Dairy Barn Converted To Machine Shed

Dairy Barn Converted To Machine Shed BUILDINGS Livestock 23-1-10 "I made the decision to convert my old 40 by 60-ft. dairy barn to machinery storage after I discontinued my dairy operation. The barn was in good shape but, with the low-lying hay mow, impractical for anything but live-stock," says Roger Coudron, who needed more machinery storage. "I needed to find a way to get adequate bracing to support the sides and roof after the hay mow was removed. To do the job, we first went to the shop and welded clamps onto long rods, which we then bolted to the rafters about halfway between the peak of the roof and the hay mow floor. These were to keep the rafters from spreading when we re-moved the floor. "We removed the floor 4 ft. at a time, working from one end with a chain saw. As we removed the floor, we took out the stringers that were exposed. We then cut the stringers at an angle and used them as supports from the base of the sill to where they met the rafters 22 ft. up from the sill. This provided the support needed for the side walls. We left 14-ft. of the floor at the back of the barn for an upper layer of storage. We filled in the gutters with sand. "After we finished inside, we cut a large opening in the front of the barn for a door, adding extra bracing for support. We used materials salvaged from the hay mow to make two large sliding doors. The last step was to cover the barn with new metal siding. "The only materials we bought for the con-version were the ties on the rafters, a walk-in door for the side of the barn, and tin for the outside. We did all the work ourselves at a total cost of under $3,000." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Roger Coudron, 22529 320th Ave., Marshall, Minn. 56258 (ph 507 532-6766).

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