OT: Replacing rotted corner barn posts.

I have 2 corner post in my old barn that need replaced because of rot caused by the roof not being maintained. We bought the old farm house and outbuildings 5 years ago and have since removed 2 buildings that were beoynd repair, with 2 more to go. But I want to save the barn.

I have repaired the roof and hoping to get it covered with steel this summer, but the post need to be replaced first. All of the joints from the cross beams are dovetail joints, which are rotted also. What ways are there to replace the beams and still keep the cross beams. I thought about usings heavy duty L brackets and lag bolting them into the new replacement corner beams.

Any ideas from you guys?

I have repaired rotted posts in my pole barn by digging a hole right beside the rotted one, then putting in a short new post and "sistering" it to the old one. I used threaded rod drilled clear thru both posts and a piece of 1/4" thick flat stock on both sides. You need something bigger than a flat washer to spread out the load. Been a few years ago and working fine.
I think you could make up your own "L" brackets from 1/4" or thicker stock. I haven't seen anything in a hardware or lumber yard strong enough, but maybe I wasn't looking. I like the idea of bolting clear thru compared to lag bolts. Lots more clamping power.
Good luck,
Paul

I think the L bracket idea will work. Go to your local fab shop and have the punch and bend some brackets for you. Use at least 1/8 inch thick. Go about 6"each way with 4 or more holes on each side of the bend for 3/8 lags.

Is the post sitting on concrete?

Gary

Yes, the post are sitting on concrete. I'd like to keep the dovetail joint look, but don't want to replace all the beams that are still good except for the dovetail.

I jacked a corner of mine, which has a basement under, by drilling two holes through, and using 7/8 threaded rod to hold two, two foot long hard wood 2x4s to it. I used my fork lift as a jack although with a little cribbing, regular bottle jacks could do the lifting.

I'm sitting here wondering where my brackets are while we wait for some snow to melt. In order to kack it, we have 3/8 inch angle iron 18 inches long with welded back to back, and a half inch 6 x 6 inch flat welded to the bottom edge to place a jack under them. The angle irons have thirty or more holes in them to place 1.2 inch lags so we can lift the post.

Once in place, a few scabs of 2 x 8 will hold them in place. Your 8 x 8 plate is not anchored to the rock wall anyway.

Any place you must tie into a cross member, just scab some 2 inch lumber along side, and nail well. The pin that holds the mortice together is only a 1 1/2 at the most, if even that, so there isn't alot of strength there to speak of anyway.

As a side note, I just had a long discusion with a customer / farmer last night that was trying to figure out how to lift the jacking beam into place with a skid loader while we place the jacking posts.

I said I do not need any help other than dragging the beam into place on the floor. We just take a couple saw horses up in the mow, and place a 6 x 6 across the top of them. I then cut a three inch hole in the floor boards to alow my little 1/2 ton chain hoist to drop down to the basment floor. This also serves as abuffer in case a jack should kick out.

A little half ton chain hoist will lift a RR beam 16 inches by 14 inches 28 ft long with out a struggle.

You should also be aware that you will probably hear alot of poping / cracking noises while doing the project, so wear old underware that can be discarded if need be.