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Life in the Barns

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Homebody

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Back to some interior barn work boys. Not sure where we left off but back on page 6 are most of the interior shots of how it looked last Spring.

Basically, looking at this pic where I'm standing on the East end of the upper loft looking over to the West side. Can't tell in the pic but there is a 16' "open drive thru" area right below that railing where there is no floor, which allowed wagons and tractors to drive thru the barn via doors on each side.

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You can also see in the pic that I've started removing the floor where the exposed joists are at. We're making this 2nd floor a giant U shape to allow guests to look down at event's taking place below as well as giving those on the ground floor the WOW factor by looking 45' up at the cool post and beam construction.

Here's the view looking up through the joists which will be removed.:eyecrazy:
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Here's a better look at the Drive Thru area. I'm extending the floor across this area 13' out from the South wall which will enclose that gap and complete the U shape for the 2nd floor.
The giant sliding doors on the North side have already been closed off as they will no longer be used.
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We added back one beam in it's original location which had been long gone for years. We're no barn builders but we get it done.:lol:
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More flooring out, as well as the joists.:willy_nil
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And the mess it creates..
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One more section to take out where that 40' wooden ladder is laying.
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Last section nearly done.
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And there we have it. Open concept - Barn Style!:rocker:
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C_F

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What is the wooden item standing vertical near the wooden ladder?
Also, I see you have a good start on a license plate collection in this barn. :D

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OP
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Homebody

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C_F said:
What is the wooden item standing vertical near the wooden ladder?
Also, I see you have a good start on a license plate collection in this barn. :D
Click to expand...
That was actually a temporary walkway used during a streetscape project in a city near here. My brother snagged 4 of them years ago.:D 3 were used to fill in the big sliding doors on one side of the barn. Seen here. That one left is actually going to be used as the head table platform.
20171215_134009 by
Bears Fan said:
Making great progress! Awesome photo's :thumbup: Can't wait to see it finished...
Click to expand...
Same here!:willy_nil:rocker::shocking:
 
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Homebody

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One of the joys of cleaning this barn out were the chicken roosts that ran between supports in the upper level. 14' long by 8" deep and wide - full of raccoon poop.:spit::scared:
Cut a hole in one end and shove it all into a wheelbarrow about 20 times.:eyecrazy:
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Here's the floor being built over the open section to complete the U shape. I used the joists that were taken out as they were a perfect fit! The West side sits 10" higher than the East side so it was just a matter of laying em up there and securing. No cutting involved.
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And here is the same section almost complete. Had to go find some 1x12x13' boards to match the existing floor. $700 later for 20 boards I did...:willy_nil:dunno::mad: Barn lumber is huge business now, 3 bucks a foot usually in this area.
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This is actually where I'm at right now. Hope to finish this section of floor tonite - in the 10 degree weather.:(
 
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I started playing around with the railing for the upper level last week also.
First thing I needed were more 8x8 beams for the posts between the existing posts. 4x4's would get lost up there.

Luckily my brother had a long one at his farm down the road that we could cut 3 out of.
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Here's how they'll be utilized. This way I won't have a span of railing longer than 8'. And they'll look right at home up there!:thumbup:
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[url=https://flic.kr/p/Jq4tVH] 20180107_124645 by
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Jq4tmg] 20180107_124710 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/153040134@N06/
 
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FTWingRiders

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OP
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Homebody

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FTWingRiders said:
This is looking real sweet!! Those posts look perfect. Are you're saving everything your ripping out for future projects? If I was closer, I come give you a hand because this is so cool!! Its going to be beautiful! Thanks for all the pics!
Click to expand...
Thanks, I wish you were also!:lol_hitti
Yes, I have another barn full of old wood from this and other various tear downs, projects, etc. I've reused a lot of stuff in this barn elsewhere in the same barn.

Bogdan M. said:
This barn is too cool!
Congrats! There's a lot of work ahead, but it's sure worth it!
Click to expand...
I hope so. As long as the daughter loves it - we're good!:willy_nil Thanks.

brettd85 said:
Wow this barn is awesome! You are doing a great job.
Click to expand...
Thank You. More pics later today.;)
 
OP
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Homebody

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Finished the step. Now two 5" steps instead of one 10" one.
20180120_154548 by

This past weekend we worked on the West wall which overlooks the field.
Seemed like a natural place to put a sliding patio door as it ties in with the other windows and allows an awesome spot to watch sunsets once the deck gets built outside.:thumbup:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/23Emkv7] 20180120_092259 by
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[url=https://flic.kr/p/JLjbbz] 20180120_172316 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/153040134@N06/
 
OP
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My wife is always looking for something to do in the barn as she thinks I'll never finish it in time :lol: so I gave her this little project.
This pile is some of the lathe that we tore out of the house during the kitchen remodel ( ) and I wanted to re purpose it somehow in the barn.

