Old Barn used for equipment, You think this will work?

[marhar]

I have an old barn. Each side of the barn has 4 stalls with a loft over the stalls. The barn is open in the middle.

I am looking to put a couple of pieces of heavy equipment in the center. I would like to open the stalls from the outside sides of the barn. My goal is to cut openings in the sides of the barn and have several garage doors on the sides. I would like to be able to open the garage door and back the tractor to drop an implement. I would not cut any structural supports.

What are your thoughts and advice? I am looking for a cost-effective way to store implements with the ease of backing up and detaching or backing up and attaching.

 

[LouNY]

With the proper reinforcement it could be done. One issue I have with doors in the sides of a building
all the rain or snow is going to be pouring down on you if you can't get the rear of the tractor past the overhang.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

Get, a good structural review. The exterior wall could be resisting wind shear, and cutting big holes in it could compromise the structure.

It would be worth having an Engineer take a look at it.

 

[ning]

I'd think long and hard about how much stability the sides you're opening up may be providing via shear strength, and make sure you replace it somehow.

 

[Rustyiron]

Personally I'd build a long and narrow typical machine shed and leave the barn intact.
The older I get the more I feel the importance of saving old barns. They're not making them anymore.

 

[Hay Dude]

I have an old barn. Each side of the barn has 4 stalls with a loft over the stalls. The barn is open in the middle.

I am looking to put a couple of pieces of heavy equipment in the center. I would like to open the stalls from the outside sides of the barn. My goal is to cut openings in the sides of the barn and have several garage doors on the sides. I would like to be able to open the garage door and back the tractor to drop an implement. I would not cut any structural supports.

What are your thoughts and advice? I am looking for a cost-effective way to store implements with the ease of backing up and detaching or backing up and attaching.

At a minimum, you’ll need structural headers over the door openings if they are load bearing walls. Find a local structural engineer and have him draw up some specs for you. Money well spent.

 

[tacticalturnip]

At a minimum, you’ll need structural headers over the door openings if they are load bearing walls. Find a local structural engineer and have him draw up some specs for you. Money well spent.

Good thought! It only takes one oops becoming an oops to really ruin your day.

 

[scootr]

Being 2 story the building has plenty of shear above assuming the siding is sound. What is the size of this barn and how many doors of what size do you wish to cut in?

 

[JJT]

If the barn is old enough to be a real post and beam barn, there are no load bearing walls, the posts carry the load. I'm voting for saving the barn asis and building something new for the implements.

 

[pmsmechanic]

So I'm think a bit differently about this. I would not want to change the look of the old barn by adding doors along the sides. That's me. What I would concider is spending the money to repair the footings and do what ever needs doing there to ensure the longevity of the barn. Pour the whole floor into cement and use small custom pallets with castor wheels for moving your equipment into and out storage along the sides. Don't be cheap on the castor wheels and everything will move around quite easily.

 

[Rockbadchild]

It's your barn you paid for it do what you want with it, I rather see a barn being used and maintain then abandon and on the verge of collapse...

Like some have said if its post and beam and you don't cut any beam it is ok to do so might need minor reinforcement and framing for a door frame and door support but that should be it.

If its bearing wall you will need beam and support for that beam ...

can't say by the picture provided.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

Why don't you just build a shed instead of working over the old barn. It don't look like you're in Alaska, so a shed should be fine. Or, come off the sides of the barn with sheds.

 

[EddieWalker]

It all depends on how it's framed. Considering it's age and how things where built back then, odds are very good that you can just cut out the siding and not have to do anything else.

Is it a Timber Frame Barn? or is it a Pole Barn with posts set in the ground? How did they lock the framing in place to deal with racking?

Post pictures of the interior framing and pictures of where you want to cut out the siding, to include how the roof it supported by that wall.

I disagree with everyone who says to leave it like it is because it's old and they like old barns. I feel strongly that it's more important to use a barn, and make it better to do what you need it to do.

 

[scootr]

Can you show the inside of the building? Maybe the wall where you want to cut an access too?

 

[Rustyiron]

I disagree with everyone who says to leave it like it is because it's old and they like old barns. I feel strongly that it's more important to use a barn, and make it better to do what you need it to do.

That's why I mentioned "save it".
The number of barns that I've seen "modified" (to put it kindly) by farmers who probably didn't know any better or simply didn't have a choice where primary posts or beams were removed....
I'm 100% with it's his barn, do what you like but I've just seen too many of them end up in a burn pile.
If running across an old classic wooden barn doesn't warm your heart and stir up fond memories, better get your heart checked.

 

[Streetcar]

If you drop poles or posts in the ground (with concrete) for your door frame, there will be no load on the barn. If you attach the barn to the new door frames, you increase shear and load strength to the barn.

This example doesn’t even have top beam.

Removing the siding can reduce lot capacity of the roof as well as shear depending on framing method
in attached example there is no need for beam because there is nothing above door

 

[airbiscuit]

Keep the barn exterior as is. Buy a cheap forklift to maneuver the implements into the stalls from the center aisle.

 

[marhar]

If the barn is old enough to be a real post and beam barn, there are no load bearing walls, the posts carry the load. I'm voting for saving the barn asis and building something new for the implements.

You are correct, it is post and beam.

 

[mikester]

The OP might want to top up the insurance on his equipment if it's important to him. The barn might last another 100 years but who knows.

I love those old barns, it's a shame to see them go down unexpectedly.