Barn repair

showcrop · Sep 24, 2011

My Old post and beam barn is leaning a little, and has gotten a little worse in the 23 years that I have been here. There are no diagonal braces, so it is my plan to put in 2-3 in the form of cable with turn buckles to slowly pull it back. My question is: What is the best way to tie these in? My thought is to drill a hole in the posts and beams at each end of where I plan to install the cables and put eye bolts through. Any one ever done this?

omahagreg · Sep 24, 2011

I have never done that myself, but I am a carpenter. I think you would be better off making a 'u' shape out of flat metal. Put that on the outside of the framing, then bolt thru the metal and wood. This way the stress would not be exclusively on the bolt and wood, but spread out!

gene bender · Sep 24, 2011

good advise as the bolt will break the post. He can also use several ways to pull the posts back plumb then add braces to hold in place.

johnw (OR) · Sep 24, 2011

I straightened an old badly leaning Gambrel roofed barn by hooking 3/8 cable on far side up by top plate hooked to the MF 175 with a good come-a-long and slowley jacked it about 1/2" over level cut 2x6's on angle to fit between studs started at top plate and worked toward sill still level after 30 yr's.

tractormiallis · Sep 24, 2011

Had my gable roof post beam barn cabled and they just ran the cable out up and over the beam between the boards on the outside, back in and connected the end to the cable with cable clips. No drilling, no eye bolts. They will pull out or crack the beam over time. No drilling whatsoever, very simple, just cables, clips, and come alongs.

Jim in Ma. · Sep 24, 2011

I would do as tractormiallis said.
Just remember you must pull it back very slow to let the joints readjust. Use turn buckel or a good come along. Good luck !

Geo-TH,In · Sep 24, 2011

I did it to a small barn. Used cables and turn buckles to get it plumb and square. Then I angle braced with boards and lag screws.

JDseller · Sep 24, 2011

I drill through the post with a 3/4 wood bit. I then put a plate made out of a piece of channel iron on the out side to spread the load. I usually have extra gate hinge bolts that are 3/4. I weld an washer on the top of the gate pin. You can then hook your cable under that. I then string my cables. I use ratching chain binders to pull on the cables with. The binders work much better than a turn buckle. You just run the cable through the loop that the hook goes through.

I usually take several weeks to pull them back to straight. I tighten the binders up and let the barn set. You will get some winds and such that will shake the barn a little. That will loosen the binders. So you tighten them again.

Those old barns are stiff to get back to square. I have tried to pull some down that where leaning way over and they would not fall until I cut some of the bracing with the chain saw.

Just take your time and an you can get them square again.

DiggerDick · Sep 25, 2011

Gene Bender, any relation to Denny Bender from southern WI. Had him straighten an old barn for me years back. Did a great job.

Barn repair

showcrop

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omahagreg

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gene bender

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johnw (OR)

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tractormiallis

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Jim in Ma.

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Geo-TH,In

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JDseller

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DiggerDick

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