This is a good (and I mean good condition) example of what the perimeter base beams that I replaced looked like. Some were so rotten as to be non-existant, basically a pile of sawdust where the beam used to be. I have this one and one more that absolutely have to be replaced, but I have not decided whether to put a 16' back in or leave the pass thru. That will probably depend on what I decide to do with the floor.
Barn to workshop
- Thread starter Larstan
- Start date
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This is an exterior shot of the trees that were encroaching the east wall. The closest had deformed the wall about a 1 1/2 feet inwword, so sometime in the past someone cut the beam to take the pressure off. They did not bother to resupport the vertical studs so there was alot of deformation in the roof line and eves. I trimmed the trees as far up as I could, between 15 and 20 feet using the forklift. I knocked off some major weight 40 plus foot branches, had to tie them off to the truck and make some careful calculations. Had approximately a 35 degree window to drop the limbs without taking out the barn or house. Did it by myself, so to say I was nervous is an understatement. I posted this picture before but it will help to see the before and after. Also if you look in this picture you can see the house in relation to the barn, I went North East with all the tall limbs as that was the only direction with enough space for them to fall. Just for reference North is a few degrees right of the direction this picture was taken.
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Here is the after on the trees. There was not any way for me to bring these trees down by myself, so my goal for the time being was to relieve the pressure on the barn at the roofline (which was pushing the whole roof west) and at the base where the trunk was deforming the base of the East wall for about 24 feet. It is really hard sometimes to get scale in pictures but in this picture if you look in the barn opening you see the back of OJ (that is a Clark 4000 lb warehouse forklift) the tree pretty much dwarfs it.
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This is the North tree closeup. I got the correct clearance on this one first time around. I spent a good week getting these trees trimmed down and then cut back. I burned up a buddys logging saw doing the back cuts. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I payed him back by spending a couple days leveling the land around his business, he brought in a JD 750 CAT so I was pretty miserable driving that around for a couple of days /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I got some pics but they are film, I will post em when developed.
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EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Larry
Isn't it amazing how some people can let a tree get so big that is begins to destroy buildings. I feel your pain on taking them out. Nothing easy about it.
How are the walls tied into the ground? It looks like everything is just resting on those cement blocks.
Eddie
Isn't it amazing how some people can let a tree get so big that is begins to destroy buildings. I feel your pain on taking them out. Nothing easy about it.
How are the walls tied into the ground? It looks like everything is just resting on those cement blocks.
Eddie
Farwell
Veteran Member
If you ever need to destroy some tree stumps that you don't want to spend the time or energy digging out, bury them in some of that sheep manure, cover that with soil and add moisture once in a while. The manure accelerates the decomposition of the wood by a bunch. Probably similar to the beams in your barn.
After looking at your photos of your project I too would have spent the time and money fixing the barn up instead of tearing it down and starting over. Great work. Keep the photos coming.
Farwell
After looking at your photos of your project I too would have spent the time and money fixing the barn up instead of tearing it down and starting over. Great work. Keep the photos coming.
Farwell
Morning Eddie,
Yeah, it's amazing to me when I see things like this. I don't understand if its lack of forsight or just plain laziness. Its a problem that has grown to epic proportions /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif that I have to deal with. I love to fly, but getting up in the air that high on a ladder or platform and trying use a chainsaw is not fun.
You are absolutely correct, the structure is floating on those piers. I have not found anything (foundation, pylons) or any indication that this thing has ever been tied down. I dug out 15 to 20 large boulders that had been set under the supports over the years. This has been my big dilemma from day one of starting this project. My first goal was to get it out of the mud and stop the lateral loads on the structure from doing anymore damage(done). I have spent a significant amount of time pondering the options ie: concrete slab, concrete piers etc. There are the obvious issues of supporting it while trying to apply whatever permanent fix I (we) can come up with. I am quite open for suggestions from the (collective knowledge) of you guys. I have pondered sinking holes at 45 deg. angle with the PHD and pouring a reinforced pier with some kind of jack-stand. I don't know if that is doable or not. Obviously digging a complete perimeter foundation would be impossible as I don't see any reasonable way to support the structure all at once. If you have any ideas I would love to hear them.
Yeah, it's amazing to me when I see things like this. I don't understand if its lack of forsight or just plain laziness. Its a problem that has grown to epic proportions /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif that I have to deal with. I love to fly, but getting up in the air that high on a ladder or platform and trying use a chainsaw is not fun.
You are absolutely correct, the structure is floating on those piers. I have not found anything (foundation, pylons) or any indication that this thing has ever been tied down. I dug out 15 to 20 large boulders that had been set under the supports over the years. This has been my big dilemma from day one of starting this project. My first goal was to get it out of the mud and stop the lateral loads on the structure from doing anymore damage(done). I have spent a significant amount of time pondering the options ie: concrete slab, concrete piers etc. There are the obvious issues of supporting it while trying to apply whatever permanent fix I (we) can come up with. I am quite open for suggestions from the (collective knowledge) of you guys. I have pondered sinking holes at 45 deg. angle with the PHD and pouring a reinforced pier with some kind of jack-stand. I don't know if that is doable or not. Obviously digging a complete perimeter foundation would be impossible as I don't see any reasonable way to support the structure all at once. If you have any ideas I would love to hear them.
Thanks Farwell,
The tearer downers came out in force when I first started posting this, but the salvagers are coming on strong /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I think it was the right way to go for my situation. As for the decomp process you are absolutely right, that is the witches brew that just gobbles wood right up. But I have a feeling those 2 trees and I are going to be having a death match Mano el Mano.
The tearer downers came out in force when I first started posting this, but the salvagers are coming on strong /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I think it was the right way to go for my situation. As for the decomp process you are absolutely right, that is the witches brew that just gobbles wood right up. But I have a feeling those 2 trees and I are going to be having a death match Mano el Mano.
BillCroasmun
Gold Member
Although I have no personal experience here I'll throw out my crazy ideas. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
If you can get some I-beams on loan maybe you could run them slightly out of parallel with the current edge boards. (1 end about 1ft inside the building the other 1 ft outside the building) Maybe this could supply enough continuous support along the walls and allow you to dig full footers as well.
Might be a really crazy idea... Like I said I have no (zilch, zero, notta) experience in this area... just brain storming (or maybe it's just a slight sprinkle). /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Bill
If you can get some I-beams on loan maybe you could run them slightly out of parallel with the current edge boards. (1 end about 1ft inside the building the other 1 ft outside the building) Maybe this could supply enough continuous support along the walls and allow you to dig full footers as well.
Might be a really crazy idea... Like I said I have no (zilch, zero, notta) experience in this area... just brain storming (or maybe it's just a slight sprinkle). /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Bill