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My Beloved Barn roof has almost gone and, without the money to repair it, I had to let it go. This has meant the walls have started to go and, as you can see from the picture, half the front part has gone. I now have to protect the road from debris if it goes. What is my best (i.e., cheapest) option to prevent this? I figured putting supports against it might work. If so, what is the best way to do that? Help is greatly appreciated. It's got to do by mid-Oct 2016.

Only the front is in danger of affecting a public road. All other sides are far enough away. It is about 7 metres from the road and is around 5 metres to the roof (roughly). I own the land all around and up to the public road. enter image description here

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    If the plan is to let this fall into the ground eventually, why not just get an excavator in to knock it down right away?
    – Aloysius Defenestrate
    Sep 16, 2016 at 12:45
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    Yep - bring it down on your terms, not on nature/luck.
    – Steve
    Sep 16, 2016 at 13:41
  • Alternatively, if you have time to do the repair work, it looks like there may be enough salvageable material from the already collapsed section to repair the roof on the remaining section. Wouldn't be pretty, but could work.
    – Perkins
    Sep 16, 2016 at 18:42

5 Answers 5

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I hate to tell you this, but your barn is toast. Have it demolished before it kills some curious soul who wanders inside out of morbid fascination.

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    Seriously funny and truthful!
    – norcal johnny
    Sep 16, 2016 at 15:21
  • Yes, all that /r/abandonedPorn
    – DavChana
    Sep 16, 2016 at 16:43
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    The legal term is "attractive nuisance", and boy, is that one right there.
    – Eric Lippert
    Sep 16, 2016 at 18:12
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For the love of God, don't do anything from inside, to avoid collapsing on you.

I would get a 2x6 for the top bracing and a couple of 2x4's for the bracing. Nail the bracing to the top bracing, away from the structure. Use at least a 20-30 degree angle (eye it if needed) Use 2 people and push it into place without getting close. Once in position, drive some wooden stakes into the ground where the bracing is and then nail the stakes to the bracing.

If you are able (financially) I would even consider nailing some plywood to the wall side of the top bracing. Please be safe as you do this.

enter image description here enter image description here

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For safety sake it should be demolished to the foundation and all the stones and any salvageable beams should be retained. Then when you build it back from ground up it will be a better structure. Hopefully the foundation is good. If not pour and tie in a slab foundation when you rebuild.

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If all you're concerned about is protecting the road from rubble, putting up a barrier fence along the side if the road might be the safest and most reliable solution. Replace the metal barricades with posts driven solidly into the ground with plywood between them, for example.

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How much of the first part of the barn hit the road when it collapsed? If not much, then it's reasonable to assume that not much of this part will hit the road either.

That aside, any structure as unsafe as this needs to be pulled down. It may be on private land but that doesn't take into account how, erm, how can I put it; risk unaware some people are, especially children.

The bracing shown above will not work, the top brace, especially with plywood behind it will just slide upwards when the rafters splay and push the top of the wall over.

The only thing holding it all at the moment is the, what looks like a king type truss acting as a 'tie' on the remnants of the wall plates.

If you have absolutely no cash you could try pulling the truss down with a rope and grappling iron thrown from a 'safe' distance. But it's as dangerous as all hell and you'd need to have someone on the road in both directions during the 'operation' because for sure debris is going to go that far.

Personally I'd use a machine because it would work wonders on that site in less than a day and won't break the bank no matter where the place is.

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