1905 Bram Annex barn renovation starting August 2013 through Aug. 2017
Album by Dinah Taylor. Photos by Dinah Taylor. 1 - 174 of 174 Total. 3880 Visits.
enlarge 83KB, 640x480 1 Aug. 16, 2017-day eight. My goal today is to clean the trenches on both sides of the center aisle to past the first bay and to de-nail some boards. Here is one with about 50 small old nails.
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enlarge 79KB, 640x480 3 I have about another 45 min. on this and then I will de-nail a board and spend the rest of the day mowing.
enlarge 80KB, 640x480 4 3 boards finished
enlarge 120KB, 640x480 5 Aug. 15, 2017 I hand cut all the ragweed and goldenrod back to some of the main barn beams to expose them
enlarge 112KB, 640x480 6 I cut most of the Sumac trees back to give the beams below to dry out
enlarge 87KB, 640x480 7 This has to be closed up by October 1st before the snow. Once we start getting the drifting snow the entire barn will be covered up to about 3' or drifts more and no access to the annex barn.
enlarge 124KB, 640x480 8 I got as much cut as possible but it was so hot I had to quit.
enlarge 96KB, 640x480 9 front of old barn to give access to beams
enlarge 70KB, 640x480 10 Day 6-Aug, 14, 2017 I worked 3.5 hours this morning and denailed and moved all the plywood I ripped off to the South West wall.
enlarge 85KB, 640x480 11 I de-nailed and stacked all the wide specialty pieces over the gate and swept up all the dirt and nails
enlarge 95KB, 640x480 12 I have 2 more bays to clear. This boards are 16-20' long and very heavy for me. All of this has to be sorted through and until the stands for the lumber are finished then this will be a long slog.
enlarge 87KB, 640x480 13 The 4x6" x 16 ' beams hopefully will be picked up by the buyer this week.
enlarge 70KB, 640x480 14 I still have lots of dirt and pieces to dispose of, and will spend some time today hand cutting access to the larger beams where the old barn was
enlarge 63KB, 640x480 15 I still cannot get over how beautiful the upstairs is, and I hope it can be salvaged. Some of the roof truss' are just skinned logs from trees, and everything is pinned and notched.
enlarge 88KB, 640x480 16 day 5-Sunday 13th Aug-I had a tough time removing the lag screws from the base of the 4x4s. I finally got them all finished.
enlarge 87KB, 640x480 17 some of the bases broke off inside the long timbers and I was able to get them out.
enlarge 100KB, 640x480 18 I backed the truck up to take the poles and bases and tools and saw horses.
enlarge 79KB, 640x480 19 I unloaded them into the barn to set up a place to work
enlarge 80KB, 640x480 20 Here is what it looked like this am.
enlarge 70KB, 640x480 21 I put the long 4x4s here until I got things moved around
enlarge 79KB, 640x480 22 I moved all the lumber from the second bay and put the blocks in there.
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enlarge 70KB, 640x480 25 I put the long poles in the first bay west, and added 2-2x4s to hold the trailer ramps temporarily.
enlarge 75KB, 640x480 26 Here they are all set until I am able to clear more, clean more and make the stands to hold the lumber
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enlarge 76KB, 640x480 28 This area has the only safe ladder to the upstairs so I have to keep about 5' clear.
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enlarge 87KB, 640x480 30 I've cleaned up everything, and took 5 bags of trash out to the road for pick up in the morning.
enlarge 79KB, 640x480 31 day 4-Aug. 11, 2017
enlarge 106KB, 640x480 32 Today I'm going to hand cut weeds and stalks so I can clear out the plywood and extra wood from the front and side of the barn, then I'll mow it down
enlarge 108KB, 640x480 33 I need to remove the boards from this window and the nails
enlarge 56KB, 640x480 34 I've mowed the area and will tackle the right side of the center portion tomorrow
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enlarge 90KB, 640x480 36 ready to remove extra boards, nails and wood
enlarge 90KB, 640x480 37 same with the front window
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enlarge 92KB, 640x480 41 two holes from Mr. Groundhog
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enlarge 82KB, 640x480 43 gate back over to cleaned side
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enlarge 85KB, 640x480 45 front window cleaned up
enlarge 77KB, 640x480 46 pile o' plywood and large boards that I have removed
enlarge 69KB, 640x480 47 I will add new old boards to fill in and shore up this area.
enlarge 70KB, 640x480 48 I removed the plywood on the left side of the door, I have no idea why it was there
enlarge 73KB, 640x480 49 august 10,2017 annex barn 3:30pm
enlarge 72KB, 640x480 50 project for today is removing the gate and boards in front of the East Window
enlarge 45KB, 640x480 51 Window facing South, I have to remove this plywood
enlarge 67KB, 640x480 52 The nails are 12D, 4" long and super hard to remove.
