Pole Barn Advice

[Deere Dude]

Do Wainscot! If you damage a panel you only have to replace the lower part. If you do not want the two tone look, do it in the same color. It was just starting to take hold when I built my barn and I wish I had done it .

Screws not nails!

I wish I would have thought of Wainscott. I have all kinds of dents in the bottom three feet of the 14' panels. :ashamed:

 

[cj7]

Install energy efficient lighting. T-8 or T-5 fixtures will work well.
They will be instant on.

Consider 1 to 3 switched areas of light. That way you have the option of lighting only the area you are working.

Lots of recepticals with GFCI control.


Have you talked with a builder yet?

My pole and truss spacing is 6'. While it isplenty strong enough and I saved a couple of poles and trusses, I now have an odd dimension for finishing the inside with 4'x8' material.


You may want to draw out a floor plan of where you want workbenches, shelving and such inside the building.

I like the idea of a mezz.
Something I did was source warehouse pallet racks. You should be able to find used. Unlike a built in Mezz they can be moved around if you change your mind. And if you downsize later you can sell them.
You could set up a rack above your workbench or work station. Attach lighting to the underside.

 

[cj7]

Don't forget: phone line, cable, internet


For water I installed a yard hydrant inside my building. I can shut off the water in the winter and drain my lines to keep it all from freezing. The yard hydrant drains itself into the ground so it does not freeze.

 

[cj7]

Outside lighting.

Small lights by your man door.

Nice bright flood-light to use when you need it. Maybe for loading or unloading at night. Washing or repairing equipment outside.

 

[Deere Dude]

All good advice. I have a 36 x 54 x14 with 2-12' overhead doors. What I would change if I had it to do over again would be to make it 10' or 11' high with 9' overhead doors. The money saved I would make the building longer or wider.

 

[RxRatedZ71]

Here is my finished project. They are not that complex of a build, but need to do research for a reliable company.

 

[Zebrafive]

I wish I would have thought of Wainscott. I have all kinds of dents in the bottom three feet of the 14' panels. :ashamed:

I don't think it would be that hard to retro fit. I too wish I had done it when I built my barn 15 years ago. My panels were not dented. So to just update the look I put 32" tall panels right over the top of the existing panels. Less work than trying to get a nice straight cut on all the existing panels and adding the Z trim. But if I were building again I would definately do wainscot.

 

[Deere Dude]

I know there are numerous threads regarding pole barns and I have been reading and soaking up all of the information for hours. That said, I apologize in advance for opening a new thread but with the overload of information (some of which dates a few years back), I'm hoping to narrow down the basics.

My husband and I are wanting a 30x40 pole barn with lean-to and are ready to start researching contractors and products. Primary purpose is storage and workshop space. We want the lean-to so the z-trac can be stored outside but kept dry leaving more space in the building. The pole barn will definitely need a concrete slab and we'd like to have plumbing for utility sink(s) and a toilet/shower. Depending on cost, we don't necessarily need the toilet/shower up front but want to have the plumbing there when we are ready to do it.

We don't plan to do any of the major work ourselves as we don't have the time or expertise (or desire for that matter).

I'd like to get as much advice as possible though regarding which things we should consider and if anyone has had experience with contracting the entire project out.

My biggest fear is that since we don't know much about the process we will miss out on adding something that we will later wish we had thought of or that we won't know which specific things to watch out for with contractors.

My first step (after this post) will be contacting our county codes department regarding a building permit. We already know that we are allowed to build the type of building we want as long as it is in line with the design of our home.

Thanks in advance!

One thing I found out is all pole buildings aren't built the same. I had my pole building put up by Cleary when they contracted carpenters out. I thought they left a bunch of wall bracing and roof bracing out because it wasn't built the same as my previous building so I called the salesman back a couple weeks later. He brushed me off and said it wasn't a commercial building so all those extra braces weren't needed. I pursued it for a few months and couldn't get anyone to do anything about it so in time I just forgot about the bracing.

