Irena Vélez
Farmers Forum
MONKTON — Why have a regular gazebo when you can repurpose an old grain bin and make your own? Monkton hog farmer Dave Kloostra saw some photos online of people doing it and knew he had to make his own. He gave himself a big side job.
Kloostra says the grain bin gazebo trend is “starting to come around. There’s a few out there. I thought it would be a neat idea.”
First, he acquired a 19-foot-wide bin from a neighbour for a reasonable price. In November, a landscaper put cement posts in his backyard to hold up the structure. In December, the bin was mounted on the back of a truck using a crane and driven a kilometre down the road to the Kloostras’ backyard.
“We just unbolted the top couple of sections. We put it up and it stayed like that all winter. In the springtime, the landscaper came back and finished the (patio stone) floor. Then we did the rest,” Kloostra said.
The bar top was made from some ash wood Kloostra had at home and covered in epoxy. Then he made a kitchen countertop by sprinkling ceramic tile grout into a mold, pouring in concrete, and removing it once it hardened. The result was a fancy marble-like finish.
“I actually ended up having to make two countertops because I broke the first one accidentally,” laughed Kloostra.
Cupboards were built and a sink was added. There’s both hot and cold water, as well as a refrigerator. The plumbing can be disconnected in the wintertime. Kloostra did the electrical work by adding six lights.
Dave Kloostra first bought an old grain bin from a neighbour. Then he moved it in pieces and erected it in his backyard. (Dave Kloostra photos)
The project was a family effort. “My kids and my wife helped out a bunch here and there,” Kloostra said. “The kids really enjoyed helping out, it’s something different.
“I thoroughly enjoyed making it,” Kloostra said. “It’s just a spot to hang out in the backyard and get a bit of shade on a hot and sunny day, just sit in and enjoy the outdoors. I’ve been out there quite a bit lately.”
