Ian Blackman, LLC, Restoration and Preservation
Sponsor Profile
Ian Blackman loves restoring old barns. His knowledge, enthusiasm and dedication have helped save some of New Hampshire’s most iconic examples. “Our mission is to be accurate in restoring these structures so they can continue to be part of the historic fabric of our communities,” Blackman says. “Old barns connect us to our past, complete the rural landscape and provide a visual connection to our agricultural roots.”
Ian Blackman is a graduate of North Bennett Street School in Boston, a school for traditional trades and craft traditions. Blackman now helps property owners develop a clear plan that fits their needs and pocketbook, and then implements restoration work ranging from foundation to roof. He works collaboratively with other contractors—architects, stone foundation specialists, structural engineers—depending on what’s needed.
Blackman recommends that potential clients get to know their property before they undertake any major changes. “When people have lived in and cared for their building for several years, they’ve learned its history and how it functions,” says Blackman. “This leads to better preservation or renovation decisions because they are clearer about what needs to be fixed and what they want to change than if they’d jumped it and started work right away.”
Blackman also does barn preservation assessments, often through small grants from the NH Preservation Alliance. “It is important to clearly identify all the problems that are impacting the structure—from the foundation to the timber frame to the roof.” If a roof is leaking, he recommends installing a simple screw-on metal roof to prevent further damage. He believes that a well-drained basement is essential to barn stability. He advises against storing wood scraps or old farm equipment in a barn—too attractive to powder-post beetles that might eventually damage the barn’s timber frame.
Blackman frequently partners with the NH Preservation Alliance, where he serves as a board member, to offer barn workshops or barn tours at various locations. These programs show the process of barn restoration and educate people about how to understand and care for their own barns. They are always well-attended and enthusiastically received.
Three workshops were held recently at Prescott Farm in Laconia. The Environmental Education Center housed in the large barn there had outgrown their existing space and knew exactly what they needed to expand. Blackman seamlessly blended necessary barn restoration—including removing, repairing and replacing the cupola—with added functionality, filling in an open bay to add more program space. “A new generation of children will learn here and someday, perhaps, they too will help save and reuse an old barn somewhere,” says Blackman with a smile.
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