Gents,
The wife and I have had it with city life, and we are moving back to the country neighborhood where we both grew up (about 6 miles from our current house). The new home is a beautiful 1900-built farmhouse. The issue: no shop space (the original barn burned down in the 1970s). A good friend of mine is the president of the Michigan Barn Preservation Network, and he just so happens to have a 16 x 20 timberframe granary with a loft, dissassembled and waiting to be rebuilt on my property. So, after I build some doors and windows, this will be my shop. I do have a question or two though.
Living in Michigan, I have to worry about frost heave, but I can't go to the expense of a full block / stone foundation, however cool that would be. I was thinking about doing treated 6x6 post piers with nailed on 2x10 foot, resting on crushed stone footing, making sure that the bottom of the footing ends up at 42" (just below the frost line in these parts). I would make the crushed stone footing 16" diameter, 8" deep, then backfill the post hole with gravel and concrete for stability. I plan to paint the posts with asphalt roofing tar to prevent pest problems. My plan is to leave the sills about 12" above ground level and brace those sills to the posts with treated 2x6 plates, lag screwed or nailed to the posts and sills. One pier in each corner. Would that be enough? Or would I need to put a pier in the middle of each sill? The sills are 6x8.
Given that this is currently agricultural property, I do not need a permit or inspection, so I am seeking the input of the "dudes in the know" on this forum. Does anyone see any issues? Comments or concerns? Encouragement? Yes, I will be taking lots of pictures of the raising, the door and window construction, and the tool museum / library that will be in the loft
Thanks,
Zach Dillinger