It had been at least seven years since Jim first told friends of ours that he would straighten up their leaning barn. Unusual for its “T” shape, the antique barn was showing its age. Every passing year made the already obvious lean all the more evident. Every storm involving high winds awakened thoughts of impending disaster. There never seemed to be the “right” time – or sufficient time – to fulfill the promise. Enough was enough… it simply had to happen. Now. The barn had tilted so much that it was impossible for the doors to operate. It had been reduced to little more than light storage, and a leaking roof limited even that function. There was no use in putting a new roof on a collapsing barn; it had to be righted and stabilized first.
The big event finally happened – in two stages. The process began in mid-September. The barn was given a few weeks to adjust to the first manipulations it received, and then the process was repeated. Once coaxed back into something closer to its original form, diagonal bracing was installed throughout the interior to prevent any future movement. Jim and David did all the hard work; my role was quite minor and involved occasionally tightening two come-alongs and helping to document the event! While not perfectly plumb, the barn is much less contorted than it had been previously. It’s just part of the character that gives old barns – and houses – much of their inherent charm!
Destruction of some siding was part of the inevitable collateral damage associated with the techniques employed; repairs or new siding will rectify the situation in the future. A new roof is being planned! Step by step, the barn will be given a new life – and in return it will give back another century of service. The following photos – as well as a short, one-minute, video (the first on AO!) – document the process:
The historic T-shaped barn leans significantly to the East at the start of the rescue.
The extent of the eastward-lean is also visible here. Though in shadow, “barn quilts” attached to the side of the barn can be seen. They are here aligned with the horizontal siding and will later serve as a barometer of just how much the building was adjusted.
The barn waits patiently as help arrives. Jim had previously braced the structure with beams to prevent further movement. A beam in the center of the wall spans and braces an opening; a cable crucial to the process is centered in this beam. The cable runs through the barn and emerges at ground level in a doorway at the opposite end.
The Southeast corner’s brace. The other end of the beam rests in a hole dug in the ground.
Everyone is curious about what’s going on! You’ll hear these girls later on in the video…
The doorway on the west side clearly demonstrates the eastward lean when compared to the vertical freezer chest stored inside.
This angular post also emphasizes the problem!
East side. In addition to the cable passing through the center of the barn, Jim has attached chains and cables to each corner. They, too, will emerge at ground level on the west side.
West side. The corner chain (seen in the previous photo) is connected to the cable (barely seen at right) passing through the wall where siding is missing. The center cable is attached to a come-along which in turn is attached to an antique buggy axle (seen behind four-legged Pearl in this photo). The axel was driven into the ground adjacent to a concrete slab. Wood beams span the barn door opening and reinforce the buggy axle. Yes; that’s the barn door we’re standing on! Photo courtesy of Diana.
Neighbors loaned their front loader for this special occasion! David drives it to the barn and positions it for the first push.
Watch as David pushes the barn upright and Jim ratchets the come-along to take out the resultant slack. The movement can best be seen in the wheels of the front loader and the droop of the cable:
If the video above doesn’t play, click on the following link for another version: Clip68 (1) copy AO1
A 2×6 was placed on the corner prior to the front loader’s coaxing to protect the structure. A serious dent is visible in it! Sam and Jim watch as David applies pressure to the other corner.
I had to tweak the contrast in this photo because David was in shadow. He looks happy, doesn’t he? I asked him if it was fun to push the barn into place and he just laughed and enthusiastically said “Yes!”
The angularity of the barn quilts reflects the movement accomplished by David’s efforts; they are no longer aligned with the siding.
That wrapped up the first day! After a few weeks of rest, the barn is tackled again…
Jim begins to prepare the wall for some more coaxing… Photo courtesy of Diana.
…and ratchets the come-along as slack is created. The barn quilts are becoming even more torqued! Photo courtesy of Diana.
Pushhhhhh….. Photo courtesy of Diana.
And now the other corner… Photo courtesy of Diana.
Jim and Sam place beams at the corners to brace the barn until diagonal bracing can be installed inside. Photo courtesy of Diana.
The following photos were taken today, and show how further wind- and gravity-based deterioration has been stymied:
Using salvaged lumber, Jim created a network of diagonal bracing throughout the interior. This will discourage the barn from leaning again!
Remember this post? It’s the same one seen in the seventh photo! There is still a slight angle to it, but it is much improved!
Diagonal bracing stabilizes the interior wall at the “T”.
Let’s go up to the haymow! A surprisingly beautiful newel post anchors the balustarade. Made from a 4×4, its heavily chamfered corners create an octagonal shape. It is somewhat more sophisticated than what one would normally expect to find in an area barn. This place was clearly loved when built — just as it is now.
