[techie1961]

I figured that I should start a thread on this since my posts to the "what did you do on your GT..." thread seemed to be about my century barn build. My JDs are contributing a lot to the work but not everything. So some of the back story.

We bought this property back in 2010 and it has been a real pleasure to own. It is a heritage home that has had some upgrades and additions done and until we bought it, it had been in the same family that settled here in 1849 from England. The Browns built our home in 1879 and they owned a huge portion of land here. It has since been divided up and sold off to others but ours is the start of it. This is the place in its heyday when the last Brown had done the addition about 30 years ago and he used to use the place for weddings and entertaining. This photo shows most of the 3.25 acres that we own. It is the land beteen the two rows of cedars. The pond has since been filled in.

Most of the place had gone into disrepair over the years as the last Brown got older and couldn't keep it up. The gazebo area was overgrown and the old barn was neglected as well. The house still had appliances from the restoration era and while they were nice in their day, they were also in bad need of replacing.

This is the century barn. It was chock a block full of stuff that the previous owner had and remained there until she stopped renting from us this spring. There is a second house on the property that is quite nice and as part of the purchase, she requested to stay on as a tenant. This is a photo of it back in 2010.

In the spring of this year, I finally got to access the barn once the tenant was gone and the fun began. The mess that I started with in the Shop side.

The partial gutting of the garage side with some of the box stalls still in there. I had already removed the standing stalls that were along the wall adjacent to what will be my shop.

 

[techie1961]

In the middle of July, we got started on the floor area. My wife's uncle owns an excavating company and he was nice enough to bring some equipment over and remove the busted up concrete floor that was in the shop side.

Once he got the mini excavator in there, he was able to push it out to the Bobcat. After he was done, I got in there with my JD to level up a bit and get rid of more of the concrete.

After that, I used my Plucket on the 455 to grab gravel from his yard across the street and filled in the shop are floor.

Once that side was leveled, I turned my attention to the garage side. I had hoped to get some help with the mini excavator but he was busy with other things so me and my little 455 attacked it. I thought that it was a dirt floor in there but it ended up being an old concrete floor that was all busted up. Some of it I could handle with my blade and bucket scoop but other pieces had to be pushed out. I was able to pinch some of the posts that needed removing with my Plucket and remove them.

 

[techie1961]

Once the floor was sort of cleaned up, I thought it was about time to introduce some of the herd to their new home.

In order to get a level floor, I used my newly acquired laser level stuck in a small hole, to trace the perimeter.

I was getting anxious for the gravel to show up since I won't have the money to do this side until next year and once gravel was down, I could start to use it. Unfortunately it showed up on a rainy evening. I got soaked.

After running the roller around, I started to fill it up with JD stuff. I've since done some tidying of the extra bits and pieces in and on the beams but this is more of less how it looks today.

 

[techie1961]

I have to get a deal on the concrete and with that comes the waiting since beggers can't be chosers.:lol: The shop side needed a bit more work before concrete can go down and I also have some decisions to make as well. The main beam in the shop has some damage to it from dry rot and bugs and has been helped for a while with some extra columns and an I beam. I wanted them out of there and I also couldn't see the beam condition with the I beam in the way. I supported the beam with a new column and also had to support a sub beam since the cutout in the main beam was no longer there.

Once I got them supported, I could knock the other pieces over and drag them out. This gave me the chance to have a look at the damaged beam. It isn't too bad but needs some help. I'm not planning on using the upper floor and may even put the insulation above the floor boards so the shop has the exposed beams and still can be heated.

As you can see in these close up photos, the east side of the beam is in sad shape. There isn't any wood to support one of the sub beams and three of the others are nearly left with no support either.

So, this is where some of the questions come in. I'm not sure what to do in order to repair this beam. I have decided that I am going to need a center column to support it since it is too weak. I was thinking of spanning it with a large I beam as well. The other side of the beam is in fairly good shape and I think overall, it isn't too bad.

Any thoughts and advise would be greatly appreciated here.

BTW, this is how it looks on the outside today after more cleaning up.

 

[DRobinson]

Nice post. You have a nice collection of equipment.

