# building a pole barn on a existing slab???



## scott13676 (Feb 24, 2008)

i have a 30x70 concrete slab in which i want to put up a pole barn, but every article i read is about putting in a slab after words or pouring the concrete around the poles. seems like there has to be a way to build on a existing slab. thanks, any help is greatly appreciated. scott


----------



## justdon (Nov 16, 2005)

Put the posts just off the edge of the slab. GREAT resource to have that already,,,most would kill for that part done. IF the space of the posts are a problem just fill them in later. IF your going to insulate and inside wall it big deal!! Stick enough concrete down there later to avoid mices to run up the walls!! Sounds like a GREAT building,have fun doing it!!


----------



## justdon (Nov 16, 2005)

Thought about this deal more while I was outside just now,,,I would NEVER build another with poles in the ground. I have a 40X 60 right now with 20 foot sidesheds on both sides,,,its too small.

Any chance you could go 40 wide?? Makes a world of difference inside. They MAKE concrete piers you bury instead of the poles then they have brackets for 6X6 square poles like Morton sheds. they set in bracket a foot off the ground,,,wont rot off,,,poles will!!

This shed was torn down from a salvage yard shed where a Hardies ended up. So was dismanteled piece by piece and reassembled. IT had ring shank nails from pole to roof truss couple bolts would be better,,in fact I have many old electric pole bolts. Anyway the poles are 10' on center with homemade trusses on those poles,engineered trusses would e even better,,,5 /12 pitch minimum 6 /12 better. Then make the buildioing at LEAST 14' high(sidewalls) 16 or 18' better yet every 2 foot up these trusses the scabed a 2X4 cleat on side and nailed it to 20 foot purlins 2X4 again on edge with roof tin nailed on it. Higher sidewalls and you can build side sheds for cheap later. when you run out of room inside.

Be ruthless about not accumulating junk in your shed or its full before you know it.

IF you could add 10 foot on onto one side or the other or 5 to each side so much the better. Plan out a BIG door and a little door on downwind side if possible!!20 foot wide isnt too wide. use these on the end walls easier.

Put a loft inside up high on one end or both to store little stuff ...Can put ceiling underneath that and heat that area with drop curtains on 2 sides. and loft should sport nice steps to walk up and down. shelves and old kitchen etc cabinets down one wall. Bench under big windows. Find an old 4 " pipe and bury in concrete with enough space to work around and put a vice inside on there. Then you are all set to do most anything in there. Most sheds are built too small after 10-20 years of use!!


----------



## scott13676 (Feb 24, 2008)

thanks for the wisdom, talked to a buddy today who mentioned the same thing you did about the brackets. which will probably be the way i go. half of it will be finished on the inside heavily insulated as i intend to heat half of it as it will be my shop. the other half will be just for storage. and without a doubt going with a loft, way too many parts to store. as for adding another 10' to the width, dont see that happening. i just bought this property. there is another 20x32 slab i want to build on as well. and theres a old farmhouse that im redoing in which i found a abundance of concrete board ceilings with asbestos, in which im debating to tackle by myself or have someone else take care of it. too many logs in the fire and not enough time or money to do it. thanks again for the wisdom, greatly appreciated. scott


----------