enlarge 94KB, 640x480 53 fiber board taken down
enlarge 48KB, 640x480 54 Plywood off of South facing window
enlarge 79KB, 640x480 55 now to get all the boards off behind the gate
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enlarge 73KB, 640x531 58 screw with nail into 2x6 board
enlarge 74KB, 640x480 59 getting there.
enlarge 99KB, 640x480 60 C'est Fini! well now to fix the lower edge and replace boards that need it.
enlarge 76KB, 622x640 61 I finally got the hex head loosened up so I could take out the nail
enlarge 78KB, 640x480 62 I got the gate off, but the 2x6 that is nailed into the beam on the left I'm having a battle with.
enlarge 41KB, 640x631 63 view now (temporary) from the East window
enlarge 69KB, 640x480 64 This is the 2x6 I'm having a discussion with.
enlarge 58KB, 640x485 65 I can reclaim this gate. It's really nice and very usable
enlarge 52KB, 640x480 66 This is what it looked like when I quit for the day.
enlarge 76KB, 640x480 67 Wed 8/9/17 photos 1-7
This is the wall facing East, on the right is South. I'm taking down the plywood and junk and create a smaller covered window to allow more light and keep the bugs out
enlarge 76KB, 640x480 68 This wall faces West. Eventually I will cover the holes and create stands with the 4x4s to store the wood in bundles that are the same wood, size and use.
enlarge 58KB, 640x480 69 I'm making progress but it's slow going. I will have this cleaned up by Friday my next day off.
enlarge 78KB, 640x480 70 bundles of dirt, glass and small wood from trench
enlarge 87KB, 640x480 71 The farm at one point was Elmwood Farm and comprised 105 acres. The trees on this property built these barns.
enlarge 73KB, 640x480 72 The South facing wall window sill plate is covering some of the writing when they porridged the top of the stone. I love finding these bits of history.
enlarge 76KB, 640x480 73 an end shot of the same sill. I found a roll of 48" x 84" dog proof strong screen which will cover the open windows in this SE corner. I will cover with trim and then make simple 2 door solid shutters before winter.
enlarge 107KB, 640x480 74 Aug 8, 2017-started reno for Annex Barn removed old nails (kept), used 2" 10's to secure two boards to corner, repositioned screw eyes and rope for temp pasture
enlarge 126KB, 640x480 75 corner battened down very secure
enlarge 65KB, 640x480 77 Showing me how to stack boards by size using the old trotting poles.
enlarge 77KB, 640x480 78 Remove trash from gutter so that the post will fit for framing
enlarge 47KB, 640x480 79 Shane at Taylor's farm track
enlarge 50KB, 640x480 80 Looking at track
enlarge 66KB, 640x480 81 two weeks ago the final front side of the barn let go. Thankfully Harry was inside as it had been raining like mad for 2 days. I went over the entire area for 45 min with the rolling magnet and only found one nail.
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enlarge 63KB, 640x480 84 Thursday July 21, 2016 photo of front of barn
enlarge 107KB, 640x480 85 Back of barn looking East
enlarge 80KB, 640x480 86 South side of front of barn-what is left of it. There are beams piled up inside and covered and joists.
enlarge 81KB, 640x550 87 north side of annex barn. Siding is 6" 7" tongue and groove boards.
enlarge 116KB, 640x516 88 Pile from Dec. 2014 of beams, flooring and joists. I cut one of the beams into 20" lengths to make stools and legs for benches. I also wanted to see what the interior of one of the beams was.
enlarge 90KB, 640x565 89 upstairs in the annex barn showing pins I'm the roof logs
enlarge 152KB, 640x507 90 two 24" beams on west side of barn
enlarge 85KB, 640x480 91 inside of annex barn where I've stored what is left of the flooring and siding and 4"x6"x 18' wood.
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enlarge 79KB, 640x480 93 repair today to roof on west side
enlarge 60KB, 640x599 94 Work table I made yesterday with boards from the barn.
enlarge 76KB, 640x533 95 10 pieces from an 18' beam that has been outside and covered. I wanted to see the inside which is tight and clean. There are more beams on the top of the front of the barn, longer and larger (these are 10x11" and throne vertical piece is from one of the old beams and is 11" x 11".
enlarge 78KB, 640x525 96 Rings on the larger vertical piece count out at 188.
enlarge 68KB, 640x585 97 beam pins and stool to the left with walnut top and bottom, because center of that particular beam was punky.
enlarge 63KB, 640x483 98 red pine and basswood finished for a bench.
enlarge 75KB, 640x582 99 tall stool
enlarge 66KB, 640x587 100 siding I put in my bathroom, all tongue and groove.
