It’s not unusual to find old machine sheds from the 70s scattered around Illinois farm landscapes. This spring season has seen many windstorm events, which often can lead to discussions about these farm sheds, shares Kevin Brooks, a Farm Business Management Educator with the University of Illinois Extension.
“The sides were aluminum and were either nailed to wooden frames or sometimes use screws, says Brooks. “One of the difficult things about them is that aluminum will shrink and swell depending upon the weather, which causes screws or nails to come loose. Water gets in there, the wood rots away, and then that exposes the roof or sides to wind and can easily be torn off.”
Brooks advises landowners to evaluate their old machine sheds to determine their future moving forward. He adds that the costs of maintaining ownership of the building may not outweigh the benefits of keeping and maintaining that structure.