From someones post on this forum complaining about Cleary, I brought my grievances to the forefront again and got a hold of the vice-president of the company. His attitude was totally different from the salesman of 10 years ago. Withing 2 weeks I had all kinds of bracing and then some extra. A few weeks later I got a new panel and some trim added to bring it up to Cleary's standard.

I think the original contractor skimped on wind bracing and cross bracing. For you I would say to know where every stick of bracing has to be before the fact so the contractor can't stick it to you like he did to me. Also, visually make sure every screw is in and there are no dented panels before you sign off the project. You have to be knowledgeable and may have to be a dick about it but that's all some people listen to.

 

[Gary Fowler]

This is what I built a few years back. I elected to build a wood frame structure with full 100 amp separate meter from the house due to the distance. I wired it with receptacles every 6 feet on the 3 walls and a 50 amp circuit between the 16 foot door and the 10 foot door for powering my welding machine. All walls and ceiling is insulated in the main structure which keeps it fairly cool even without running the window AC unit that I installed. I didnt insulate the added on back lean too which was a mistake as it is hotter than hades in it compared to the front insulated section. I will have to go back and insulate that 14x30 one day soon.
It is built on slab with a layer of 8x16 CMU blocks around the perimeter and 9 foot 2x4 wall studs. I put the blocks in so I could wash down the slab without wetting my walls and get a bit more ceiling height in the bargain. If I were to do it over, I would add a couple more courses of block for the additional height(I did this on the back addition) and put in at least one 12 foot high door to allow my big tractor to enter. It is 30 x 52 (30x30 main with 12 foot lean too on each side. I recently ran out of space and added a 14 x 30 back wall lean too to get my boat out of the way. I put a10x12 room to one side with commode and sink ditching the planned shower during construction. The afterthought was that I would have to keep towels etc there and would be a PIA to haul them back and forth for cleaning but I do suggest the toilet and hand washing station as indespensible. I was able to tie in all the sewers to my house sewer tank but the plumber suggested that a 500 gallon septic tank would alleviate any possible line stoppages since it is about 150 feet from the other septic tie in. All downhill but now no solids to strand midway.
As others have suggested, build bigger than you think you need because everything soon fills to capacity.

 

[clsathome]

Your post is timely because, my new barn is nearing completion, and I too, am using a contractor. In my case, I had a 30x40 "bare bones" pole barn that I expanded to 30x50 and added a full second floor under a gambrel roof.

Finding a contractor: I was lucky to get a custom home builder in the area that was between jobs. If your main concern is to get your barn built the way you want it, avoid hiring a "pole-barns-for-less" type of contractor. These guys know how to do one thing: build one type of barn as quickly and cheaply as possible. If you are conftorbale with the system they employ and cost is a concern, then that's okay. But if you want the details the way you want them, find a builder you can work with.

Working with your contractor: Even a custom builder is going to be cost consious. Contractors are accustomed to doing the minimum necessary to meet codes, keep costs down and get jobs. If you are looking for something a out of the ordinary, you are going to have to be involved in the process. Let your guy know you want to see the truss design before he orders the trusses, for example. In my case, I really had to stand my ground to get what I wanted. Don't be afraid to do this. My guy really aimed to please, but it took some doing to convince him that I really did want a 30-foot clear span loft that I can store engines in!

Do your homework: This is the important part. Look at other buildings that you like. Take pictures and show them to your contractor. Make some drawings of what you want. They don't have to done by an architect, but get some graph paper and make scale floor plans and elevations. Keep doing what you are doing. Get on the Internet and research forums, manufacturers sites, etc. I did all that when planning my barn.

Lastly, some miscelaneous advise: Your really need to insulate and heat if you are going to have plumbing. I had pipes freeze in an uninsulated hangar in Texas. Closed cell foam is the way to go with pole barns. It seals better than anything. Re electrical, more amps the better, I have 200 amp service, but then I am running welders and air compressors.

I hope this rather long-winded reply helps. If anyone is interested I could post more detailed information regarding the contruction of my barn.