taking a leanto off a barn

johnwayne360 · Jan 21, 2015

I have a barn built in 1939. It had a "temporary"
leanto added in the late 60s. Post frame construction,
over a cement pad along side the barn. But the posts
were set off the edge of the concrete. Now all the
posts are getting rotten, and has had some wind damage.
So I want to take it off. But Im not sure of the
safest and easiest way to do this without harming the
original barn. Opinions?

Wheatfarmer · Jan 21, 2015

We would need photos of how it is attached to the barn. Was it an add on, or are the rafters part of the barn roof. I have done both. Wished I had 300 sq feet of the wood.

johnwayne360 · Jan 21, 2015

(quoted from post at 23:37:57 01/21/15) We would need photos of how it is attached to the barn. Was it an add on, or are the rafters part of the barn roof. I have done both. Wished I had 300 sq feet of the wood.

best photo i have at the moment.

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johnwayne360 · Jan 21, 2015

lean to is not attached to the rafters. Attached via a 2x8 attached to the wall of the barn, with the lean to rafters set on top. Lean to has 2 rows of posts.

glennster · Jan 21, 2015

had an uncle that would wrap a chain around it and pull it down, then we got to clean up the mess. i would take the roofing material off first,then whatever siding and take it down to the studs and rafters, then disassemble saving any good lumber. it takes longer, but when you are done, you are done and everything is cleaned up.

Dave H (MI) · Jan 21, 2015

It's a 1960's addition on a 1930's barn so it is not a structural part of the barn. If the roof is solid and you can get on it, that is the place to start tearing off. Shingles or whatever comes off first, then the roof boards, then the roof supports...after that it should be self explanatory. If you just start sawing on the posts it is all gonna fall inward on the barn wall...or on you. If it is all attached with a plate to the barn wall you could detach it from the wall and maybe pull it out away from the barn? Pictures would help.

rrlund · Jan 21, 2015

I took down one entire pole barn and took the old lean to off another barn that past summer and fall. I put a piece of pipe on the round bale spear and knocked a lot of it loose from the inside.

flying belgian · Jan 21, 2015

Are you wanting to save any of the tin or wood from
the leantu? If not then just hook a cable around the
top of the posts and pull it away from the barn. If
you want to save as much as possible then take it
down in the reverse order than it was put up. That
looks fairly simple.

Glen SW Wi · Jan 21, 2015

Do like Dave said. Do the reverse of how it went up. Looks like a nice straight milkhouse.

johnwayne360 · Jan 21, 2015

milkhouse is staying. Have water lines/shutoffs coming up through the floor. Rest of barn is hay storage.

JerryS · Jan 21, 2015

Don't know if you have any interest in keeping the covered space (me, I'll take all the shed space I can get), but if so, could you just replace the posts? Not easy, but in some cases it can be done. That depends, of course, on what shape the roof and upper structure are in.

Bob Harvey · Jan 21, 2015

If you are sure you want it removed, and it is unstable due to the rotten posts, you could build a temporary 2x4 wall to support the weak end (brace everything) and disassemble as mentioned below. The alternative is build the temp. wall and replace the posts with pressure treated timber and/or relocate any beam that the posts support over the concrete, drill in some saddles and replace the posts. HTH P.S. I have done this a few times with success (retired Bldg. contractor). ;^)

johnwayne360 · Jan 21, 2015

I go back and forth on that subject. But I havent been able to get a quote on anything as yet. Part of the roof is gone, but i would have to re side part of the barn if I take the lean to off. Although it does make a decent space for storing round bales. I do also have beef cows, but they rarely come inside the shed.

johnwayne360 · Jan 21, 2015

there are two rows of posts in this lean to. One right down the center, so there are two 10 ft x 70 ft sections. Replaced the center row of posts would require taking part of the roof off.

Dave H (MI) · Jan 21, 2015

I am not understanding why. Is there cement on the ground or is it dirt? I would keep the lean-to. Looks good on your beautiful barn and is great covered space. I see two options for saving it. (1) Nail supports under the rafters and put house jacks there to support the roof while you remove one post at a time and replace it or (2) Run a second line of post next to the old ones but offset a little. Either do this with the old roof support or replace that also.

donjr · Jan 21, 2015

If the rafters and purlins are still good, why not brace the base board with 4x4's, cut the current columns out, then dig down and pour a concrete column with an inset steel column brace, then insert a new column that's now set on concrete and out of the dirt. If you need to replace the roof, do it. If it's being used for storage, it's worth more as a cover. It's kind of like an oil change- it seems expensive to have to do it, but it's cheaper in the long run....

Bruce from Can. · Jan 21, 2015

Looking at the picture, I think I would replace the post. Looks like a very usable shed space to me. Would cost a lot of money to replace that many square foot of storage.

JerryS · Jan 21, 2015

My thoughts exactly.

1130Leo · Jan 22, 2015

Quick way to get it on the ground, run cable
around all the posts near the top as possible,
hook to large tractor and pull, should pull the
posts out from under the roof, and the roof
should fall down, then just tear it apart and
dispose of. Personally, if it's just some
rotten posts and minor damage, I would jack it
up cut the posts replace the bottom portion and
re-enforce them with plates and bolts thru.
That looks like a nice place to park equipment
out of the weather.

showcrop · Jan 22, 2015

Your picture makes it look like you NEED that lean to to get your equipment under cover. It is difficult to say, not knowing how it is framed, but could you just put a new row of posts down the outside, sitting on the concrete and do away with the bad ones? You could make up a beam sitting on the new posts to run the length of it.

Leroy · Jan 22, 2015

You try pulling it down and where it is fastened to the barn will destroy the barn, Do it right and repair the posts and roof. Rotted of posts just dig a hole beside each post and put in a 8' long post and just bolt it to the orignal, if you did not like just bolting to orignal then you could just dig out the orignal and set a new piece under the orignal and bolt that and the new together as well as the side post and orignal. Been done many a time. And the posts just to the side of the floor tells me that the floor was added later.

W_B · Jan 22, 2015

Agree with others here, I'd repair it and use the storage space. Wish I had this much of a lean to, in fact looking to add something like this to my barn to park equipment under.

johnwayne360 · Jan 22, 2015

Its actually a two level lean to..lol. 10 feet of the concrete was there, then they stair stepped it down the hill a bit when they added another 10 feet of concrete later. It appears the lean to was added after all the concrete was poured. The later part is about two feet lower than the earlier part. Its the years of manure against the posts that have rotted them off. Although the lean to is presently in no danger of falling down, I can see the posts need to be replaced soon.

johnwayne360 · Jan 22, 2015

It is and it isnt...The doors arent as tall as they look..a 4440 barely fits in and you have to take the exhaust stack off. And with the poles in the middle, 10 ft sections dont leave a lot of room for wide equipment. But hay bales fit well.

GeneMO · Jan 22, 2015

Well, as good as that barn looks, and I see snow, and as precious as good shelter is on a farm, I would do whatever I could to fix the problem, put in new posts, fix it up and use it.

You just can't get too much shelter.

Fix it. You wont be sorry.

Gene

C. Amick · Jan 23, 2015

Do one post at a time. Add temporary support to the roof. Cut off post and remove the rotted underground piece. fill the hole with concrete and add a large vertical piece of angle iron to the concrete placed at the outside edge of the post to keep the post from kicking out. Attach the angle iron to the outside of the the post by strapping it or use lag screws.

taking a leanto off a barn

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