Barn Razing Advice
 

I have 16 acres where I intended to expire, but that didn’t work out. There’s a large barn on the property that as best I can tell was built in the 1930s, with thousands of board feet of old growth oak. I’m trying to tear it down and salvage the lumber, but this shit might as well be welded together. Everything I’ve seen so far is nailed, but holy shit. Anyone have any experience or advice on dismantling this thing without destroying the wood?

PM Bob Dole.

Stay close to the nail and have good pry bars if doing it by hand.

P.S. “Mexicans” is not a helpful response.

Amish. They probably built it so they're the only ones that can tear it apart.

Damn I so glad you didn't ask for an attorney's advice!

Not working. It’s insane. This thing is built like a warship. Hell, the center section has a raised wooden floor that’s tongue and groove. Crazy solid construction.

We don’t have much of an Amish presence around here, so that’s not likely.

Correct answer

Then I suggest a match

There's a group of them somewhere. Otherwise, you'd be able to take down your barn. :D

Don't do it! Isn't it bad luck to tear down an old barn? I thought you were supposed to let them rot back into the earth?

good prybar, save as many boards as possible. I did the same to an 80 ish year old barn several years ago. I went out every evening with the plan to get 5-6 boards off. It took forever but I got it done. metal roof? That stuff will sell for $15 per sheet if it's weathered nicely

New idea - woodchucks

Then I got nothin.

yeah, i'm guessing some will have to be destroyed to save the best parts.
chain saws and sledge hammers.
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Sell the demolition to a company that specializes reclaimed wood. These guys will travel quite a way for something like that. Then lawn chair it up with a Guinness, holding your check watching them do all the unpleasantries.

Go to Lancaster Pennsylvania, put up a sign on the road "Need Barn Builders" and then kidnap the first 20 Amish men who inquire.

Simple

Ditto.

They can turn it into a casket. Dads was barnwood

Bag of termites.

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One of my issues is that it’s 30 miles away, so I can’t really peck it to death.

Watched that one before I posted here. Not really helpful beyond their custom pry bar.

Yes, have done several in Oklahoma. Houses and barns. Do you have access to the exteriors wall from the interior or is it walled inside too?

I’ve got inside access.

You want to attack it from the inside. A good heavy board or rod and start beating the wood outward. If you let the board do the work and you are just swinging and aiming you will be amazed what you can accomplish. Better yet call your local ag teacher or football coach and offer to hire some young bucks and you supervise. Really the only issues are removing nails from the boards. It’s Shiit work. And making sure the barn is structurally sound after a certain point. Picture all of the walls off but the weight of the roof still there in a strong kansas wind. It’s not a bad idea to ask yourself..... “self” what do I really want to repurpose and what am I ok with burning. Get your good stuff and add diesel to the rest and let it burn. Don’t forget to call the fire dept.

Is there anything that would blow it up without the flames?

I started today on a wall of 10”x2”x20’ boards, and an 8 pound sledge didn’t do jack. It seriously feels like that shit is welded.

Surveying it today, I think I’m good taking down walls and floors, structurally. There’s a serious quantity of that good stuff to get some $$ out of it.

No.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...a8fea1e12b.jpg

It IS welded. Those nails have rusted themselves to the wood and the wood has expanded itself into the nails. Here is another idea if you have electricity and or a generator. A handheld air hammer or electric hammer with a big flat end will do wonders. Place it against the stud and alternate sides. It’s quite amazing. If that’s not an option you can also section the barn.
Get a chainsaw or sawsall and cut sections out studs and all. This is by far the fastest way to salvage.

Keep us posted on your progress. I sell that kind of stuff frequently. Supplied a job in the Mountains with reclaimed Chestnut beams "chopped" up for for flooring. Dude paid a kings ransom for the stuff. We were estimating the timbers were over 200 years old.

I have a generator. That may be the best option.

