The usual reason for the location of nails along the joist work in barns and outbuildings is for the purpose of hanging something. I have found these in many barns in similar locations. Unfortunately, we can't usually tell the exact purpose, because whatever was hung from these nails is long gone. Typically, however, these locations were used for drying/storing herbs, bags of onions or potatoes, or other seasonal kitchen garden crops. Depending on the use of the building of course, these locations were also handy for hanging tools, etc., but because you have the nails on all of the joists, and because they are so evenly spaced, my best guess is that they were seasonally used for hanging the same products year after year. If they were more random, such a use would be less likely. Only guessing, but that's my take. -Duncan Campbell

Adam, thank you for contacting the Indiana Barn Foundation Forum. We do not endorse barn contractors for specific jobs, but I would be happy to provide of list of barn contractors for you to contact if you will send me your email address. Email me directly at campbellduncan02@gmail.com.

I was saddened to see that your beautiful Monitor barn was collapsed by this week's storms. I have talked with lots of folks who are worried that this may happen to their barns, but I have to say that it is still pretty rare to see one completely collapse like this, because the timber frame--even when old--is a very strong structure. It is more common to lose a roof or part of a roof, or even see siding blown off than to see the entire structure go down. In response to your request for thoughts, suggestions, or ideas, my first inclination would be to clear the rubble and assess the real damage to the timber frame. This probably sounds crazy, but it may actually be possible to re-erect the frame if it is not too badly damaged. New roofs and new siding are relatively easy to apply, but the frame is the critical element. I cannot know its condition before it collapsed, and it may have been either very deteriorated in its timber connections--the pegged mortise and tenon joinery--or the wood sufficiently rotted to have lost its structural integrity. Otherwise, it is unlikely that it would all go down at once. And based on the picture, it seems to have blown down in a heap, but not scattered over the countryside as it may have done if hit by a tornado or sustained wind. This makes me think that frame deterioration may be the reason it blew down, but if enough of the frame is still sound, and the wood mortise and tenon connections are not shattered from the collapse, it may be that a significant amount of the frame could be put back up, and the deteriorated parts repaired or replaced. In other words, if enough of the primary mortise and tenon connections (where vertical posts meet horizontal girts) are not too damaged, it may be possible to re-erect the frame without prohibitive repair costs. So my first effort would be to assess whether or not a significant amount of the frame is sound enough to warrant rehabilitation. This assessment will take some expert eyes, no doubt, but I live by the credo that anything can be repaired, and that more often than not, such repair is worth the effort. It would help to have expert advice, and a firm like Trillium Dell Timberworks comes to mind, because they are notable barn repair experts, but barns are relatively simple wooden structures, and good (and willing) carpenters can often repair them, even if they are not expert timber framers, so all is not necessarily lost if you cannot afford a full technical restoration. Because your goal was to repurpose your barn as a wedding venue, you would have been required to undertake significant upgrades to meet the necessary building codes for assembly structures, and several interventions would have been necessary. Starting over, given these requirements, may not be too prohibitive, but you will still want to reuse as much of the original structure as possible in order to achieve the look and feel that makes such a venue so attractive. Looking at the bright side, I like to think of your barn's rehabilitation as an opportunity to make it structurally safe and sound once again, and ready for a new use. -Duncan

Great. You are in good hands.

@aminkone Sorry, I thought it was posted with my name above, but that is only part of it. It is campbellduncan02@gmail.com

Hi, Gary, Thank you for posting your concerns. Your barn looks to be in pretty good condition, although I cannot see the sill slippage you mention. This may or may not be of great concern, but in order to better understand the problem I would have to have more pictures. In some cases, the foundation will have settled--a condition know as differential settlement. In other instances, the barn itself has slipped on the foundation over time either because of other structural failures, environmental factors, sill deterioration, and the like. I know of at least one case where a barn was literally blown off its foundation by shear winds. You are welcome to post more pictures here or send them to me directly at my email address, and I will do my best to help you understand both cause and remedy. The Indiana Barn Foundation also offers site visits at a mileage only charge of $.54 per mile, and if you want to send me your address, I will estimate the cost of such a visit for you. Seeing the barn up close and in person would be the best way for one of us to evaluate the barn's overall condition, which would enable a more thorough set of recommendations. Again, thank you for contacting the Indiana barn Foundation. -Duncan

