. I've never taken apart a building really.

Secondly the hay shed behind the barn has a few rotten poles on it. It would seem to me that while the barn is down would be the time to deal with that. I have zero experience with that and am thinking it best to just hire it out. I haven't been able to find any real good info on doing it. I'm guessing a decent little hiab or something would be nescessary for removing and placing new poles?

Thoughts? Ideas? Input?

IMG_1231.jpg
 
Only building I ever torn down was an old grain bin. It was sided with old 2x12 ship lap cedar.

We just chain sawed the corners and let the walls down with an excavator.

Not sure about a framed building like that.

If you could jack the weight off the roof of your hay shed you should be able to remove a pole and set a new one.


I am sure the illustrious Dave Sheppard would have a better idea.
 
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  • #4
I'll be limited by the machinery I have, as in not much. I don't mind renting a bit, like the lift as I've got a few other things to use it for too while it's here. I'm also a 'fluid plan' type of person as I realize sometimes the proper way presents itself more clearly when you start actually doing it.

It's a cool looking old thing, kind of hate to lose it. But at this point I've deemed it to unsafe to keep around. I got donkeys using the bottom as shelter and if those buggers get crushed I'll never be forgiven.
 
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  • #9
How much time do you have to do it?

Enough time to hopefully get it down this spring and my new shelter up this summer. Is the plan. I'm going to salvage as many of the siding boards as possible to re-use and I've got a buddy to help me who I can pay in boards. But I'm not looking to start a salvage business or nothing. But I figure I can build my new shelter for minimal cost just from what I can salvage from this one.
 
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  • #11
Long heavy lines at least one high rigged , then cripple cuts low on the uprights. Hitch lines to tractor and drive.

That is what I was kind of thinking to do after I'd stripped the roof and siding. Assuming it doesn't fall down in its own first.
 
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  • #13
Just a thought... To the right person that old wood might be worth a fortune.

Yah the guy who is going to help me with it for. Some of the wood is planning to re-sell it. In my area I've seen barn wood valued anywhere from $1-$15 a linear ft. So I do see the value in it. The value to me is having a rustic looking new structure by re-using a bunch.
 
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  • #14
Maybe check and see if there are any barn renovators in your area. Pick his brain on the take down or possibly ideas to save it. Sometimes it is worth paying just for expert opinions.

Yah I've had no luck with anyone at all local. It's fairly untraditional and smallish barn. There is no value to me of the big loft. Atleast none I've thought of yet. Two miniature donkeys are all that use that barn. My horse setup is on the other side of the property. Different, better and bigger barn. So I'm not really looking to dump any extra into this one. But I do enjoy the character of it. Hard to envision but my vegetable garden is in 'front' of it. But I've become literally fearful to turn my back to the old beast when I'm mowing and stuff. Lol.

With no foundation and what I'd call a non-traditional stick construction. I don't see the value in saving it. It's not like there's big beams and joinery in it or anything. It's boards nailed together laying on a rotten wood foundation. It's well off plumb in a couple directions too. Every winter I'm amazed it doesn't collapse.
 
Watch it doesn't get you .Depending on what it's made of those beams won't last long if in the weather on the ground even cribbed up off the ground .

The siding if you stickered them like drying lumber and cribbed them up and covered them you might get some time out of them .The beams are too long to cover and crib .

My dad and I tore down a barn that was already most toppled .12 by 12 white oak sill beam 45 feet long .Cut it into 20's but even white oak we cut most of it up for fire wood because the rot set in about 3 years .It wasn't covered .
 
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  • #21
Well. If y'all are interested I got a nice bridge for sale too. ;)

locally I can't find anyone that's legit that is interested in a little old barn. I'm sure if I wanted to I get get flooded with random people wanting to 'take down' my barn. No thanks.

I'll be doing it myself. Recycling what I can/want to and realizing any value I can out of the extra wood. Its the mechanics of doing it I'm concerned about. As Al mentioned. I don't want to get killed, or even maimed for that matter.
 
Opposite of how it was built. If it's so wobbly you're nervous I'd brace the walls before i got started
 
Sounds like ya got a good project ahead of ya Squisher. If I were doing it and wanted to save as much material as possible I would start at the top and work small, one board at a time. But that's probably your plan already. Anywhere the barn doesn't appear structurally sound I would brace it to prevent it from failing beneath where you are working.

Good luck and take lots of pictures.
 
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  • #24
Thanks. Yah it'll be a bit of a project. I like the bracing ideas, seems prudent.

On the hayshed part. I wonder if some companies that do power poles might do pole replacement on something like this? Seems their equipment would be ideal.
 
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