Barn on a hill with a composting floor...

Our friend Skye Alexandra is interested in a barn project...

Tell me more Skye about your goals for this project? Did you get all your questions answered about the "withdrawn tenon" on the other barn?

Regards,

j

Hi, finally managed to lo in!!! I have a hillside that is mostly bank run, shale outcroppings and a mostly thin layer of soil.I am back to the idea of doing a barn that would line up with a future milk barn (timber framed) so that especially in winter I can 'put away' the herd at night. I had finally settled on a hoop roof on knee awl;ls.. but the plastic and the ascetics have pushed me back to real wood/ral roof…. so instinctually I feel I can sit my barn on the hill… on rocks where there might be soil and on bare rock if an outcrop is favorably situated. I plan a 20 by 24, or a maximum of 24 by 30. I will do some sketches tonight. the higher up wall starts about 6 feet above the lowest low wall point. The lower wall will be mitigate by terracing in front of it later. I want to use black locust for the wood that touches any soil… but wood still gives me heebie jeevies and my mind turns to pied d terre… but then what if it gets wet? I run not walk from cement… I have pics of the hillside, but they really don't seem to give a great idea of the site

I want to use black locust for the wood that touches any soil… but wood still gives me heebie jeevies and my mind turns to pied d terre… but then what if it gets wet? I run not walk from cement… I have pics of the hillside, but they really don't seem to give a great idea of the site

We have talked on the phone and I am still following, so when you get a more "set idea" and some plans for folks here to review, I can comment more specifically to you "ideas." If the stone is sound/solid enough and can be placed under the drip line of the roof far enough you should have no issue with an all wood structure/barn. With out a "site survey" this is, however,only speculative in nature. Look forward to more of your ideas. Hope everyone is in good health and growing strong.

Regards,

j

Thank you Jay. Yes everyone is growing super big and strong… nursing only & both are closing in on 20lbs, 30 inches!! The site is all slate, shale outcropping on bank run. the base of the left wall is about 6 feet higher than the base of the right wall. My concerns regarding the site are that I can't do a timber frame! I am planning uprights like a pole barn, with the wood mortised into the side so it is wood (not screws/bolts) holing the weight of the 2 by 6 boards. I was going to do uprights at either 8 foot or 6 foot apart on the 24 foot side. I will sketch a plan. the real question is about the floor. I plan a composting floor. This is wood to sticks to bedding… with IMOs applied… I don't want to compost my walls though!!! So do I tongue oil the wood? Just use locust? Apply a coat of clay?