A lot of the flooring in this barn had taken some abuse through the years. All though most of the wood was sturdy, there were scattered areas that simply had to be replaced. Some of it was soaked with motor oil from old engine blocks while other areas were rotted from the years of nesting barn swallows and bats ! This wood just had to go.
  It was no easy task ripping up the old planking and pulling the nails. Even though it looked bad, the wood was unbelievably solid in the centers. Once the planking was removed all my nervousness left me and I was happy with what I saw underneath... Nice stonework , rock solid beams and a clean crawlspace ! Almost too clean though, I was hoping to find an old tool or bottle perhaps.
Barn Beams and Wood Joints
MAIN FLOOR SUPPORTS
    8 X 10
Carrier Beam
Axe Cut -----> Joints
This joint shown in detail
Axe Cut Joints
Chestnut Beams
The wood beams in this barn were the driving force to get this barn back in shape. Lets face it, there are machines that spit out beams and joints like these with ease now but back in the day these guys labored a lot of long hours putting up a barn like this and I am doing my best to refurbish what they built so it was not all for naught.

All of the beams are made of chestnut and all the main joints are pinned.

These 3 photos show the same stantion in different angles and distance