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my barn conversion

Keep track of what's happening with my Progress Updates.

If you read only one book before designing your conversion or renovation, then I recommend that you make it this one. I love patterns!

Location, Location, Location! pah, that's old hat we all know that the new mantra of home-building is Insulation, Insulation, Insulation.

Read more about - Lime mortar, VAT on conversions and managing woodland for fuel.

Tiling tips - learn from my mistakes!

Around an ongoing barn conversion project, this website draws together advice, information and references to aid all would-be and current barn and non-residential building converters and renovators.

Our approach takes on board 'healthy house', sustainable, ecological & environmental concepts to as great a degree as timescales and budgets allow.

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Latest Posts

Building Progress ~ February 2010

Step 8 = roof

Step 7 = high level design

Stoneworks

Downstairs tiled floor

Coppicing ash trees

Tree Planting - Winter 2010

The four new English "eco-towns"

Building Progress ~ January 2010

Future Fuel

Latest Comments

On Travertine tiling - pictures by Downstairs tiled floor | my barn conversion on February 18th, 2010
[...] time and money in planning, sourcing and then fitting. It’s been completed for a while now (since August 2009),...

On Gas Pipeline Woes by The four new English “eco-towns” | my barn conversion on February 10th, 2010
[...] my first thought was ‘glad they’re not on my doorstep’ , but then I have a bloody big gas...

On Building Progress ~ August 2009 by Building Progress ~ January 2010 | my barn conversion on February 8th, 2010
[...] foray into the world of tiling can be quicker and more effective than the last one, the thought of...

On Insulation by Logs | my barn conversion on February 5th, 2010
[...] Location, Location! pah, that's old hat we all know that the new mantra of home-building is Insulation, Insulation, Insulation...

On Logs 2 by Future Fuel | my barn conversion on February 5th, 2010
[...] Logs 2 [...]

On The Healthy House by Green Business on February 2nd, 2010
Thank you for this checklist - I might use it in future when building a green house of my own!...

On Air Source Heat Pump by Feed-in tariffs … coming soon to a roof near you!? | my barn conversion on February 2nd, 2010
[...] On Air Source Heat Pump by Pete on January 12th, 2010I'm in a barn conversion with a GSHP supplied...

On Building Progress ~ December 2009 by Gina on January 22nd, 2010
My first visit here... great blog! I always say, if you want to be really green, don't build a new...

On Design Patterns ~ my choices by Alexanders Pattern Language | My Place Of My Own on January 21st, 2010
[...] also think I’d selected too many patterns, choosing mainly those that fit, rather than those that I really valued....

On A Pattern Language - Towns Buildings Construction by Alexanders Pattern Language | My Place Of My Own on January 21st, 2010
[...] inspiration, but this time one that I’d previously used was Alexanders Pattern Language [review on MyBarnConversion.com]. I’d applied this...


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    It’s cold outside…

    Category: Favourite Things January 31st, 2010 by mbc

    It’s been a very cold Winter so far…

    But at least it’s warm inside!

    If you enjoyed that post, then read these...

    Insulation ~ Extruded Polystyrene on December 23rd, 2009
    Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) is made by mixing polystyrene and a blowing agent under pressure and then forcing the resultant fluid through a die.

    category: 'Favourite Things' (1)

    Insulation ~ Expanded Polystyrene on July 6th, 2008
    Expanded Polystyrene insulation is made from small beads of polystyrene that are heated to expand them.

    category: 'Favourite Things' (1)

    Insulation ~ Polyurethane on February 16th, 2009
    Often abbreviated to PU, Polyurethane is usually applied as a foam insulation sprayed onto the underside of roof rafters.

    category: 'Favourite Things' (1)

    Insulation ~ Polyisocyanurate on February 27th, 2009
    Also know as PIR. Polyisocyanurate is essential a stronger more fire retardant development of Polyurethane. As may be expected it shares many of the characteristics...

    category: 'Favourite Things' (1)

