# Building a pole barn, need help



## vsheetz (Sep 28, 2008)

Blueprints or instructions are not available from the vendor? If this is permitted were not blueprints needed for the permit?


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

Please tell us why you are digging holes. (It's an important question.)


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## rmbanas (Oct 19, 2009)

"mini blue prints" were available but worthless as they didn't show door placement (per menards staff) and large blue prints would take 2 weeks to be made, cost $350 and with snow already on the ground I can't wait that long. No blue prints were required to obtain a building permit, I just listed the building materials and proposed building size, size of posts, etc.

Why I am digging holes... is this a rhetorical question? Going to use a gas powered post digger to go down to 48", planning on 12" holes, and pouring a 12" cement necklace with rebar in the bottom of the posts.


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

rmbanas said:


> "mini blue prints" were available but worthless as they didn't show door placement (per menards staff) and large blue prints would take 2 weeks to be made, cost $350 and with snow already on the ground I can't wait that long. No blue prints were required to obtain a building permit, I just listed the building materials and proposed building size, size of posts, etc.
> 
> _Why I am digging holes... *is this a rhetorical question?* Going to use a gas powered post digger to go down to 48", planning on 12" holes, and pouring a 12" cement necklace with rebar in the bottom of the posts_.


No, it most certainly is not. Your reply is not totally clear, but it sounds as though you may be intending to bury the bottoms of your posts below ground level. If you intend this structure to last for some time, whether buried in just dirt, or encased in concrete........ please don't do this. It is a recipe for water infiltration and ensuing wood rot.

And, you will likely find that I will be but the first of many to tell you the very same thing here.

Keep all your wood above ground. And build everything so that no water gets trapped anywhere.


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## oldsnut (Oct 20, 2009)

Willie T said:


> No, it most certainly is not. Your reply is not totally clear, but it sounds as though you may be intending to bury the bottoms of your posts below ground level. If you intend this structure to last for some time, whether buried in just dirt, or encased in concrete........ please don't do this. It is a recipe for water infiltration and ensuing wood rot.
> 
> And, you will likely find that I will be but the first of many to tell you the very same thing here.
> 
> Keep all your wood above ground. And build everything so that no water gets trapped anywhere.


It's a pole barn, that is how they are built. Most are constructed with the posts being in the ground, but do not have to be. Pressure treated posts are used. Google pole barn construction and you will find many sources of the same info.


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## hayewe farm (Mar 15, 2009)

Every pole barn I've seen have had the posts buried in the ground.
Just a guess but I would say the 4- 6X6X20 posts are corner posts that way they are the same thickness in both directions to match the thickness of the 4X6 posts that run down the sides and end. The corner posts are set deeper for stability. The 2 6X6 X18 are for either side of the large door. The top of the posts should all be the same height with the trusses setting nearly on top of the posts. The doors need to be on the gable ends or you will need to build some rather substantial headers.


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## Gary_602z (Nov 15, 2008)

Truss's are 6ft. on center? I would double check that. Your trusses should set on headers that run on both sides of the posts.

Gary


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Pole barns are very different
Trusses can be anywhere from 4-12' OC


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

hayewe farm said:


> *Every pole barn I've seen have had the posts buried in the ground*.
> Just a guess but I would say the 4- 6X6X20 posts are corner posts that way they are the same thickness in both directions to match the thickness of the 4X6 posts that run down the sides and end. The corner posts are set deeper for stability. The 2 6X6 X18 are for either side of the large door. The top of the posts should all be the same height with the trusses setting nearly on top of the posts. The doors need to be on the gable ends or you will need to build some rather substantial headers.


That's nice. Now print out your post, and put it in a plastic sleeve. Tack it to a post inside the barn to read about five years from now. :thumbup: :whistling2:


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## hayewe farm (Mar 15, 2009)

Willie T said:


> That's nice. Now print out your post, and put it in a plastic sleeve. Tack it to a post inside the barn to read about five years from now. :thumbup: :whistling2:


Well Willie T, my neighbors pole barn is still solid and the poles have been in the ground for over 20 years. My pole building shop has been standing for for over 30 years and is still solid.:whistling2:

Oh and we had 75 mile an hour winds last year.


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## Gary_602z (Nov 15, 2008)

Scuba_Dave said:


> Pole barns are very different
> Trusses can be anywhere from 4-12' OC


Very possible but I have never seen any over 4 ft. with wood construction.

Gary


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## Gary_602z (Nov 15, 2008)

Willie T said:


> That's nice. Now print out your post, and put it in a plastic sleeve. Tack it to a post inside the barn to read about five years from now. :thumbup: :whistling2:


There are many polebarns in our area that are over 40 years old and still standing.

