Rick Collins - Practical Barn Stewardship

Below are links to a four-part presentation by Rick Collins presented at the Indiana Barn Foundation annual meeting held on July 15th, 2023 at the Rustic Barn at Hopewell in Urbana, Indiana. Rick Collins is president of Trillium Dell Timber Works and is considered an expert in timber frame structures serving the Midwest United States and beyond.

Part 1

In this segment Rick talks about practical restoration using simple methods to make barn repairs. Envisioning and investing in your structure.

Part 2

In this segment Rick talks about defining the work, identifying areas of concern, outlining the process, prioritizing based on your budget and connecting with others to find resources.

Part 3

In this segment Rick talks about what's possible with the building. New wood and old wood, adding strength, shear strength, lateral connections, wind repair, shear rings, using mixed methodology and 3D scanning technology.

This includes discussion on the Indiana Littleton-Pulliam Round Barn in McCordsville. On the National Register of Historic Places this is the largest round barn in Indiana that was struck by a tornado on February 27th, 2023.

Part 4

In this segment Rick takes the audience questions. He addresses topic on barn flooring, timber frame restoration training, why are barns red and what paint to use, carpenter bees and other insects, timber joinery, threshing barns, moving barns and the cost involved, metal siding vs. wood, corn cob blasting and working with deteriorated wood. Just to name a few.