    Future Fuel on February 5th, 2010
    As I've mentioned earlier I have plans to start work this year on managing the small amount (I'd guess at around half and acre) of...

    tag: 'fire' (1)

    Posted in Favourite Things | No Comments »

    My Favourite Things ~ ‘Oak Beam’

    Category: Favourite Things May 26th, 2008 by mbc

    So far in this series of my favourite things at the barn I’ve focussed on original features, this is the first of the new features we’ve introduced during the conversion.

    oak beam

    We chose these oak beams instead of steels to support the first floor for a couple of reasons. From a ‘healthy house’ perspective we minimised the use of metal in the building and aesthetically the oak beams help maintain an attractive link to the buildings history.

    There are two beams in the main room of the barn - each weighing in at around 3/4 of a tonne. It will be nice to see them sanded and finished as they are currently water stained and blackened, but still attractive to the eye.

    If you enjoyed that post, then read these...

    My Favourite Things ~ 'Rounded Corner' on February 24th, 2008
    One corner of the barn has been carefully rounded, it speaks to me of workmanship, care and simple good design (don't worry I'm not literally...

    title (3)

    My Favourite Things ~ 'Stone Wall' on May 1st, 2008
    I have an urge to further extend and heighten these dry stone walls.

    title (3)

    My Favourite Things ~ 'Arrow Slits' on February 3rd, 2008
    With a project like this it is sometimes easy to allow the big picture to overwhelm the little things.

    title (3)

    My Favourite Things ~ 'Cart Door Arches' on February 11th, 2008
    The barn is endowed with a handsome pair of opposing cart doors.

    title (3)

    Oak Beam ~ The Movie on January 14th, 2008
    Inspired by my first outing onto YouTube and dazzled by the 143 people who've so far taken the time to watch the minute long tour...

    title (2)

    Posted in Favourite Things | No Comments »

    My Favourite Things ~ ‘Stone Wall’

    Category: Favourite Things May 1st, 2008 by mbc

    I have an urge to further extend and heighten these dry stone walls. I’ve always fancied living behind a wall. I think there’s something primal going on here.

    stone wall

    If you enjoyed that post, then read these...

    My Favourite Things ~ 'Oak Beam' on May 26th, 2008
    So far in this series of my favourite things at the barn I've focussed on original features, this is the first of the new features...

    title (3)

    My Favourite Things ~ 'Rounded Corner' on February 24th, 2008
    One corner of the barn has been carefully rounded, it speaks to me of workmanship, care and simple good design (don't worry I'm not literally...

    title (3)

    My Favourite Things ~ 'Cart Door Arches' on February 11th, 2008
    The barn is endowed with a handsome pair of opposing cart doors.

    title (3)

    My Favourite Things ~ 'Arrow Slits' on February 3rd, 2008
    With a project like this it is sometimes easy to allow the big picture to overwhelm the little things.

    title (3)

    Insulation ~ Polyurethane on February 16th, 2009
    Often abbreviated to PU, Polyurethane is usually applied as a foam insulation sprayed onto the underside of roof rafters.

    category: 'Favourite Things' (1)

    Posted in Favourite Things | No Comments »

    My Favourite Things ~ ‘Rounded Corner’

    Category: Favourite Things February 24th, 2008 by mbc

    One corner of the barn has been carefully rounded, it speaks to me of workmanship, care and simple good design (don’t worry I’m not literally hearing walls speak). The stones are arranged to offer no sharp edges, no right angles. My favourite reason for constructing the wall in this was is to save cows that [...]

    Posted in Favourite Things | No Comments »

    My Favourite Things ~ ‘Cart Door Arches’

    Category: Favourite Things February 11th, 2008 by mbc

    The barn is endowed with a handsome pair of opposing cart doors. The doors stand about 12 feet tall and are topped by a arch of cut, dressed stone. After some research on Wikipedia, I reckon they are segmental, shouldered arches.

    The arches are two of the major features of the barn, when building has [...]

    Posted in Favourite Things | No Comments »

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