So I had her cut them to length and put up on those door spaces that we got rid of earlier. The brick in the pics will be covered with old metal siding and they'll be a shelf at the bottom f the lathe.
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I also started putting on the end caps where the joists were exposed form taking out the floor. The vertical board on the post is temporary until my steel plates come in.;)
The lower right railing looks really out of level in this pick but it's right on. The upper floor in the barn takes about a 3" dip at each side from the center so it looks crooked as hell.:willy_nil Not sure if they designed barns this way to support all the hay loads or what. It's like the house though, not a square corner or wall in it but you just make do.:thumbup:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/E48RWK] 20180121_092347 by
[url=https://flic.kr/p/E48Kpr] 20180121_092401 by


And I started installing the railing on the upper level. I used 2x6's instead of 2x4's as they would have gotten lost up there. The lumber is a cedartone material they carry at Menards. I love the brown look it has and it goes well with the existing brown of the upper level.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/22kMbHc] 20180121_130021 by

And a sneak peak of the railing with the black arched balusters.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/22kMbyz] 20180122_185914 by


Stay tuned as things are moving along pretty good now. I hope to start the staircase this weekend. Dreading it as that stuff is beyond me.:wtf:

Having a hard time calculating it so all 16 steps are within 3/8" of each other in tread height. Any stringer experts out there??:dunno:
 
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marty_p

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LaineO, you are such an inspiration to me. I'm taking mental notes on all your projects and hope to reflect them in my future barn restoration! :thumbup:
 
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Homebody

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No wedding venue is complete without a bar right?
I think I found something that will work great!:beer:

Seen this at an antique store in Mt Horeb, WI and instantly knew what I wanted to use it for.:bounce::drool:
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Of course, that gorgeous hunk o wood needs a base to sit on so when I saw this little gem on craigslist an hour away I snagged it also. I'll cut a slot in one end of the wood for the blade to stick up through it and then scribe a trough the rest of the way to one end so it looks like it's cutting it. :dunno:

I'll also have to put a clear edging on the blade tips to keep the drunks from cutting their selves.:wtf:
I've got $225 ******* in both pieces.:thumbup:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/23MayfK] 2018-01-25_08-21-49 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/153040134@N06/
 
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BLUE72CAMARO

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Wow Laine just found your thread on here! Quite the project you have going on in the big barn!
 
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I knew all those years of playing with Lincoln Logs would pay off some day!
Now they're just bigger.:thumbup:
Putting up another two railing posts on the East end. Three to go after this. :bounce:
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One of the ways the farmers use to seal off gaps and cracks in barns - old feed/seed bags. These have been here 43 years that I know of.
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Apparently they were quite frugal back then and used whatever was available. :headscrat:dunno::lol: This one isn't going anywhere and will remain one with the barn.:thumbup:
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The wife has fallen in love with the air nailer and knocked out a few projects in a few hours. Every little bit helps!:bowdown::D
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Her doing that allows me to do other things, like putting up the railings.
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:D:willy_nil
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C_F

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Wow, your wife did a great job on those areas!:thumbup:

Your railings turned out looking really good too, plus the nice Lincoln Log fitment. :D I forget if you mentioned earlier, did you buy the balusters on the railings new, or are they repurposed from something?
 
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Bears Fan

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Your wife did good! The place is really taking shape, I can start to see your vision! Love the bar top :thumbup: :thumbup:
 
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Homebody

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C_F said:
Wow, your wife did a great job on those areas!:thumbup:

Your railings turned out looking really good too, plus the nice Lincoln Log fitment. :D I forget if you mentioned earlier, did you buy the balusters on the railings new, or are they repurposed from something?
Click to expand...
Thanks, the ballusters are new.
I may have a hard time keeping her away from the air nailer. Wait til you see the next section she does..getting creative!

Bears Fan said:
Your wife did good! The place is really taking shape, I can start to see your vision! Love the bar top :thumbup: :thumbup:
Click to expand...
:thumbup:
 
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