812-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 28, 2002
This 1840 barn was recently dismantled by Bixler, who
said that he is amazed how every joint fits in craftsman
ship found in barns from the 1800 s.
Salvaged materials were used to restore this house.
Restoration Wood not only dismantles old barns but
uses the wood for projects such as these.
A crane is used to remove trusses and high, heavy pieces. Barns are dismantled the
opposite way they were'built in order to salvage as much as possible^
“I guess I’m too much of an Old Dutchman,” Bixler said of his reason for wanting to
salvage old barns and buildings instead of seeing them destroyed. “I also believe we
should be good stewards of the resources God has entrusted us with.” Here, Bixler
shows some of the interesting items he found while salvaging buildings.
Restoration Woods Salvages History
LOU ANN GOOD
Food And Family
Features Editor
YORK SPRINGS (Adams
Co.) Growing up on a dairy
farm in Maytown, Lee Bixler de
veloped a love for old craftsman
ship. Later, when he was dairy
farming on his own, a neighbor
wanted to get rid of an old barn.
Bixler hated to see it destroyed.
He offered to dismantle it. He
salvaged what he could, sold
some pieces to others, and saved
some pieces for future use.
The satisfaction of salvaging
something that would have been
destroyed created a desire to con
tinue the work.
That was in 1975. By 1983.
Bixler and his wife moved to
Cumberland County (later to
Adams County) and registered
the business name Restoration
Wood, under which he operates
several interrelated services.
He dismantles old barns,
houses, and outbuildings. He will
reconstruct them or salvage parts
to use in his furniture-making
business.
Bixler started out part time,
but by 1991 had enough to keep
him busy full time with the inter
related businesses.
Joists are sometimes used in
new construction, and old beams
for fireplace mantels and ceiling
trusses. Beams are also sawed
into house flooring, hardware can
be recycled, and weathered wood
with original paint is in demand
for crafts.
After dismantling 30 barns, 15
houses, and an assortment of out
buildings, Bixler has perfected his
dismantling skills.
“The first time I did it, I ended
up tearing too much up so that
many of the pieces couldn’t be re
used,” Bixler said. “Now I do it
in steps. I take it apart the re
verse of the way it was built.”
Boards are salvaged for many different uses. Some
times the project is reassembled on a different spot,
other times recycled for other uses.
Bixler has removed barns
throughout the state and in Vir
ginia. He mostly works by him
self, except during some stages
that require an extra hand. Then
he hires an independent contrac
tor.
“But you don’t find many peo
ple who want to work this hard,”
he said.
Bixler said dismantling barns
ties up a lot of money until the
material can be recycled or sold.
He has a truck, skidloader, and
gooseneck trailer, but needs to
rent a crane for $1,500 to use in
large projects.
He also needs to separate the
metal, aluminum, copper, tin,
and hardware and keep things in
storage until he finds customers.
Environmental restrictions
have increased since Bixler began
the business. Bixler must fill out
Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) forms. DEP
checks for asbestos and other
items that require special han
dling. Most townships do not
allow any burning, which makes
cleanup much more expensive.
Reconstructing barns requires
extensive labor. Bixler estimates
.that it,costs.sso,ooo-$ 100,000 to
rebuild a barn.
“But you can’t buy new hand
hewn barns,” he said of the rea
son to salvage history. “I’m
amazed at the craftsmanship
during the 1800 s. The joints fit
perfectly, and details such as
beading on every piece of siding
are astounding.
“The new lumber isn’t as nice
as the old.”
Bixler said it takes about three
weeks to dismantle a barn and
three more to haul out and clean
it up.
Barns used to be worth a lot
more money, but costs are much
higher today, and in some cases
materials don’t cover the costs.
Despite the difficulties, Bixler
said, “I guess I’m too much of an
old Dutchman. I just can’t see
throwing this stuff away.”
Bixler and his wife Mary live
in an old farmhouse that he re
stored. He used old barn floor
beams and recycled brick in the
restoration.
“I believe that we should be
good stewards of the resources
God has entrusted us with, and
I’m trying to do this through my
business,” Bixler said of the
many different phases that have
developed from dismantling
barns.
“I work just as hard or more
than in dairy farming, but I do
get to take a couple days off here
and their to visit our kids who
live out of state,” Bixler said.
“This work isn’t like an animal
that must be fed everyday.”
A Website showing a list of
Bixler’s services and an online
catalog of the furniture he makes
from salvage pieces can be view
ed at www.restorationwoods.biz.
Phone is (717) 528-8831.