I agree with Wizard. It is much faster to section off and then salvage. Your burn pile might be a bit larger but you end up with material that is easier to organize, inventory and sell.

Then you can sell the wood in full sections. You don’t have to take the wood off the studs just sell the whole section. 4x8. 8x8. Whatever size you can salvage. If I had to do another salvage this is the only way I would do it. Harvest sections.

Can you drill out the nails? maybe cut all the wood out you can and leave the framing. Hopefully it's just the ends of the boards.

It's nailed? Well, this is easy if you know someone with a really big MRI machine.

I worked with an architect and builder 10 years ago on a job in Aspen. The architect hired a demo guy (Owner paid for it) who gave him a list of salvageable fiber on 2 barns in ohio. he designed a house around that list. They used 30% of all the material. The rest of it went back to the salvage guy who credited it back for 20c on the dollar. My end of the deal was to supply the structural timbers (we had to distress and make look 100 years old) that needed structurally graded and stamped.

Find the right customer and wood out of an old barn is like finding a stash of gold.

We use a hand held metal scanner. Our mill shop does not like old wood going thru their molder with nails in it

My phone photos are too large. Let’s try this.

First post thread KILLER

!!! LMAO LMAO LMAO LMAO LMAO LMAO !!!

How in the hell does THIS not have 500 green thumbs?

Ok I will give you my last secret. After you have sectioned out the peices you want get a 3/8 “ hole saw and drill around the nails. You can literally do a barn a day doing this and the holes give it character.

Ok I will give you one more. It’s been a while since we did this and my memory is not what it used to be. After sectioning the barn and taking away your peices cut half way through your corners then hook on with a chain or rope and pull them out til she comes down. That will give you the opportunity to harvest more lumber safely. Also it makes for a safer burn. Good luck.

50 gallon barrel of Tannerite.

I think you rent it out for weddings until someone buys it as is.

I helped my dad tear down a barn long ago. These slide hammer nail pullers are a life saver.

https://www.core77.com/posts/80570/C...-Headless-Ones

I just picked up a 1/2” hole saw that I think will go around the nail heads. I’ve got all the drill batteries on charge and ready to go try it out in the morning. Pretty pumped that this will work best.

Germans?

Right on!
Keep us posted. Let me know what "inventory" you end up with. Might be interested.

Brilliant.

I’ve got 8 20’x10” planks on the first wall,plus another 8’x10”. I’m hoping this works!

Are they 2" thick? (2"x10"x20').
send me pics.

I will pm you my email address
Your message box is full. cannot leave PM

ROFL

smitty finding humor in ones frustration
Must have gone to KU

That old lumber back in the day was a rough cut order straight from the mill, that stuff was green when it was put in, meaning those nails are not going to budge much at all now, especially if it was hard wood, like oak or hickory.

When I can get them loose I will PM pics

It is all rough cut. And old growth. This bitch won’t beat me.

My house was built like this back in the day, in the basement when I done some renovations I've had to use a drill, could not nail anything into it. Word of wise, my drill bits went dull pretty quickly.

Since you are taking this out, my recommendation is a chain saw, just have plenty of sharpened spare chains on hand, even they will dull pretty quick, but you will finish the job a damn faster!

All the advice Bob Dole is getting-
We will see a video of a barn being burnt to the ground shortly.

Pig roast in Texarkana!

I have never disassebled a barn but have helped build a few. My theory is you need a heavier sledge. I have found there is nothing much that wins against a 12 pounder but will plumb tucker you out fast. Also the amount of salvageable boards will be nill.

Curiously a waiting the results!

I'd say it's the only response. That sounds like a young man's job.

Thanks!

How did the hole saw work? I forgot to tell you how much of a bitch it can be getting the plug out of the bit ! That’s why I would section everything with a chainsaw and sell it by sections.

Amish in Bates/Vernon and Henry counties do it and do it right

Where are the ****ing pics.

Insurance fire