Barn floor

[jeepit]

I have a wooden 2nd floor in the barn that needs to be replaced. Has anyone that owns a barn recently replaced a floor? I have a single board layer (that are in bad shape) on now that needs to be taken out or gone over. I was thinking sheets of pressure treated over the existing boards or tear out existing boards and two layers. If I do this it will be more difficult to line up 4x8 sheets to the existing king beams underneath since beams are not spaced evenly.

It's just a barn floor so if there is an inexpensive way of doing this I'd like to hear it.

Cheers

 

[MEby]

Inexpensive is usually not possible. I would go for tongue and groove 2''x6'' planking as it would be strong and easy to adjust to the inconsistent beam spacing.

 

[rbattelle]

Why not just a dirt floor? My friend who farms 600 acres professionally has dirt floors on most of his barns. The floors end up very hard from all the heavy tractors.

The last barn he built (60x120 steel) they did pour a concrete floor.

Ryan

 

[seafish]

Why not just a dirt floor? My friend who farms 600 acres professionally has dirt floors on most of his barns. The floors end up very hard from all the heavy tractors.



The last barn he built (60x120 steel) they did pour a concrete floor.



Ryan

Hmmmm... how would you suspend the dirt 12 feet up in the air??:-laf

 

[p-Bar]

Hmmmm... how would you suspend the dirt 12 feet up in the air??:-laf

Only in a perfect world.



1-1/8" T&G plywood would make it pretty bullet proof

 

[rbattelle]

Hmmmm... how would you suspend the dirt 12 feet up in the air??:-laf

Well, that's what I get for not reading more carefully. Sorry about that.

Sometimes being a doofus can really be inconvenient!

Ryan

 

[p-Bar]

Not to hijack the thread , Ryan how do you like my avator

 

[rbattelle]

Ryan how do you like my avator

You know, I noticed awhile ago it bears a striking resemblance to a certain other avatar around here!



As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.



But why the "Human" element?



Ryan

 

[p-Bar]

I took it from the Dow site after seeing it on the t. v. commercials. The H E Human element, guess why this forum is here for when we do idiotic things . I had to work hard to do this. It was worth it. Yes you do have big shoulders to carry me:-laf

 

[jeepit]

Did not get to work on the barn floor this summer. Did get electricity run out to barn which was an accomplishment. My arms are sore from running the trencher. It took 2 of us to hang on to it since we ran into lots of fieldstone and clay. Trenched in rain spouts while we were at it so the driveway is clear of obstructions now. This will allow me to push snow behind the barn whcih will help with spring melt.

Hope to start on floor this spring. Then move on to ground floor concrete that will have to be broken up and moved out. Fun fun:-laf Was thinking of laying new cement but was asked about just laying limestone down and packing it.

Any comments??

 

[rbattelle]

Was thinking of laying new cement but was asked about just laying limestone down and packing it.

Any comments??

I thought we were talking about a 2nd floor? I don't think I'd want to put limestone down on a 2nd floor.



Ryan

 

[fest3er]

I thought we were talking about a 2nd floor? I don't think I'd want to put limestone down on a 2nd floor.



Ryan

Ryan, you wouldn't happen to be feeling a little 'out of sorts' today, would you? I mean, rarely do you somehow overlook a subtle nuance in these discussions, but this time you've missed two of them in a single thread!



Or, as Q has been known to quip in exasperation, "Pay attention, 007!"



When you show up in Chat, I'll be sure to remind everyone to type real slow so you can keep up.



:-laf :-laf

 

[jeepit]

I thought we were talking about a 2nd floor? I don't think I'd want to put limestone down on a 2nd floor.



Ryan

No, I said "then move on to the ground floor. "

 

[rbattelle]

Then move on to ground floor concrete that will have to be broken up and moved out.

Ugh. It's been a long week.



Ryan

 

[Sled Puller]

Go to a sawmill and buy rough lumber.

 

[Grizzly]

I have a wooden 2nd floor in the barn that needs to be replaced. Has anyone that owns a barn recently replaced a floor? I have a single board layer (that are in bad shape) on now that needs to be taken out or gone over. I was thinking sheets of pressure treated over the existing boards or tear out existing boards and two layers. If I do this it will be more difficult to line up 4x8 sheets to the existing king beams underneath since beams are not spaced evenly.

It's just a barn floor so if there is an inexpensive way of doing this I'd like to hear it.

Cheers

jeepit, since I'm a general contractor I would like to know more about the joist, girder or king beams as you call them so that I can determine the best and most economical flooring. What is the span of the joist, spacing and size. Also what species of wood are they?

 

[jeepit]

jeepit, since I'm a general contractor I would like to know more about the joist, girder or king beams as you call them so that I can determine the best and most economical flooring. What is the span of the joist, spacing and size. Also what species of wood are they?

Grizzly, The king beams run parallel down the middle of the barn 14 ft in from the walls with a 6 ft space between them. They are made of 8x8 hand hewn timbers. My guess is oak. They are supported by steel posts we put in on top of footings that go down 4 ft. On top of the king beams are joists made of 10x 10 hand hewn timbers, oak again, that span the width of the barn approx 35 ft in length. Some are just whole logs cut flat on the bottom side. They are spaced approx 36". It varies. These rest on the sill beams which are set on the stone walls. 1x5 boards are over the joists now on the north and south bays and are in poor shape.

For being 128 years old it is still in good shape..... we decided to restore it since too many of these structures are being torn down.

 

[Grizzly]

In that case, as MEby suggested, I'd go with 2x6 T & G's, which can easily span the 36". It will be somewhat expensive however. I used 2x6 T & G between my two floors in my house. Use 3" DeckMate screws instead of nails and seal the T & G's completely.

 

[rbattelle]

Grizzly, The king beams run parallel down the middle of the barn 14 ft in from the walls with a 6 ft space between them. They are made of 8x8 hand hewn timbers. My guess is oak. They are supported by steel posts we put in on top of footings that go down 4 ft. On top of the king beams are joists made of 10x 10 hand hewn timbers, oak again, that span the width of the barn approx 35 ft in length. Some are just whole logs cut flat on the bottom side. They are spaced approx 36". It varies. These rest on the sill beams which are set on the stone walls. 1x5 boards are over the joists now on the north and south bays and are in poor shape.

For being 128 years old it is still in good shape..... we decided to restore it since too many of these structures are being torn down.

This thing sounds awesome. We need photos.



Ryan