What To Do With The Old Barn

By Jodi Henke

The old, wooden barn that’s been on your family’s land for decades is a relic of the past and has emotional value. However, after years of standing up to the brutal forces of Mother Nature and possibly neglect, it’s showing its age and a decision needs to be made. Do you tear it down or spend the money to renovate it for a new purpose?

Kevin Janni is a professor and Extension engineer at the University of Minnesota. He says there are many factors to consider such do you want to build a new barn, or how a remodel would fit into your management plan. The barn’s structural integrity is another.

“If you can see cracks or unevenness in the foundation, that’s probably a pretty good indication that you’ve got some structural problems. Another thing is to look at the sides and see if any parts are bowing out or bowing in, and then again on the roof line,” says Janni. “Dips, changes, things along the line where it’s not nice and square, true.”