When we broke ground on our new barn back in May, I hoped that the building’s exterior would be pretty well buttoned up before the brunt of winter. With almost no winter to speak of here in Connecticut, I guess you could say we’ve finished right on schedule. I finished the siding this past week, but there’s still work to do on the exterior, including applying two coats of paint to the wood siding, installing the aluminum fascia, and hanging gutters to funnel roof water into our planned rain garden. We also have to build two sets of barn doors.
My inspector asked that I call him back before we start wiring in earnest. It’s been months since he looked at the place. The last time he was here, he asked me to do a better job of nailing the two plies of the loft floor’s main girder together and to add ground rods for the subpanel. I’ve since corrected those items. He’s really been very easy to deal with, and it’s reassuring to have another set of eyes checking the place over as we progress. In addition, if we ever have to sell the place, his regular inspections should appease concerns from prospective buyers over whether or not we did a good job on the barn.
You can read more about my barn here.
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The front gable was easier to side than the rear gable, which is several feet higher. Using 2-in. deck screws, I mounted the pump-jack brackets to the subfascia so I could reach everything at the bottom and go as high as possible. I got the 14 ft. of planking I needed by bolting 2x12s together. Small cleats screwed to the bottom help the two sets of boards share the load.
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Here my wife and I are passing foam insulation through a hole I cut in the wall. The 14-1/2-in.-wide pieces will be stacked in the rafter bays and spray-foamed in place.
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This elevation shows where the fake barn doors will be on the main building. The horizontal element above is meant to mimic a track. The shed-roofed opening will have a pair of operating carriage doors.
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This was near the end of Saturday's workday. I filled the bays while Carol sealed the perimeter with foam. I think we used 2-1/2 cans of foam that day.
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I modified my siding nailer to shoot nails into the sides of the rafters to temporarily hold the polyiso in place while the spray foam hardened. The dowel depresses the nosepiece, so the gun fires about 1-1/2 in. away from the framing. The rig worked great. Of course, the risk is getting a finger between the safety and the rafters. Needless to say, I paid close attention to where my fingers were at all times.
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Here's how the nails hold the foam in place.
