Mother's Stackwood Barn

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Both 3 X 8 and 8 X 6 posts (roughsawed from oak, hem pine, and white pine) make up the second-story support framework, and angle braces are used to connect the posts to concrete block stands built up from the footers. The connecting beams are also 6 X 6 roughsawed timbers, and are supported by both the 6 X 6 posts and the 3 X 6's that brace the gates. The beams are tied to the posts with 1/4" X 6" X 18" steel plates and 1/2" bolts . . . as well as by bolted 3 X 6 diagonal beams. Longer 3 X 6 diagonals also span the boxed-in sections at the open end of the building to add strength.

We built sills on the 6 X 8 beams by nailing two 2 X 8's together, and then toenailing the doubled boards-on edge-on top of the timbers. A pressure-treated 2 X 8 sill was then tied to the crest of the block wall to level things up for the addition of 2 X 8 floor joists on 16-inch centers.

Laying down the rough-cut 1" flooring on the framework presented quite a challenge, since few of the boards were of the same width. To insure that the spacing would work out correctly, our crew started laying the lumber in the center of the floor, and worked to the edges (across the 32-foot dimension). After every two feet of outward progress, they dropped a chalk line along the 45-foot dimension and ripped along the entire length to even up the irregularities in width.

In order to get the greatest possible use from the loft, we decided to build the roof as a free span . . . thereby eliminating the need for space-stealing, interior roofsupporting posts. The 2 X 8 rafters were tied into the flooring and sills with spikes, and plates were wedged between them to provide additional support. Th,span itself is a self-supporting angle. arch that consists of a 12-in-10 pitch proceeding from the floor, and a 3-in-12 pity finishing to the roof peak. A vent runs the length of the peak to help keep the lot from overheating or retaining too must moisture. The roofing material is galva nized metal, laid on 1 X 4's running per pendicular to the rafters. The result is truly spacious loft that measures t3 feet ! at its highest point.

FINISHING TOUCHES

We closed in the end the loft with standard framing on 24-inch centers, us ing 24" purlins. Then the same 1" rough cut lumber that made up the flooring was applied to the framing as siding. Generous double doors are centered in each end, but—as a result of the earth berming—one loft door is at ground level (to make bringing hay, or whatever, into the upper level an easier task), while the other is at second-story height (to face hate loading the contents of the loft into truck or wagon). We also placed a 16" X 72" tapered gable-end vent above ear pair of doors, to further assure proper ventilation of the space. To ease the job of getting feed down stairs to our barn's hungry clientele 29" X 30" trapdoor was cut into one corner of the loft floor, and the appropriate criples were then added from below. While bales of hay can be simply dropped through the opening, a ladder allows bipeds to climb down into (or up out the feed room below the loft.

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