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enlarge 67KB, 640x480 102 Dec. 25, 2014, almost 10 years to the day, when my large barn fell, Dec. 31st 2004. Quite a shock on Christmas morning! I was filling the buckets and glanced up and saw that the middle part of the barn had collapsed! I had heard a loud bump about 7:30am and since we have had very high winds all night long, I didn't think much of it.
enlarge 67KB, 640x480 103 Covered joists and flooring from collapse with tarp. These beams are still where they fell.
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enlarge 62KB, 640x480 105 Todays project is to close off the large open area on the second floor of the annex barn so my wood (that I keep moving 4-5 times a week, won't get wet until I can find time to make some more tables. Dec. 2013
enlarge 76KB, 640x480 106 I wanted to use this large piece of plywood on the outside, because the winds (sometimes 50mph) would hit the plywood first and not allow all the snow/ice/rain to come in and fall over my wood.
enlarge 72KB, 640x480 107 The other day I tried standing on my ladder in the back of my pickup so I could put up some wood over the hole, but it was too tall. Then I decided I had to work from the inside, and that I really needed a way to get upstairs from the inside. I removed the old straw and a bedspring that covered some rotten floor boards and closed off the ladder. I cleaned it all up and took 3 carts of stuff out back.
enlarge 60KB, 640x480 108 I brought out a tarp and my staple gun
enlarge 94KB, 640x480 109 This is the view looking west from the top floor. I had to straddle the floor joists, hoping they would hold me to get from one main cross beam to the other.
enlarge 86KB, 640x480 110 Another view. It was starting to snow but at least there was no wind.
enlarge 71KB, 640x480 111 In the back corner, the ladder faces south. Check out the tree they used as a beam with the natural curve. Those 3 boards at the bottom of the photo are dry and pretty nice. I may recycle these.
enlarge 54KB, 640x480 112 This looks North. I really need to get something over the opening.
enlarge 81KB, 640x480 113 Okay, if I slip and fall, it is concrete underneath me.
enlarge 50KB, 480x640 114 view from just beyond the upstairs ladder. Another place to close up.
enlarge 43KB, 640x480 115 A favorite view. Check out the gnarled tree limb and knot used in the construction of the barn upstairs.
enlarge 75KB, 640x480 116 Well.......okay, I'm only one person, and only had 2 - 4" joists to straddle while trying to put this up. I managed to stick in a small piece of plywood that was covering the joists in front of the opening. How I managed to do this without falling down or out the hole was a miracle-LOL
enlarge 75KB, 640x480 117 Like I said, not great, but doubled, and at least it covers the opening. It is properly covered now. Plywood, but much more secure.
enlarge 70KB, 640x480 118 from down below.
enlarge 59KB, 640x480 119 from outside.
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enlarge 35KB, 527x640 121 Oliver my snow owl
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enlarge 87KB, 640x480 123 I can't believe I actually finished this today! I'm so happy! My next step is to find some single rollers for the track above the door, attach them to a door I'm enlarging from one of the original doors here, and put a lock on it, because......
I am going to put some of the lighter wider boards up on the rafters, boards on the walls, add a front and side wall so I can work on cleaning up all the rest of the wood boards. On the opposite side, see image , I will have ceiling, side walls, and have one of my tack trunks in there with all of my tools inside, so I can have a place to store them, with the muck tubs if needed during the winter.
enlarge 75KB, 640x480 124 Almost finished. Just need to get sawhorses from the back porch, gather up all my tools, extension cords, and put them all away.
enlarge 69KB, 630x640 125 Harry having fun outside today despite 35mph winds but 60 degrees.
enlarge 99KB, 640x480 126 track above door after moving in the ramps I made for Beanie to get on and off the trailer.
enlarge 82KB, 640x480 127 All cleaned up!!
enlarge 88KB, 640x480 128 4 and 6" tongue and groove boards all banded up and covered with nails pulled that I will use for the 2nd phase of the bathroom renovation. These boards are 8-12' long.
enlarge 88KB, 640x480 129 some of the covered boards.
enlarge 90KB, 640x480 130 starting to organize boards to be used for projects.
