Have worked on several “timber framed” barns, been in lots over the years. The farm I sold recently had a very large, 60X80 bank barn built around 1710 with a forebay added in the early 1800s. Which needed a fair bit of TLC when I bought the property.
Little to nothing of its construction would pass “code”. Neither would our log house built in 1790 and a balloon framed addition added in the early 1800s. But both have stood the test of time. So I am not concerned about things being “code”. Code has its place, esp with modern construction. The code police protect the property owner from shoddy construction as much if not more then anything else.
In addition to doing extensive re-hap, remodeling on the above barn and house personally. I have bought and rehabbed/remodeled a number of old houses over the years. I avoided having to deal with code/ building inspectors as much as possible. A lot of building departments give a fair amount of leeway with rehab/remodeling old houses to a certain extent. Others made mountains out of mole hills, which can make things absurdly expensive and time consuming. In my formative years I had several friends that were master carpenters, plumbers, electricians etc to check out my work. There comments when checking out my work, “That will work just fine, clever. But it won’t pass code”. I didn’t have to deal with the code police and they knew it. I also knew what I was doing.
It would have taken me a less time to have looked things over personally and tell you what needs to be done and how to go about it. Then it took doing the same with the pictures provided. The pictures aren’t as detailed as I would like to have worked with. But I am pretty sure I can see enough to give a good idea of what is going on.
First question, did Amish do the work on this barn? If so it looks like it maybe the same Amish that worked on my barn over the years for the previous owners,lol. Everybody seems to think the Amish are the last “pros” left. I am sure there are a lot of very good Amish carpenters. But to think every Amish is a great carpenter would be the same as to think every Italian makes great Italian food.
If not Amish was it a DIY by the previous owner? Or did you pay someone to do this. If so was it a “farmer”? Because looking at the pictures there sure is a lot of “amateur” work going on. People who did not have much of an understanding of structural fundamentals. Esp when it comes to this type of structure and construction style.
While I agree by and large with Bo’s suggestions above. IME and based on the pictures I don’t think you need get into all of that to fix the problem, I can’t really see what/how the header over the door is made. Considering the oak floor beam that sits just inside the door is from what I can see set on the wrong side/axis. It wouldn’t surprise me that the header is undersized, incorrectly built and or installed.
Counting the door boards, which look like beadboard with the V grove faced out? These are usually 5 1/2 inches wide, 14 of them exposed, so that makes the opening a little over 6 feet. So we are not talking about a big opening that needs a big beefy header. With standard framing the second floor wall studs are usually spaced 16 or 24 " on center. This spreads the load evenly on the header and we are not talking a lot of “loading”. The problem I see is the fact this building is not built using standard stick framing.
As seen in the picture of the second floor there is a load baring post to the right of the window which should be set on the header. It looks to be a 1 foot+ off center of the header. Hope this post wasn’t set on the floor boards? Based on the picture it looks like it is set on the Header not the floor beam that is set inside the door? This post is carrying more not only the weight of the wall board, roof plate but also what ever that 3rd level is. I am assuming the header is made from the same that is used for the floor beam?
So we have that post putting around twice the weight on the header as the wall studs are. The floor beam is bowing/sagging also. The floor joists are set on the beam, notched and set on the header also. The floor beam is bowing/sagging adding more loading to the header. Looks like the joist, part of on the right is slightly above the beam? If so this means the majority of the load that joist is carrying is on the header. This IMO and experience based on a couple of pictures is what the problem is.
You have to address 2 things IMO based on the pictures. The first is the sagging floor beam. Sistering something this long will be problematic. It is best to use one continuous board on both sides, bolted. You didn’t say what the span is. You could get and or special order a Gluelam beam as Bo suggested. These are fairly pricey, esp a custom order. a PITA to get in place too. Ask me how I know.
This needs to have 2 post added. To check and see how much deflection, sag. I use mason’s line/string. Drive a small nail say 1/8" from the bottom on the side on one end. Put another nail the same on the other end. Tie the string on one end take it to the other nail pull real tight and tie off. This will give you a visual of how much of a bow you are dealing with. Measure the distance between where the string is on the side of the beam and the bottom of the beam. Do this is several places to as to find the center of the bow and mark the location on the beam. Measure this and subject the 1/8" for where you placed the nails. Hopefully its not do much. Leave the string in place for the next steps. If this beam has been sagging for a long time, oak doesn’t usually flex back to the horizontal like pine almost always does. Oak has a much great shear strength then pine. It can flex/bow a lot further then pine before splitting.
You can use the “string” to do the same on the second floor to see what things look like.
