Low-Cost Remodeling Job Gives Barn New Life

Low-Cost Remodeling Job Gives Barn New Life BUILDINGS Livestock 23-4-13 "It's an old building but it keeps my hay dry and saved me the cost of putting up a new shed," says Walter Kosobucki, Birchdale, Minn., who used wood poles and lengths of steel reinforcing rod to straighten and support a 30 by 60-ft. dairy barn that was sagging badly. The conversion allowed him to remove the hay mow for more room overhead and to add a lean-to on the south side of the barn that serves as a shelter for his cows. "The barn was 60 years old and had rotten bottom plates and crumbling footings. It was leaning and would sway 6 to 8 in. on windy days," says Kosobucki. "It still sits on rotten footings but it doesn't sway in the wind any more. Including the cost of a new tin roof I spent only about $2,500 to fix it up." He set five poles in the ground along the outside of one wall. He used 4-ft. lengths of 3/4-in. dia. redi rod to draw the barn walls to the poles, inserting 2 by 6's between the poles and barn walls as spacers. He used three redi rods per pole. He also set poles in the ground along each inside wall to brace the inside. He nailed 2 by 6's from the wall studs to the posts to reinforce the walls. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Walter Kosobucki, 7960 Town Rd. 111, Birchdale, Minn. 56629 (ph 218 634-1948).

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