Gary


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Gary_602z said:


> Very possible but I have never seen any over 4 ft. with wood construction.
> 
> Gary


Now ya have...8' OC, and the poles aren't buried on this one

http://benchmark.20m.com/workshop/NewShopBuild/04_Construction/Shop_Construction.html


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## rmbanas (Oct 19, 2009)

FYI, figured it all out so far. The 6x6 posts are as follows... 6x6x20 (4) are for end posts (2 on each end 10' OC), the 6x6x18's are jamb posts for the 16' door--why 6x6's I'm not quite sure. 

So far I've got the posts set, girts up and in the process of notching to set trusses.

Which brings me to my next question... headers. The engineered kit from midwest manufacturing supplies 2x6's for headers... obviously inadequate. I've purchased some 18' 2x12's for the 16' span, 2 trusses will be resting on it. I'm wondering with 90# snow loads how many 'ply' I have to put the headers. Obviously scabbing them on the outside of the posts... would 2 ply doug fir's be fine? Or do I need to go with 3 or even 4 ply?


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## Sam3105 (Mar 30, 2010)

As a farmer I have made many pole sheds and barns ....It is true many people burry the posts but they place the post on a concreate pad with a piece of rubber tubing under it and fill the hole with Gravel and sand mix for drainage.Making sure the bottom slab is is sloped before setting. They also make sure the surrounding land is sloped away from the post...This practice is good for the Midwest and the praires ...it never hurts to pour the Tube with concreat and ancor the post on the surface although tricky if one day a post needs replacing it will be a two man job.


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## GeneralTJWillys (Nov 4, 2011)

The plans for my pole barn (36' x 40' with 19' walls) calls for all posts to be set in 30" dia. x 30" tall concrete, and I live in a VERY wet area on Lake Erie. We are just below lake level and the ground gets regularly saturated. This is indeed how pole barns are typically done, although I have seen them built with the posts attached to the surface as well. 

As added insurance, even though it is not shown in the plans or apparently required by code, I am coating the bottom 4 feet or so of each post with a waterproofing mastic typically used in basement/crawl space waterproofing. My plans call for them to be sunk into the concrete 24" and topped with 10" of native soil. When the slab is poured later, that will total around 40" or so of the post that will be buried. 

Even though they are pressure treated and the plans or code do not require it....I'm not taking chances.


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## Daniel Holzman (Mar 10, 2009)

90# snow load. Where on earth do you live to get 90 psf snow load? That sounds like Upper Peninsula Michigan. Regardless, I am surprised you ordered a pole barn kit from a manufacturer and got no plans. How did they expect you to put it together? And how do you know it is designed for 90 psf snow load, that is exceptionally heavy, and would generally require extra strong trusses, closer spacing, and special support brackets.


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## GeneralTJWillys (Nov 4, 2011)

Yes indeed....90# snow load sounds way too high. Here in Northern Ohio, my plans show a flat roof design load of 20 psf on a 36x40 barn with typical 4/12 pitch roof.
Was meant to say 9.0 psf?


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## john.bolesjr (Nov 4, 2012)

GeneralTJWillys said:


> Yes indeed....90# snow load sounds way too high. Here in Northern Ohio, my plans show a flat roof design load of 20 psf on a 36x40 barn with typical 4/12 pitch roof.
> Was meant to say 9.0 psf?


 
do you still have your plans for your pole barn that you built im wanting to build one myself if anybody has one please email me at [email protected] thanks for looking


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## hand drive (Apr 21, 2012)

^ Hi, might want to remove your email form the post. A personal message works better


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## mae-ling (Dec 9, 2011)

I've built a few pole sheds.
Around here we use 8' OC posts, and 4'OC rafters. (Some use 4'OC posts under each rafter.) every 2nd rafter sits centered on a post.


We put our posts in the ground leaving them a little tall. Tack 2x10 to inside and out at the top height. Bolt through with double bolts. Cap the top with another 2x10.
No headers are needed (unless you call the 2x10's at the top the header.) Doors in gable end with last rafter doubled up.

With 6'OC posts and rafters I would notch the top side of the posts so the rafter sits in the notch.
Use the 2x6 as the top band. BTW you want treated 2x6 around the bottom for the strapping for the metal to attach to. Leave it so about 1.5" of wood below the metal.
What width is your building? What headers are used in your area for 16' garage doors on a regular garage?
Your going to need support under the ends of your headers. This can be accomplished by - notching the top of the posts if the header is at the top. - using a doubled post and cutting the one under the header to the right length.


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## GBrackins (Apr 26, 2012)

if anyone wants to learn more about post-frame buildings (pole barns) check out this link. It will provide with information concerning design, construction and code compliance.


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