 

[JimR]

Wow. That's a beautiful building and you've done a boatload of work to get it cleaned up. Color me jealous!

Off hand, the only thing I can think of to do with that beam would be to sister up a gluelam (or LVL) beam alongside it. You may have to have it come down an little lower than the existing beam though. You could support one end in that stone foundation wall and bring the other end far enough to bolt through where the original beam is solid or carry it all the way across to the opposite wall.

Before I'd do anything I'd have a structural engineer take a look at it.

 

[Gizmo2]

Nice thread techie1961. Begins it all together in one thread. :good2:

 

[techie1961]

Wow. That's a beautiful building and you've done a boatload of work to get it cleaned up. Color me jealous!

Off hand, the only thing I can think of to do with that beam would be to sister up a gluelam (or LVL) beam alongside it. You may have to have it come down an little lower than the existing beam though. You could support one end in that stone foundation wall and bring the other end far enough to bolt through where the original beam is solid or carry it all the way across to the opposite wall.

Before I'd do anything I'd have a structural engineer take a look at it.

Thanks Jim, you're right about the boatload of work. I'm tired everywhere. I fell in love with the building and the whole place when I first saw it. If only I had a bunch of money to put into it; I'd love to do so many things. I'll look into the sister beam idea and ponder it for a while.:bigthumb:

 

[KD7CAO]

Sistering would be a good option but with the historic building another option would be to find a nice condition cedar telephone pole that you could use for a direct replacement. Keep the historic look yet be rot and insect resistant.

Eric Gildersleeve ~ KD7CAO
Krugerville, TX, USA
John Deere 1025r

 

[techie1961]

Sistering would be a good option but with the historic building another option would be to find a nice condition cedar telephone pole that you could use for a direct replacement. Keep the historic look yet be rot and insect resistant.

Eric Gildersleeve ~ KD7CAO
Krugerville, TX, USA
John Deere 1025r

We just so happen to have one of them out the front of the house but I'll have to get my chainsaw to cut it down.:lolol: On the serious side though, I think that changing out a main beam like that is way beyond my skill level. Thanks for the thoughts.

 

[etcallhome]

You have really done a lot of work, and still have a lot more remaining.
IMO replacing that beam would be next to impossible. As Jim R posted - - Off hand, the only thing I can think of to do with that beam would be to sister up a gluelam (or LVL) beam alongside it. You may have to have it come down an little lower than the existing beam though. You could support one end in that stone foundation wall and bring the other end far enough to bolt through where the original beam is solid or carry it all the way across to the opposite wall.--.

May not have the original look, but would make the beam safer.

Very nice looking eqpt setting in your photos. Daughters FIL has a 445 less than 700 hrs on his , I had a 425 with over 650hrs. They are a real work horse. :bigthumb:

 

[Treefarmer]

Beautiful barn

We have lots of old structures in my area and some folks have the bucks to restore them 100%. Unfortunately, most can't fund a historically accurate restoration as that's just very time consuming.

I've done just a small amount of work and it's not a hard skill set but the blocking and rigging is very tedious. Basically you need to put in temporary supports for everything, cut damaged areas out, replace damaged material and tie the structure back together. If the main beam is only bad in a short section, that's not impossible as you can use a lap joint or something similar. It's much more challenging to replace the entire beam intact as you have to have room at the ends to slide the beam in and them get the opposite end set. It's really difficult to handle 20-30' of beam in tight quarters. Generally that would involve taking down a small section of the foundation to allow the beam to be slid in from outside and then rebuilding the foundation to fit.

If you aren't going to use the topside at all, consider putting a beam on top and dropping appropriate threaded rod down through the existing beam and if necessary. the joists. You could even counter sink the nuts on the bottom and plug the holes to cover up the metal if you want. That would look bad on the top but if you aren't going to use it, that doesn't matter. If you go that route, make sure you use double locking nuts so vibration doesn't gradually let things sink down.

Treefarmer

 

[techie1961]

Thanks Gene and Treefarmer, I truly appreciate your replies. I have to agree that it is nearly impossible to replace the beam. The method that was used had notches where the smaller beams sit and in order to replace the main beam, I would have to first remove the floor boards and then lift the smaller beams out of their notched supports. That would then bust the concrete they're set in at the other end. Once that was done, I would have to re notch the new beam to match and redo the concrete at each end. Not impossible but wow, what a ton of work and skills to do that.

