Duck Pond Redneckery

Modern in the respect that the original part or our milk barn has been covered in tin. Its still an old style barn that has been added onto twice. There is a brick barn at the original home place. Its beautiful. I'll send pics this weekend.
When they covered it in tin, did they remove the old planking and screw the steel up or did they slap 2x4s up over the old stuff?
Years ago a contractor told me they leave the old planking on and just put 2x4s over it to screw the steel to. That sounds like a dumb way to do it.
 
When they covered it in tin, did they remove the old planking and screw the steel up or did they slap 2x4s up over the old stuff?
Years ago a contractor told me they leave the old planking on and just put 2x4s over it to screw the steel to. That sounds like a dumb way to do it.
The roof was shingles until about 10 years ago. They left them on and put 2x4's on then screwed the tin to the 2x4's.
 
I wish I knew what species of plant this is.

View attachment 71110

It was the stalk of a weed I cut down behind the old wood barn 2 years ago.

It was a green stalk, a broadleaf plant like burdock but it grew about 5-6 feet high. I cut it all out and it all went on the burn pile except for this 3 foot piece I kept out of curiosity. I don't remember what piqued my curiosity though.

It was green and flexible when I cut it. I cut it with hand pruners the size of a pair of wire cutters and it was super easy to cut.

Now it's super strong and super light.

I mean I don't think I can snap it in half with my bare hands if I tried. It's as rigid as whatever wood they use for broom handles.

And it's so light I could probably balance it on the end of a cigarette, holding it by the filter. I mean it weighs almost nothing. But it's so damn strong I can barely flex it holding it by the ends.

Too bad I cut everything down again this year and poisoned the ground. I'm going to have to go out in the fields on the 4 wheeler and see if I can find some more.

But I just noticed this:

View attachment 71109

The core is soft like styrofoam. It's basically like a wooden tube with foam inside.

I just cut a piece off and dug out the foamy stuff with a drill bit.

View attachment 71111

View attachment 71112

Whatever it is, it grows wild in Illinois. :dunno:
Looks like river cane to me.
 
I don't know much about barns other than I have been in one and possibly was born in one according to my Mother (something about leaving doors open)

I just figured the barn was enough protection for an animal with the herd shedding body heat.
I had no idea about the slats. I learn something new everyday.
from @Duck ...???

dear god, you got some LOW STANDARDS....
 
@Duck , when i was younger, like back in 1690, i had a co-driver from the farms of PA.....i think @Electric Chicken might be related to him...anyway, way back then, he did tell me that barns are for shelter for the animals, they do not require heating. also, like here in my state, "lean-to" structures are sufficient as per the ASPCA.. when a man that had horses, only had the "lean-to"...but people not knowing, like the PETA shitheads, tried to sue him, but failed, as he was 100% legal for animal care.

you're doing a fine job, as a plumber, trying to repair that barn...that has major drafts.....
 
20200923_113845.jpg

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If I stand perfectly still, about every minute or so this little chipmunk pokes his head out of the hole, looks at me and quickly retreats back into his hole.
 
My dad told me it's called board and batten.

WHAT IS BOARD AND BATTEN SIDING?

The style evolved in the United States as a more efficient alternative to the log cabin. Barns and houses with board and batten siding were inspired by Nordic European buildings and gained popularity in America sometime around the middle of the 19th century.

Traditionally, board and batten siding starts with wide vertical planks (boards), which are then joined together by thin vertical strips (battens) to cover the seams. Homesteaders and farmers would use sawmills to cut the long boards, and the battens were put in place to make the structure as airtight as possible. Farmers embraced the style when building barns because the technique was inexpensive, assembly was relatively simple, and the result was energy efficient.

From: The Essential Guide to Board and Batten Siding

Yeah like they gave a rats ass about energy efficiency in the 1800's. 😅
 
My garage is board. They forgot the batten. Leaks like a sieve. Less so with some of the insulation installed but I was too lazy to pull tools off the walls and finish the job.


Sad really because it's not even that much stuff. I'm just pathetic.
 
My garage is board. They forgot the batten. Leaks like a sieve. Less so with some of the insulation installed but I was too lazy to pull tools off the walls and finish the job.


Sad really because it's not even that much stuff. I'm just pathetic.
What are you talking about? You've got tools on the exterior walls?

If it's the exterior siding that has gaps, and there's insulation, it's water logged and rotting the shit out of the horizontal stringers the siding is nailed to. Better investigate that. That's why I had to completely rebuild a section of the wall. Some jackass put fluffy insulation in it but didn't do any kind of tyvek or tar paper to keep water out.
 
What are you talking about? You've got tools on the exterior walls?

If it's the exterior siding that has gaps, and there's insulation, it's water logged and rotting the shit out of the horizontal stringers the siding is nailed to. Better investigate that. That's why I had to completely rebuild a section of the wall. Some jackass put fluffy insulation in it but didn't do any kind of tyvek or tar paper to keep water out.
No the insulation. It's not regular fiberglass it's that mylar stuff with bubble wrap in the middle. I'm too lazy to finish that job.

I'm not stupid enough to use fiberglass where water can get in. The mylar acts as a wind breaker and water runs right down it.
 

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