Pole barn construction question: Plates and girders vs notches

[rbstern]

Planning on building a pole barn this spring. Using this U of Tennessee ag extension monitor plan as the basis for our barn.

https://ag.tennessee.edu/BESS/Extension/ExtPubs/Plans/T4161.pdf

On page 2, looking at the notes and on the cross section, it shows the supports for rafters and joists as plates and girders, with support blocks below the plates and girders. Was surprised to see this detail. Would certainly save some labor in terms of cutting notches. Is this just a dated method?

 

[4570Man]

If you used a beefy screw It would be fine. If you just used nails than it would probably still be fine but not as strong as other options.

 

[s219]

What they are proposing is only OK for very minimal snow loads and very light roofing materials. They have two 2x8 headers, not sistered, spanning 12' between posts. That is very sketchy. Around here we'd use a double 2x12 (sistered) to span 12'. Heck, even spanning 8' requires a double 2x10.

In many pole barn designs that use headers face nailed to the inside and outside of the posts, 30D nails are used and no blocks. Those nails are each good for several hundred pounds in shear.

 

[4570Man]

What they are proposing is only OK for very minimal snow loads and very light roofing materials. They have two 2x8 headers, not sistered, spanning 12' between posts. That is very sketchy. Around here we'd use a double 2x12 (sistered) to span 12'. Heck, even spanning 8' requires a double 2x10.

In many pole barn designs that use headers face nailed to the inside and outside of the posts, 30D nails are used and no blocks. Those nails are each good for several hundred pounds in shear.

The OPs location says Georgia. There’s not much snow there.

 

[KennyG]

My pole barn is 30+ years old and uses this method. Plates are nailed to the poles, beams rest on the plates and the trusses are on the beams. If I was doing one today, I would probably use the same method but I would bolt the plates instead of nailing. The only real disadvantage over notching that I can see is that it doesn't leave a consistent inner surface if you are finishing the inside. When I insulated and finished mine, I spent some extra effort trimming around the plates.

Note after looking at the last post. My posts are 8 foot on center, the headers are 2x10 inside and out, but the plates are only 2x4s since my poles are 4x6. And we have a real snow load.

 

[rbstern]

What they are proposing is only OK for very minimal snow loads and very light roofing materials. They have two 2x8 headers, not sistered, spanning 12' between posts. That is very sketchy. Around here we'd use a double 2x12 (sistered) to span 12'. Heck, even spanning 8' requires a double 2x10.

In many pole barn designs that use headers face nailed to the inside and outside of the posts, 30D nails are used and no blocks. Those nails are each good for several hundred pounds in shear.

Minimal snow loads and light roofing is the application, in this case.

 

[s219]

I am really surprised they don't post a design snow load on those drawings. Could be very dangerous if someone doesn't know any better and just takes the plans and builds them in an area that gets snow, or they put on an asphalt roof instead of metal. But to be honest, the framing looks to light to me to even support live loads of someone working on the roof. It will be a super bouncy roof. That is bad for the screws in the metal roofing and will accelerate leaks.

 

[user.69169]

NOT worth my typing, the blue whales will just poof it.