Jim has thoroughly braced the haymow as well!
Standing tall and proud again!
Damn near plumb!
Can you believe it? Yes, this is the same West end we saw previously!
A few repairs and a new roof will make this barn productive for a long, long, time!
I think the cows were saying ‘Bravo!’ in cow talk. Great job!
No doubt! They all seem to be very pleased with the end result! (I think I heard one of them say “Mooooove it!”)
the amount of lean can be very deceptive. when the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association decided to fix the 18th century barn on their Unity, Maine campus (at my recommentdation as the structural parts were in great shape in addition to it having many unique features), it looked OK from the outside but when they finally got the ridgepole back into place, they found it was 22″ out of plumb. although this barn like many Maine barns appears symmetrical from outside, inside the mow to the left is actually 1/2 the width of the mow to the left producing some in to out doubletakes.
This city boy had to look up the definition of “mow”.
I have only been in two or three barns in my lifetime, and haven’t been in one for at least 30 years… But I can immediately conjure up the smell made up of sweet hay, old wood, a bit of leather, a hint of ammonia, peppered with some manure. Altogether, not a bad smell at all.
Glad your efforts were successful.
Diana, the barn’s owner, introduced me to the term “haymow“… listen to the pronunciation which is clickable on the linked page. Previously I was only familiar with the term hayloft. Barns are indeed special places.
I have a 1957 tobacco barn thats leaning, what size cable did you use and how far apart to pull back in position?
While the tractor loader did all of the hard work (pushing the structure back into position), a combination of cables and chains were used to RETAIN the progress made.
The cable, if I remember correctly, was about 1/4″ in diameter. The chain links were about 3/8″ in diameter. The cable/chain combo did not do any real pulling. Using them to actually pull the structure could be extremely dangerous and very hazardous to your health!
We had three cables — one at each side and one down the center of the barn. Each situation is going to be a little bit different.
I have a similar problem with my early 1900’s barn has two levels long leaf pine…vines are pulling the structure and there are some holes in the roof from tree limbs rubbing etc…I inherited the property…sixty five years old woman doing all the work on my own…also expensive solutions are not an option…social security is my only income…the corners of the barn on a diagonal have rotted corner posts…the barn is double walled…I’m
Afraid to clear too much vegetation as it may be the only thing supporting the barn possibly preventing it from disaster…this old barn was a country store during the depression, the owners provided credit to the folks suffering…which ended up causing them to lose many of their smaller stores…cinder block square buildings along country roads…I inherited the property a few years ago…the work is back breaking, so rewarding…for now I am seriously concerned…the barn happens to be my favorite structure on the property…pecan, hickory, cedar, walnut oak wild brambles of blackberries, muscadine…a 350 year old old with a canopy you could park twenty cars under ..,it’s a privilege to be the caretaker…I heard it’s been in the family for over two hundred years…
Looking for someone with barn straighting skills around brighton illinois have cash 618 792 3577
That is really fun. When I first looked, I wondered where you would get the mass needed for the shove. It makes me wonder how much the tractor weighs and how much the barn weighs. I know there is torque and other things I am not thinking of. . . .pretty darn cool. Thanks for sharing this.
I’m really glad that people are interested in rural structures – I’m surrounded by them so they are much more accessible to me than urban structures! But I’ll still post about both…
Thanks for documenting all this on my barn! I am “In Love” with my born again barn. Looking forward to the tin on the roof! Love the doors that are working now and it was so easy to get my sick calves in the head gate and give them a shot! Can’t wait to get some more junk cleared out and make it gorgeous again!!
Sorry it took so long to get it propped up… better late than never! Happy for you and the calves… I’ll ask Jim again about the door you mentioned.
Love the photo of the upper level interior with the dappled light. Well done!
Thanks! I can’t believe you are taking time out from your vacation to look at my blog… it will still be here when you get back!
Lol. I got back last night. (NYC to visit oldest daughter) Spent am walking and looking at art, feet up this afternoon catching up on important emails. 😜
I have a barn that is kicking out in one corner and also has a bit of lean starting. How do you find a reputable person to help you fix the lean? I’m in Dayton, Ohio and really want to preserve this barn since it was built around 1919. It’s a beautiful pin and post barn. Any advise would be greatly appreciated!!
I have a barn with a broken cross beam that holds up the floor joyes and a wall starting to move. It has been the home of my pottery studio in Fitzwilliam NH since 1975. It is in use but I have cleaned the quardrant that needs work. We are frozen now but also next to a wet land so . Timing between winter and wet mt be a factor. I am looking for help for my barn. It is in better shape than the one shown.