new shop (old barn

[mudlover]

Well I moved in with my sister a few months ago, and their is an old barn on the property that I get to make in to a shop for me! At some point in time an addition was put on the barn about 660 sqft With a concrte pad.One of the issues id that it is leaning (the barn's 100+ years old) It looks like over 4' its about 1 3/4'' out of plum. So I guess im looking for some advice on how to pull her back in to plum. As far as keeping her their im going to have the whole thing corboned. I have been told that this alone will keep the barn rigid enough to stay put and not lean in the future. Plus 6" of corbond will keep me warm on those late night building in winter. But I will be sheathing the walls with 1/4" plywood on the first floor the secong floor will get sheet rock and painted to be used as a wood shop. As for heat I will be using a wood stove to heat the thing (maybe 2, 1 upstairs on down). I guess that I should as make it clear that the wrenching will be done in the addition. So any ideas or thought's?

pic aint working so heres a link

[CJeep77]

How long are you planning on living with sis? Seems like a lot of work and money for something that is not yours. I would hate to hear that you got nothing out of what you plan on doing here on down the road.

[mudlover]

Im sure that some day I will move out. But im waiting for the old man behind us to die so I can buy his land and build my house their. If that falls thru, I have no plans on moving out of the area. I like it to much. Plus it gives me a project to do this summer.

[mudlover]

wenching side

[DRM]

Check with some old hand barn builders, they should be able to tell you how to deal with a leaning barn.

Off the top of my head, I would consider driving some anchors (concrete too?) at a 45* angle to the top of the posts on the side it is leaning away from. Then use cables and come-along's to slowly over a few weeks pul the building back up straight. Once it is up straight, go back inside and add the necessary gussets to keep it straight.

On barns on our farm, they never straightened them, they just sank posts on the leaning side so it would rest on them and stop it from leaning more.

Have you searched the web?

[DRM]

Did some quick web searching:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...801950-2335066

Do some google searching and you may find some more info online

[mudlover]

Thanks for the link, I already have that book coming to me from amazon. So yes i have doon some searching for info on the web. But every thing i find seems to be geared to the look of the barn rather than the structural strennth of a barn. The forums that I've found have little or no activity in the last 6 months. Guess that I have not found the equivalent of pirate barn board yet. I''l keep looking.
Thanks

[DRM]

You probably need to study up on when the barn was built, and what kind of jointery (is that a word?) was used throughout. I believe the methods for correction depend on the joints, as well as the wood itself.

[n8damack]

/DRM followup, and other longwindedness...

It also depends a lot on whether you want to keep it structurally & chronologically correct, or fix it using modern methods & materials. I've got an old farmhouse, and all seven, yes seven, outbuildings, all built anywhere from ~mid to late 1800s through ~1970. The giant one was built once, and then added on, which one can see from the construction and material.

If you are thinking "shop" then scrap "time correct" fixes and make sure that nothing a) collapses through the floor and b) catches on fire. 100+ years of drying makes that thing a giant tinderbox. I have zero welders, grinders, cigarettes, battery chargers... (you get the idea) near the old-old barn, because if it caught, I wouldn't get it out, and the FD would just try to keep everything near it from catching. You can't get replacement insurance, just "replacement value." To that point, a wood burner (or two) needs massive attention to detail - proper chimney, spark arrest, non-combustible area & material anywhere within throwing distance...

Back to topic, you can yank it back into a relative approximation of square with widowmakers, ratchet straps, bottle jacks, etc. But... make sure the foundation that you are side loading, or the floor you are linearly loading can support the push/ pull you are putting on it. i.e. Field stone does not take lateral loads well, if at all. I have seen it done successfully with threaded rod & jack posts, a very large plate at the ends, and turnbuckles to bring it tight. Check to see what kind of foundation you have under the slab. Do it way slow, as if it's a teenager with braces, otherwise things will snap.

Good luck, be patient. And don't catch the thing on fire, ever, not even a little bit.

-Nate