November 3, 2016

Little Things on the Little Barn

There seem to be scores of details to finish up on the Little Barn. First up, windows!


They are made from metal panels from the old roof, the one we replaced last July. I'm really happy with these, and once Dan finishes with the latching system I'll show you all the details (click here for that post).

Latches for the Dutch door was another project. On the outside:

There just happened to be a gap in the door trim.
The drawer pulls were discards from a cabinet.

And from the inside:


Latches for both top and bottom of the Dutch door are the same.

Also a way to hold the top half of the door open.

The little solar panel is for my barn light - details here.

Some days it gets really windy, so the hook is helpful to keep it from slamming shut.

Ours is what might be called a pole barn. Basically this means the posts are buried, either with concrete or on a sunken pier. The outer wall is plywood. Because of the slope of the ground, there were some pretty big gaps under the bottom of the plywood in some places. Dan had an idea for covering those gaps by using cement board.

This is how it looks from the outside.

Inside, strips of hardi-backerboard are held in place with scraps of plywood.

Also on the inside, I now have a work table.


It was made out of our old front door!

Old front door replaced December 2014.

The work bench will be used for things like chopping greens and herbs to be dried and added to the goats' feed (a post about that here).

Today Dan is finishing up some of the trimwork on the back of the barn. Still on the to-do list are a drying rack for those chopped greens and herbs, a new hay feeder, and I need to finish painting. The little finishing up list seems to go on forever, doesn't it? The main thing is that we're enjoying using it.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

You have structured beautiful your barn with many new things. The latch and lock for the door looks good. Solar light for the barn is the added beauty...

DFW said...

Great job by both of you! Now on to finishing that list all the while making new ones.

Granny_J said...

I love reading about the use of materials left over from another project. Especially love the latch.

Leigh said...

Thank you! I love the way the details have been working out.

Leigh said...

The hardest part will be deciding what project on the to-do list is next!

Leigh said...

They really add personality to a project, don't they?

Ed said...

I've said this before so many times and probably a time or two on your blog but I say it again. You spend 50% of your time doing the project and the other 50% of the time finishing details!

Harry Flashman said...

That's pretty nice. There are several people whose blogs I read , with skills like yours. I can build utilitarian structures but they don't look as neat and tidy as this.

M.K. said...

Wow - y'all reuse stuff around the farm the way we do! Hardly a scrap of anything goes to waste. Looks really good!!

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Everything is looking so nice and you are coming right along on developing your homestead. Nancy

Goatldi said...

Looking good! I was especially interested in the solar pad for the barn light. Mine arrive via FED EX today. Very excited to have a light for the milk room with one to follow in the hay barn and the main barn area. Nice to have and not need to tap into the existing solar by wire. Would be a more involved job for sure. So thanks for the tip!

Kris said...

You guys are brilliant with leftover/found items. Your little barn could serve as a post project for using recycled stuff. And so efficient. You're going to enjoy the barn for a good long time. Way to go!

Leigh said...

You forgot the 150% spent in head scratching and trying to figure out how to make a lot of odd pieces fit together without having to buy anything for the project!

Leigh said...

Thanks Harry! It just sort of comes together when we try to use up what we have. Being on a limited budget helps in that regard, because running out to buy everything isn't an option. :)

Leigh said...

I hope that's the case! Always trying to figure out how to not have to buy things if we can make something else work. :)

Leigh said...

Thanks Nancy!

Leigh said...

I'm thinking about getting the smaller one for my kidding stall. That's the other place I often need light!

Leigh said...

It comes from not having much money. :) It's the old "make it do or do without." :)

aart said...

The latch is genius..but Dan doesn't surprise me anymore.
Is that just for what I think is the top of the Dutch door?

Leigh said...

Top and bottom have the same latch. I thought it was pretty clever too. :)

Chris said...

What a joy (and relief) to have a building with undercover work space. To do all that kind of work which is quite messy, and best kept out of the main house. The herb drying racks are another opportunity to use recycled materials. I've seen multiple fly screens, with chain hung between them, hung from an rafter, under cover, as a herb rack. I'm sure there are a number of ways to make them.

Goatldi said...

Agreed. It is rather difficult to pull a kid with a flashlight held between your teeth but it can be done!

Leigh said...

Have you ever tried those headlamp flashlights? They work really well, but the ones I have don't have a way to change the batteries so the whole thing has to be replaced. Anyway, I like the solar option better.

Leigh said...

I've been using the window screens we removed from the house windows when we replaced them. They are a little large in size and therefore awkward to work with, but they have worked really well. I hadn't thought about a hanging rack, but like you say, there must be any number of possibilities!

Quinn said...

Has anyone found solar lights made in Not China? I would love to have some here.

Chris said...

For the ultimate in solar lights, for basic roofs, check out how to make them with recycled plastic bottles.

It might not be what you're looking for, but it's an awesome solution to know how to do it on the cheap. :)

Sandy Livesay said...

Leigh,

Your red little barn has really come along nicely. You and Dan are very talented, love the use of solar powered light. We have these all around the property. They do come in handy when you don't have electric around the buildings outside.

Bag End Gardener said...

And as soon as you've finished up The Little Red Barn (see, I'm being positive and saying you WILL finish the details) then another six projects will be clamouring for attention. My garden is a fraction the size of your land and I know I'll never be finished . . .