Tore down barn, now what...

[Old Mission]

We tore down our 130 year old barn (to far gone to repair) We are keeping the good boards and beams for other projects, but are trying to figure out what to do with the rest without renting a expensive dumpster. Some can be burnt, but we dont want to burn anything painted or treated. Dont know how to get rid of the shingles (which are still attached to cedar shakes and wood) Trying to find
a inexpensive way to handle the rest. Dont have a landfill in the area.

[motdaugrnds]

If it were my situation, I would hire a dozer to dig a hole near it and bury it. If you decide to go this route, have dozer pile at least 4 ft of extra dirt over the spot where it is buried; so when it rots, the ground will level out and you won't have a dip there.

[CesumPec]

Burying it is a good option but I would make sure there was nothing environmentally objectionable first. Also I would try to compost as much of it as possible. Even if you can't easily chip the waste wood, put it under your compost pile and it will eventually decay.

[MO_cows]

If it was 130 years old and parts of it were painted, you likely have lead paint. Wondering if burial would allow the lead to leach into ground water, and if it would be enough to be significant? I believe there is a test kit available at home improvement stores to test for lead.

[Yvonne's hubby]

I am sorry to say that whatever contaminates may be in the materials are going to be there, either leaching into the ground water if buried or floating about in the atmosphere if burned. I would have a dozer push it into a pile, burn it, bury the stuff that doesnt burn and get on with life. Its all about parts per millions.... or in the case of atmosphere parts per trillions of trillions.

When I think about things like this I wonder just how much my burning a pile of old wood would compare to things such as all the wildfires out west . I'd burn it .

[Danaus29]

What kind of shingles? Asbestos will survive a fire and can be removed and sent to a landfill after you burn the rest of it. I would rather burn the old wood than bury it. After it all cools pick out the metal with a big magnet on a string. I would not burn asphalt shingles. Nasty choking thick black smoke!

[Sawmill Jim]

Unless you wan to spend two fortunes i would find me a dozer or rent me a backhoe dig that hole then after dark light it up If to many get involved you could wind up trucking a bunch to a toxic waste center $$$$$$

[clovis]

I'd be selling the barn wood on craigslist. People still love barn wood. Even if you gave it away, it would save you the time to burn it.

Be careful when burning. That old wood gets hotter than you think, and you can build a bigger fire than you expected.

Ask me how I know that....

[brreitsma]

Burying shingles could seep and affect ground water. Anything burning outside will not effect health because of the open air. Just wait till it is raining and lots of dark clouds so your burn won't be noticed. Shingles and treated wood will burn hot enough even in rain to burn everything else. Rain will keep smoke from spreading around too.

[Danaus29]

You can get sick from burning asphalt shingles if you inhale the smoke. My bil almost passed out when he burned a bunch of them some years ago. He was dizzy and light-headed for a few days after.

[Yvonne's hubby]

Originally Posted by Danaus29

You can get sick from burning asphalt shingles if you inhale the smoke. My bil almost passed out when he burned a bunch of them some years ago. He was dizzy and light-headed for a few days after.

I have a sister in law like that.. dizzy and confused all the time..... been that way all her life, but I dont think it had anything to do with burning shingles.

[TheMartianChick]

My parents are in a similar situation. Their old barn collapsed under the heavy snow this year. We all felt as though we'd lost a family member! Mom and Dad are planning to place an ad on Craigslist to get someone to carry it away. Whoever does it will have to have their own insurance and will have to provide a copy to my parents. If they are unable to get someone in that way, then they plan to call the local volunteer fire department and allow them to burn it as a training exercise. I'm not sure, but it might also be a write-off to them to do it in this way...

[plowjockey]

Dig, dump, burn and bury, is how it'd done around here and that's what id do, shingles and all.

I'd never bury wood, without burning it. You could end up fighting a sinking, rotting mess, for years. Might be okay to grow mushrooms on.

I'd just make sure the wind is from the west, so the smoke would not blow towards my neighbors.

All old buildings have been painted with lead paint, at one time or another. Fact of life.

If you want to keep things totally clean, you have to have it all hauled away.

You could always burn it then dig up the ashes and haul away, in a roll-off, but that could be expensive, also..