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enlarge 75KB, 640x480 132 Upstairs of the annex barn. Winds were 40-50mph and I tried to walk around but it was really shaky. I have to close that opening (west), and the panel is laying on the rafters. I used my small ladder to get up here from the outside and will close the sliding door that was open where I got in.
enlarge 70KB, 640x480 133 Facing South
enlarge 62KB, 640x480 134 Facing North
enlarge 83KB, 640x480 135 View from the upper floor of the Annex barn
enlarge 84KB, 640x480 136 oct 9, 2013
enlarge 80KB, 640x480 137 front of annex barn
enlarge 84KB, 640x480 138 grass starting to grow, but have been walking Harry out this way.
enlarge 94KB, 640x480 139 back side of annex barn
enlarge 64KB, 640x424 140 back of old barn
enlarge 112KB, 640x549 141 back to arena area
enlarge 41KB, 640x443 142 Front of barn. During the winter I will not be able to dump the muck tubs in the new arena, so he made me a place in front of the barn and to the right side. In the spring he will come and take all of it out back.
enlarge 58KB, 640x494 143 From the larger hill back to the Annex Barn
enlarge 59KB, 720x445 144 Arena area finished. It started to rain this afternoon, so the grass will not be long in coming up.
enlarge 56KB, 640x469 145 The surface here is very stable, and when the grass roots develop, it will be a wonderful green space.
enlarge 82KB, 640x531 146 I finally have a place to have my wash rack for Harry. I put up temporary poles until I can dig some holes for front posts. Then I'll put a 'stall guard' across the front and I can give Harry his rinse off's without trying to hold him and the hose.
enlarge 91KB, 640x536 147 Rick brought me some of the cow mats that they bury every year when they wear out and they get new ones. They were just ready to bury these so they are pretty wrinkled. This one is about 300 lbs and is 6' x 12'. It's not as thick as my stall mats which are 4'x6' and 1" thick. These are 1/2" thick but once the sun hits them, they will level out. I've been wanting this since I moved here in 2004.
enlarge 82KB, 640x480 148 initial grading by Butler
enlarge 67KB, 640x480 149 Annex barn
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enlarge 74KB, 640x548 151 inside Annex where boards are stored from collapsed barn
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enlarge 38KB, 640x416 153 front of old barn
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enlarge 66KB, 640x480 156 one week later, I raked all the stones into piles so when Butler brings the skidloader with the rock picker on it, I'll be left with a smooth area so grass can grow and we can use it. I've found tons of fossils and old iron spikes so I have to make sure there are no nails or glass or wire in here.
enlarge 81KB, 640x480 157 piles to side of old barn. 4 hours just to finish up front and side, and had to leave it at that.
enlarge 50KB, 640x480 158 Saturday 9/7/13 I had made the piles of stones and rocks and Rick came with the Stone Sifter and we finished the job!
enlarge 59KB, 720x445 159 Arena area finished. It started to rain this afternoon, so the grass will not be long in coming up.
enlarge 50KB, 576x432 160 sept. 15, 2008, the rainbow went the entire way, 180 degrees but I only had a tiny window to get my camera and grab some photos.
enlarge 35KB, 576x376 161 Jan 1, 2005-after HUGE winds last night, the barn is still holding on. I put the barn on Ebay and it sold within 2 hours to a man in Wappingers Falls.
enlarge 39KB, 576x432 162 Looking South from the North side of the barn on the bank. I told Beth yesterday about Earl's carpenter bench and said that the barn wouldn't last another day. Guess it didn't. Neither did the bench.
enlarge 33KB, 576x448 163 Just cannot believe the entire roof has collapsed. The horses were totally frantic. Thank God they were out of the barn, and in the field.
enlarge 41KB, 576x445 164 First I ran in the house and threw the breaker for the new barn, because the wires are tied into a new box in the old barn at the bottom left hand side of open doorway. By the end of the 31st Dec., I had everything out of the barn including my 1942 Farmall A and covered up on the deck and side of the sunroom.
enlarge 36KB, 576x423 165 After the 'crash', I grabbed the camera. I was shaking so hard, I didn't think the photos would turn out. The noise was deafening-thank God or I wouldn't have survived.
enlarge 52KB, 432x576 166 Dec. 30, very precarious...
enlarge 51KB, 576x483 167 Dec 30, back of old barn.getting ready to go.
enlarge 52KB, 432x576 168 Dec 29, 2004 back of old barn, faces west.
enlarge 65KB, 405x576 169 August 2004 looking west from house. showing leaning barn at west end.
enlarge 39KB, 576x480 170 Summer 2004 small annex off main barn looking north.
enlarge 44KB, 576x449 171 front of barn from house. looking west.
enlarge 39KB, 432x576 172 between MAY and OCT this crack has lengthened and spread from 8" to 5 FEET-- now making it extremely dangerous for me to be upstairs or the horses to be downstairs. One good storm, and the North wall will collapse.
enlarge 43KB, 576x432 173 May 2004 north end of barn from pasture.looking south I did the best I could getting everything buttoned up, but I am just one person with limited skills. Somehow I managed to get it done-
enlarge 30KB, 576x414 174 MARCH 28, 2004. barn from the west side outside wire fence. I've been here one month, and am already drawing plans for a new barn. The wind is so fierce here that my bed upstairs and the walls shake, so the barn is even more moving.
