Selected Portfolio:
Barn Restoration
Old Somers Farm
Arcadia Restorations were engaged to stabilize and repair major damage and failed members in a 45x100’ dairy barn in Peacham, Vermont. The central portion of the barn was much earlier than the two equally-sized additions later made to each gable end, and in converting the barn to dairy use in the late 19th century, the frame of the earliest part of the barn was substantially weakened, leading to ever-increasing stress and damage. Failed members and insufficient repairs were removed, replaced in kind, and supplemented to stabilize the structure and head off further deterioration
The milking floor of the barn at Old Somers Farm, Peacham, Vermont
The horizontal member supporting the floor joists was of insufficient size, had rolled out of place, and had broken joinery.
The undersized and failed timber was removed, and a replacement fabricated out of a larger dimension piece. Pictured above are the two halves of the replacement prior to installation, showing traditional joinery.
The replacement girt installed, secured with pinned tenons and braces, floor above leveled, and new posts to the floor below.
A typical repair to the barn haymow, with a scarfed end replacing a piece which had broken in its midsection. Purlin post is now adequately supported with an intermediate post, and running the replacement 1’ into the aisle allowed for stronger joinery at the aisle post.
Hughes Farm Barn, Thetford Vermont
The Hughes Barn, a beloved property and museum owned by the Thetford Historical society, was sadly struck by a vehicle whose owner lost control approaching Thetford village itself. The owner survived with only minor injuries luckily, but the barn bore the full brunt of a Subaru striking the side of the barn at high speed, and unfortunately at a critical juncture, which resulted in the snapping of both gable-end posts, and pushing the sills off of their underpinnings. Essentially all framing beneath the roof needed to be replaced, so the roof was supported, the damaged framing removed, and a new frame including sills, girts, and posts installed to mate up with the historic roof.
This was the state of the barn after the Subaru was towed away, which had struck the wall at mid-height after leaping off of a berm.
The barn roof and surviving elements of upper floor were supported prior to removing the damaged framing.
The barn after replacing the sills, the lower floor joists, and the posts and bracing.
New Timber Frames
Dorset, Vermont
Adam and a team of three frequent collaborators were engaged to execute the replacement of a small two-car garage and attached shed which had been lost to fire. The earlier, relatively modern stick-framed structure was deemed insufficient for the owners' future needs, so they commissioned a utilitarian, traditional New England timber frame, which the team executed in six weeks on the basis of an initial concept furnished by Dorset Design Build. The frame is a highly faithful square-rule creation executed in locally-sourced white pine, fastened with octagonal green Locust wood pins, and assembled using several fine scarf joints and large, wedged dovetail tenons. The frame is 30x34' with a great deal of usable space on the upper story. The barn will also be receiving a timber-framed porch and a matching connector to the main house.