I had similar thoughts about an I beam across the top of the floor boards and dropping threaded rod down. So much work in other areas of the place (new furnace) and little money though. I have to get a floor in place before the winter hits as I need to clear out a rental trailer and get the stuff into the shop. Long story but I'm running out of time.:banghead:

If I can figure out some way of supporting the beam while I pour the floor, I could then put in a column to support the beam and do the main beam replacement in the spring when funds loosen up. What I am leaning towards right now is putting in a small foundation in the middle and putting in a column while I pour the floor. I also have been toying with the thought of putting in a small I-beam with supports canted outwards to the stone wall above the floor level. If I weld some angled flats onto the end of the I beam and put some sort of support on the walls, I think I can provide enough support to pour the floor.

It seems like a bit of work, but I am reluctant to put in a separate pad in the center and then end up with a nice clear floor other than the yuck in the middle of the floor later on.

 

[Gizmo2]

techie1961, Could you plate both sides with steel and bolt them together through the beam?

 

[techie1961]

Been busy. It's now ready for concrete tomorrow morning. :bigthumb: At 7AM, the mixer shows up with nine meters of concrete and then the floor will be born. I managed to find a guy to help and he's a pro too.

I figured out a way to support the beam temporarily while the floor is being poured. I hated the idea of the floor having a blemish in the middle to accommodate a support post during the pour. I put a chain around the two windows and then a heavy piece of square tubing in the middle. From there, I was able to put in a post that can support it.

I have been playing with ideas in my head on what to do with the beam. I am pretty sure that later next year, I am going to run an I-beam under it. This will give me a place for a hoist and trolley. I figure that once it is in, I could put some short spans in to catch the smaller beams that need some help.

 

[JimR]

That's some pretty creative engineering! But... I guess if it gets the job done, right?

*stands OUTSIDE and watches* :munch:

 

[techie1961]

That's some pretty creative engineering! But... I guess if it gets the job done, right?

*stands OUTSIDE and watches* :munch:

:lol: I think the beam would likely stand on its own but wasn't going to take a chance. I smacked it with a hammer in different directions before taking out a loosely fit column that I had there for insurance.:thumbup1gif:

 

[balrog006]

Been busy. It's now ready for concrete tomorrow morning. :bigthumb: At 7AM, the mixer shows up with nine meters of concrete and then the floor will be born. I managed to find a guy to help and he's a pro too.

I figured out a way to support the beam temporarily while the floor is being poured. I hated the idea of the floor having a blemish in the middle to accommodate a support post during the pour. I put a chain around the two windows and then a heavy piece of square tubing in the middle. From there, I was able to put in a post that can support it.

I have been playing with ideas in my head on what to do with the beam. I am pretty sure that later next year, I am going to run an I-beam under it. This will give me a place for a hoist and trolley. I figure that once it is in, I could put some short spans in to catch the smaller beams that need some help.

Good luck with the pour:kidw_truck_smiley:

 

[Treefarmer]

Ingenious

Where there's a will, there's a way and it looks like you found a way. Congratulations!

It's a great structure and it's great you are finding a way to re-purpose it.

Treefarmer

 

[techie1961]

I have a floor!:yahoo:What an experience. The guy that I had do the floor was incredible. He is 65 and single handed wheel barrowed and leveled the whole floor in less than 2 hours. It was amazing to watch and the talent just oozed from his every pour (get it? :laugh. I now know that I would never try to do this on my own.

It took an entire load (9 meters) and was perfectly calculated with no waste left over at all. Once it dried for a couple hours, he did the troweling and then after about 3 hours, it was done. I had him put seal and cure on it as well. Now (in a day or two) I can start to move some stuff in and then a little later put some insulation, doors, windows, etc. in. I have a trailer that I have been renting for a few years that is acting as a shop and I want it gone. I'm so happy. This is the only level surface that I have anywhere on the property and I can now level my mowing deck.:good2: