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Tulip Poplar for barn floor?

Started by gspren, December 12, 2011, 06:38:01 PM

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gspren

  I have a barn built back in 1904 that is still in good shape. The bank barns around here were usually built with a center area to back wagons in and side areas to stack hay. The floor in the center was double planked and the side areas were single planked a bit loose to let air come up through the hay. I would like to double plank the one side so I could park some trailers, etc. in there and since I have an abundance of poplar trees available I thought that it might work. Any reason not to or precautions? I am not worried about strength, 1" planks on top of the 1" oak that is there would be plenty strong.
Gary
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

Jasperfield

I see no reason not to proceed as you've planned. My tobacco barns were floored with Yellow Poplar many decades ago and none have even minimally failed.

Make sure the substructure at the very entrance into the barn (from the earth) with withstand the heavier "point" loads of your equipment.

Poplar is a great wood for many purposes.

Magicman

Poplar makes great siding and will do well as a door.   smiley_thumbsup
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beenthere

The oak is now likely perpendicular to the joists, so will you lay the poplar at a 45° so it is not parallel to the joists? What is the joist spacing?
As long as the floor stays reasonably dry, should work great.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

gspren

If I have it band milled into 1X8s how much will it shrink in width? Can it be put down green?
Thanks,
Gary
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

Al_Smith

About all I know about tulip is it grows fast .I've seen 3/4" wide growth rings on the stuff .About like cotton wood .Heavy as lead when green cut and light  as balsa after it dries .

Pretty good stuff for the  saw races .I'm not so sure it's much good for barn flooring .That said I defer to someone who has used it for lumber because I have not .

beenthere

Quote from: gspren on December 13, 2011, 08:21:12 AM
If I have it band milled into 1X8s how much will it shrink in width? Can it be put down green?
Thanks,
Gary
Figure about 1/4" of change in width. And it can be put down green.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Thehardway

Great for barn floor.  Might split, twist or warp some If not air dried first so nail it down immediately to avoid it turning into rocking horse rockers or airplane propellers.  You should get 50 years+ out of it without a problem.  It is a good traditional wood for barn floors and siding.  Beware of any peices with large knots as they tend to break easier than say a pine or oak board with the same size defect. 
Norwood LM2000 24HP w/28' bed, Hudson Oscar 18" 32' bed, Woodmaster 718 planer,  Kubota L185D, Stihl 029, Husqvarna 550XP

Rooster

Gary,

I agree that the center bay, or as many call it the "driveway mow", is usually planked heavier than the end bays/mows.  Most of the older TF barns were built for loose hay, not baled hay, and the floor joist system were designed to carry the load over a large area.  My worry is not so much with the thickness of the floor as it is with the size and spacing of the joists.  A 2000# single axle trailer is loading about 2 sq. ft. or even less....so I would be careful when loading the side bays with equipment and such...or go and reinforce or support the floor system to give yourself some breathing room.

Rooster
"We talk about creating millions of "shovel ready" jobs, for a society that doesn't really encourage anybody to pick up a shovel." 
Mike Rowe

"Old barns are a reminder of when I was young,
       and new barns are a reminder that I am not so young."
                          Rooster

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