Thanks, Amy, for the picture and your comments. Yes, your barn is in rough shape, but from what I can see, it is not beyond repair. The Indiana Barn Foundation does offer site visits, and we only charge for our mileage costs at a rate of $.54 per mile. If you would like such a visit, just send me your address and I will estimate the mileage costs for you and set up a time for one of us to look at your barn. We also have a grant program, information for which you can access on this site. Your hopes for a studio/animal habitat are admirable, but clearly you would have to have a sound structural framework before completing such work. This might entail removal of all the siding, and perhaps the roofing, in order to repair and straighten the timber frame. Based on your photo, you also need foundation work. These kinds of repairs do not necessarily require the expertise of a timber framing expert, as many skilled carpenters would have the know-how to tackle such a job. As you have found out, however, not all of those with the skills have an interest in tackling this kind of work. Many barn owners have expressed their frustration in attracting contractors to help with their barn repairs. We do have a contractor list on this website, but availability is limited. We are working to attract contractors to advertise on our website in order to be more helpful to barn owners like you, but have not as yet been able to meet the need. This is why I emphasize that owners concentrate on locating reputable, skilled carpenters who reside in the local or nearby community. Please feel free to contact me directly at the email address above if you would like to arrange a visit or communicate further.

Bryan, Sorry to hear about the fate of your barn. Check this website under Resources. Contractors who work on barns are always looking for barn materials with which to repair other barns.

OK. I will try to arrange a visit from one of our members in your area. If I cannot arrange for someone nearer to you, We do not charge for site visits, but do request reimbursement for our mileage. Please email me (campbellduncan02@gmail.com) directly with your phone number and address so I can give this information to whoever will do the site visit, and then they can contact you directly.

Thanks, Lisa. If you would like for me to have a closer look at the areas of concern--foundation and corner beam--you could post a few photographs on this site, and I will be happy to respond to what I see. Alternately, I could try to arrange a site visit by one of our representatives in your area. In terms of finding someone to work on your barn, please check on this website under RESOURCES for a list of barn repair contractors. I recieved your voice mail, and will call you back to discuss. Thanks, -Duncan

I do not personally know of any barn restoration contractors in Ripley Co., but you might want to check our contractor's list elsewhere on this website. One of them may be able to help you directly, or recommend someone in your area. Here is another thought: any good carpentry contractor should be able to assist with barn repairs, especially roofing and foundation work, which are not particularly unique to barns. Moreover, although timber framing and timber repair is pretty specialized work, basic woodworking repairs or structural analysis are not. If you think you need structural analysis, you might want to consider talking to a structural engineer or bridge contractor. Another option is a personal visit from an Indiana Barn Foundation member, such as myself. I live in Bloomington, so a trip to your county is pretty easy for me. I could help you with the analysis and diagnosis of your barn, and give you a sense of repair priorities if that is something you would like help with. We do not charge for this service, but we do ask that you reimburse mileage at $.45 per mile. If you would like to send me photos of your barn and its problem areas, I could provide an email or phone consultation. This is more limited perhaps than an on-site visit, but it might help, depending on the kind of information you seek. You can reach me at campbellduncan02@gmail.com or 812-325-0248. I hope this helps. -Duncan

HI, Karen. I believe we spoke earlier this summer about your barn and your concerns for its future. Unfortunately, I was unable to find time for a visit at that time, but could probably arrange one after the Thanksgiving holidays. A visit would give me a better picture of the barn, and perhaps allow me to point you toward the information you seek. My best guess is that most information regarding the barn's history would be sourced locally, but I could probably assist you in understanding its design/construction, and its place in barn geneology--its origins and precedents. If you still feel a visit would be useful to you, please let me know and we can make arrangements. -Duncan

Hi, Misty. I am short on time right now, preparing to go to the annual meeting of the National Barn Alliance. You have a lot of good questions, which I think I can help you with. Assessing the nature of the beetle damage and assisting with at least temporary support issues requires a first hand look, but if you would like to arrange a site visit, I would be happy to come see your barn. We do not charge for this, only ask that you pay travel costs--whatever gasoline expenses there are. I am in Bloomington, but we also have knowledgeable barn members in other areas of the state. Just let me know where you are located, and we can arrange for someone to come see your barn with you. Your floorboards will probably need replacing, but depending on how long they have been distorted, it may be possible to relax them back into shape. There are techniques for this, but it can be difficult. The good news is that rough sawn flooring is not too expensive and available at most local sawmills. If you look on our website, www.indianabarns.org, under the MORE button, you can access our list of barn contractors, who may be able to help you with estimates. You have already discovered that there are too few barn contractors, and the good ones are busy. You can contact me at 812-325-0248, or campbellduncan02@gmail.com. I hope to hear from you.