Just got back from the farm... OH MY...

simi-steading · #1 03/19/13, 05:48 PM

Got the rest of the floor torn out of the main house... Man have I got some work to do to replace a 10"x10" rotted beam, and what you cant see in the pictures I am linking to is the floor on the other side of this that has rotted too... I'll get those pictures after the next trip next month...

I'm so tired of thinking about how I am going t repair this.. I've only had about 6 ideas so far.. I'm sure I'll have about 10 more before I get it done... HOPEFULLY on the next trip or two...

Anyway, here's pictures of my battle... OH.. don't forget to see the pictures of the thrill of burning it all... There's a whole lot of work and sweat in all those BTU's....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dc-duo/

Just got back from the farm... OH MY... - Homestead Construction

kasilofhome · #2 03/20/13, 02:30 AM

Alot out of my skill range. good luck

fishhead · #3 03/20/13, 06:40 AM

Uff dah!

simi-steading · #4 03/20/13, 10:48 AM

LOL.. not the words I use every time I get more torn out to see what's really going on.. but at least you can use those words here...

Mironsfarm · #5 03/21/13, 08:09 PM

wow good luck! looks like you have a lot of work ahead of your self. but in the end you will enjoy it! looking forward to watching the repairs as you go

simi-steading · #6 03/21/13, 08:16 PM

Thank you... I'll keep posing as we go... We keep questioning our sanity, but we know we can get it done... just when we're not sure.. LOL...
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We can't wait though.. we're getting closer and closer to hopefully moving out there next year.

unregistered168043 · #7 03/21/13, 08:24 PM

Did you know the extent of the work when you got the place? Also, looking at the bottom pics...how the heck are you gonna rip that out, jack up the walls??

simi-steading · #8 03/21/13, 08:31 PM

We knew the place was going to be a gut job and the floors would have to be replaced. I wasn't planning on this beam being rotted.. As I started removing wall paneling and saw the wall was sagged I had a good idea I was going to find something like this. Just had to get the floor out to get to it.

I keep telling my wife maybe we should just tear everything out except the windows and rebuild around them.... Seriously though, over all, the place isn't that bad... Walls (except this one) are good and solid, doors, windows, plumbing, electrical and other things are in decent shape.. a little work here an there with some of them...

We bought the place as a land deal, and paid what the land alone was worth... Everything else has just been gravy on the taters.... Good water, good septic, decent outbuildings... We'll still be money ahead after we get done...

Danny Bo · #9 03/23/13, 11:02 AM

Without actually seeing what you have...I would suggest sandwiching the rotted 10x10 with treated 2x10's rather than ripping it all out and replacing. We bought an old farmhouse built in 1904 and the kitchen floor had collapsed...interesting to look at the dirt in your kitchen

glenn amolenaar · #10 03/23/13, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny Bo

Without actually seeing what you have...I would suggest sandwiching the rotted 10x10 with treated 2x10's rather than ripping it all out and replacing. We bought an old farmhouse built in 1904 and the kitchen floor had collapsed...interesting to look at the dirt in your kitchen

Bad idea all that work and leaving rotting 10x10 would just mean rework in a few more years.

simi-steading · #11 03/24/13, 07:24 AM

Nothing left to "sandwich"... On top of that putting rotted wood against new wood is just asking to rot the new wood...

I've got this figured out now... just need to get out there and get it all done..

plowhand · #12 03/26/13, 07:33 PM

Use pressure treated. Ain't worth the trouble to fix it if you don't, less you can find some black locust beams, yellow popular, or lightered beams.

simi-steading · #13 03/26/13, 08:15 PM

Oh yes, I planned on nothing but pressure treated to replace it with.

spud · #14 04/07/13, 04:00 PM

First you need to support your wall which would mean nailing a heavy beam ie 2 by 10 or 12 to your wall and putting railroad jacks under that. Then cutting your plate out and possible rotted studs and replacing them. Your foundation for that wall looks questionable too. I typically don't enjoy such work, one thing usually leads to another and another, etc. jeff

RonM · #15 04/07/13, 04:32 PM

Does it need to be replaced with a 10x10, that was the probably the way back in the day..

doigle · #16 04/07/13, 06:41 PM

Whatever you manage to do, it will be well worth it in the end. I started looking at your pics you linked in your first post. Could not stop. What a wonderful piece of land! What an interesting bunch of buildings! It's like a place I dream of finding somehow, but have no hope of that dream ever coming true at my age. And a cave???? Just wow, what part of the country is that anyway? Gorgeous!

simi-steading · #17 04/08/13, 10:10 AM

Yeah, I figure I'm going to have to support the all first higher up to get it lifted enough to get something new under it..

I'll probably use 2x8's nailed together to make a beam 9" wide, and 8" tall... It needs to be wife to catch the floor on both sides...

Believe me... I'm so not looking forward to this... I'll get it done, and done right, but it's not going to be simple..

The place is in the middle of WV, in the foothills to the west of the mountains... I't a lot of vertical land, but there's a lot of great hunting there. A lot of places to just get away and sit back and watch nature..

My wife has already started counting days until we can move at the earliest.. 400 and some...

I sue hope I can get the floor in by then... We just don't get too many days between now and moving time that we can get out there and work on it.

Pigeon Lady · #18 04/08/13, 12:44 PM

Love your place, semi-steading! The old log barn with the half dovetail corners (at least they appear to be, without my glasses

) is just wonderful !

Your house and land are very similar to our own here in SW Virginia. Sometimes I yearn for more flat pasture and long range views but I love the mystery of the woods and the creeks, all the rocky outcroppings and nooks and crannies of the place.

I'm eager to see how things go with that floor beam. Our place came with an old country store on the property. It too has a rotted sill that needs to be replaced. I keep going down there a looking at it. I'm sure we could fix it ourselves once we devise a plan. I'll be keeping a close eye on your progress!

Wishing you many happy years there! I remember counting the days too

Pauline

simi-steading · #19 04/08/13, 01:00 PM

Thanks... Yeah.. I'm gonna keep watching too to see how this turns out... LOL.. I'm already feeling like I am getting behind on getting this beam fixed and the floors replaced..

Making a trip out next week, but I'm also taking a tractor and bush hog out there too, which means I need to get new doors on the machine shed to keep it out of sight and mind from anyone that may wanna snoop around..

Also going to be putting in a video surveillance system, so basically I don't see me working on the floor issue much...

I think in July or maybe Aug. we're going to take a week off work so I can get the majority of the floor done..

RonM · #20 04/08/13, 06:22 PM

What are or town in WV are you near, I've hunted several areas of WV, love it....