motreefarmer
New member
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2009
- Messages
- 23
- Location
- west central missouri
- Tractor
- 1974 IH 574, 1988 Case IH 585
As a retired builder, I built a lot of pole sheds (& barns) over the years. If you are going to use it for livestock, use 5x5 or 6x6 posts. 4x4 posts are too small to use for livestock buildings. They can't stand up to the pressure of a animal rubbing against them. Opening size no less than 10 ft. Post spacing on the rest of the walls 8 ft. Header size- up to 10 ft at least use two (2) 2x8's. Any opening wider than that - two (2) 2x10's or 2x12's (depending on there you live and how much snow you get.) Back walls - no less than 8 ft. Front wall- at least 12 ft. This would give you a 3/12 pitch roof. Steep enough that snow would slide off.We have had this shed so long now that I forgot what it looked like. I mentioned that it had a lean-to roof. Obviuosly it doesn't. It has more than one post in the front. It's not anchored to the ground (although it should be) and survived 84 MPH winds. When we moved 5 years ago we paid to have this shed moved with us. It's extremely heavy and sturdy.
The problem I've seen with the shed 'kits' is that you get #3 or lesser grade lumber and not quite enough lumber to do the job right. This comes from people who brought the kits and built the shed themselves.