Back in April my wife and I moved from Colorado to Pennsylvania because we found this awesome "Mansion" that was build in the late 1700's and also included is this barn, it's big and pretty cool looking but it needs repair on two walls because the foundation has crumbled. I'm looking for any input on the best way of repairing this, I can post as many pictures you guy's want to see but start with these.
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The most urgent repair needed is the foundation on the wall seen in the second picture.
Nice pics! I love old buildings and wish I could listen to the stories of what they've seen.
If it were me, I'd get a barn repair expert in there, if it's affordable, and have them take care of it. I'm in no shape anymore to tackle anything like that. If you're wanting to do it yourself, I've helped with old barns before in the past when I wasn't half crippled. Basically, cables running crossways to keep the barn from spreading apart, then a few jacks to lift the sill beam to stack stones back in under there to properly hold that bottom beam up good. Any local farmer will likely have an old stone pile from picking rock in his fields he'd let you have after joking with you that there's plenty of free rock out in the fields that you can have. Let him know you're trying to save a 200 year old barn. Try to cable where you can keep them there permanently, right around where all the joints are. It really helps the barn's strength. We're talking around a 1 inch thick cable. That's the best part about those old barns, they're very simple and you can be quite archaic, rough and crude in repairs and it doesn't matter. Keep a good roof on it and it'll outlast any of us. It appears it's always had a good roof on it; this is why it's still standing.
I'd love to see some pics of the house. Cellar, upstairs, pantries, etc. The old stuff absolutely speaks to me. I could never afford to even heat something like that, let alone buy one, but I'd love to see some more! Thanks for sharing and welcome to the forum. This is the best place on the internet. :)
woopud,welcome to the forum. I like that,both the manson and the barn. Now if only that was in the middle of 200 acres,some fields and alot of woods,than I would really like it. ;D
Good for you on wanting to save the barn. I could store some stuff in there.
Quote from: Ox on November 17, 2016, 07:34:04 AM
That's the best part about those old barns, they're very simple and you can be quite archaic, rough and crude in repairs and it doesn't matter.
I would have to say it does matter as doing it wrong could make it worst instead of better. A carefully thought out plan done correctly is a must.
Jim Rogers
Following
Yes, of course it matters if it's done wrong. A little spin on words and what I said sounds slaphappy. Rough and crude does not mean slaphappy. At least I didn't mean it that way. :) I meant that the repairs don't have to look like fine cabinetry.
Looks like hewn poplar beams in that barn. Nice patina.
I can't see what's going on in those photos. Anywhere you've got foundation failing, it's got to be repaired. Any posts rotted at the bottom need a new post section keyed/spliced in, while lifting and straightening as needed. How you do the foundation depends on how it was done, how it's failing etc. Gotta do it right as the foundation is, well, the foundation of everything else.
Quote from: Ox on November 17, 2016, 07:34:04 AM
Nice pics! I love old buildings and wish I could listen to the stories of what they've seen.
I'd love to see some pics of the house. Cellar, upstairs, pantries, etc. The old stuff absolutely speaks to me. I could never afford to even heat something like that, let alone buy one, but I'd love to see some more! Thanks for sharing and welcome to the forum. This is the best place on the internet. :)
I can show you tons of pictures of the house, it needs a lot of work too....but it got great bones and is structurally sound! The attic is 12' tall in the middle! The basement has a finished concrete floor and is 7' high through out, the ceilings on the main and second floor are 11' high. Outside walls are 5 layers of brick! some interior walls are made up out of 4 1"x12" thick chestnut boards sandwiched together and covered with horsehair plaster. If you would like to see what I've done so far go on facebook and look for The Schell House or just google The Schell House.
Cool! I'll hafta look.
There is a great barn preservation society in PA. They may already know of your barn.
http://pahistoricbarns.org/
Lots of great experts but like all such groups spread thin. Good place to start though.
Best advise I could give would be to reach out to them.
Thank you everyone for the replies, haven't been here in a while. Can anyone tell what style barn it is?