I assume this has a poured floor (concrete)? So you don’t have to deal with pouring footings for the posts. IMO 6X6 posts will be fine. Or buy the pre-made adjustable metal posts that others have mentioned home. Measure to either side of the door where you want to put them. Measure from the floor to your string line. This will tell you how tall the beam has to be cut. I use bottle jacks to jack up the beam. These can be bought or rented. I buy mine at Harbor Freight about half the price of anywhere else. They are handy to have for other things. You will need a jacking post, this can be made out of sistered/sandwiched 2X6, Or to make sure you won’t get any bowing when jacking use a 6X6.
Start with jacking up at the center of the bow you marked. If the beam flexes, settles back to horizontal the string will measure the same ± a tad or so across the length of the beam. If it doesn’t let is sit for a day or two and see what happens. If it is still off more than liked no big deal. It’s a barn not a house. IMO not that big a deal if the floor above is a bit convex. Any floor joists that do not sit on the beam and or on the new header can be shimmed if needed.
You didn’t say what size the header pocket is. And knowing if the bearing post above is sitting on it or not. If was sitting on the floor beam it is not being shown in the picture. And it would if it was. Sitting on the floor board over the joist and header? Still need to know the size of the header pocket. Some good pictures and description of the existing header would help a lot. There might be a way to MacGyver it without pulling out and replacing. This part is can be and usually is the real PITA part of the operation.
Without knowing the exact size of the pocket hard to say what is needed. But all things being equal and say the pocket space is 6" below the top plate. I assume there is a “top plate”? The door span is only a little of 6 feet? That’s not much and there is not that much loading on this. IMO and experience a pressure treated 6X6 should be fine for the job. I would rather use an 8X8. But might require cutting out some of the cinder block to fit. The block probably should be filled with cement to keep from cracking. Depends on how deep the header goes in from either side. This can add a lot of time.
Making a header is not that hard as Bo explained. Sister a few 2X8s together, I like to use construction glue also. Depending on the load being carried. I like to add some plywood sandwiched and glued also. The plywood adds strength and adds “cheaper” width. Headers made for a 2X4 framed house are made with what ever size 2X the plans call for and 1/2 of plywood. So you end up with it being the same width as a 2X4, 3 1/2 inches. This is set on top of 2 2x4s called King Studs.
IMO and experience this opening is not that wide nor is the header going to be carrying excessive loads. Esp for the size. Snow or wind, or what ever is piled on that area of the second floor. This area will only be dealing with “dead loads”. Not a live load like my bank barn loft had to. Tractor driving on it. 2-3 ton hay wagons pulled/backed in etc.
No disrespect to Bo but I see no reason to get into installing joist hangers on the header. IMO and experience over kill. As long as the new header is properly secured. IMO it doesn’t really matter if the floor joists are even hung on and or nailed to it. Based on the picture the joists over hang from the beam to the header only looks like 6-12s"? Those oak joists IME are plenty beefy enough to handle a 12" over hang. Regardless of what will put on the floor above.
This is not that difficult a job for anyone that has done it before. I’ve done lots of work on a barns like this. A lot bigger barns with a second floor/loft that is being used to hold a LOT of heavy stuff. If you are going to be paying someone. Hope you can find someone that has done it before. Otherwise you will be paying a lot money in extra time for their learning curve. There are tricks to the trade as they say that make this go and lot quicker. Esp getting a new header in, if it needs one. And not paying for “over engineering”.
Who ever did the siding hadn’t done much. Properly installed siding adds a lot of structural strength also. Regardless of the type. The ends should ALWAYS be staggered. Not all lined up as seen on this wall.
The roofer didn’t bother to use inexpensive Drip Edge. Just overhung the shingles which is why they are sagging. Wouldn’t be surprised if water is running off behind the gutter in places. If it’s not now it’s gonna. Those shingle edges are on the verge of breaking off. Fall into and clog the gutter also. When replacing it I would use half round gutter and the adjustable hangers it sits in. Much stronger gutter, snow loading etc, easy to install and adjust for roof lines that are not horizontal.
All off the above is just suggestions based on a few pictures. Without hands on visual inspection, checking the “can” to how many “worms” are in it. How many other worms there maybe that I can see until getting into, opening up things. I would never “bid” on this type of project. Time and materials only. To fix one thing may require fixing, addressing a few other things also. Once the job is under way. But I can give a pretty good estimate of how much it will cost after inspection. I’ve done enough, lol.
I’ll check back at another time to check for typos, clarity, etc. This took a lot of time, I knew I shouldn’t have gotten into it, lol.
