eastern red cedar posts for pole barn/shed?

[kossetx]

I agree, Thanks for the good info here. I'll probably go with erc. Now I'm wishing I would have cut those posts in years past like I thought of doing.

Another question for you all. Would 2X6 be sufficient for 10' bays or should I go to 2X8, or larger? My bigger tractor is a little over 6' wide and sooner or later I'll have a 70+HP one so I figure 10' is mininum to keep from constantly hitting the posts.

 

[mikim]

If you do 10' bays and don't put much weight on the roof - you might be able to get away with 2 x 6's. I used 10' spacing on my posts then used free 2 x 6's but I put 1 on each side of the post on the shed side that is supporting the roof. On the sides I have 3 horiz 2x6 runs holding the siding. HOWEVER if I did it again -- I'd probably go to 2x8 for the top plate. The 2x6's are still doing fine -- but they were free which is why I used 'em. I'd have to look at them to see if they are sagging a little .... but after 24 years - I'm sagging some too since then.

 

[flusher]

I agree, Thanks for the good info here. I'll probably go with erc. Now I'm wishing I would have cut those posts in years past like I thought of doing.

Another question for you all. Would 2X6 be sufficient for 10' bays or should I go to 2X8, or larger? My bigger tractor is a little over 6' wide and sooner or later I'll have a 70+HP one so I figure 10' is mininum to keep from constantly hitting the posts.

My bays span 14 ft and the rafters span about 10 ft. So I use doubled 2x12 (= 4x12) nail lam beams to span the 14ft bays. I could have gotten by with 4x10 beams but I prefer to overbuild here since this is the weakest part of the structure. There are 25 4x4 knee braces to help tie the posts to the beams and to stiffen the structure. Right now the wind is blowing steady 20-25 mph with 40 mph gusts. I'm installing some of the knee braces today. It's getting a little dicy on my 8ft ladder. Two more braces to go and I'll quit for the day.

 

[Ranger Rick]

My questions are has anybody ever used ERC for pole barn posts? I have a fence that is 20 years old made from untreated ERC, but it's not a barn and I understand that. If I treat the bottom 2 feet of each post I think I'd get 15-20 years out of them, but is the troubles I forsee will come from the diameter differences in the logs be worth the 400-500.00 treated lumber would probably cost me. The money figure is a guess. Anyone ever do anything like this?

TIA for any replies. Mark

One farm I worked on had several hay barns that were built in the 1950's using ERC posts and they are all still standing tall. The metal roofs are a little rusty but the posts are fine. I don't think you even need to go to the expense of treating the bottom of the post. The cedar has its own preservative.
Rick

 

[davitk]

I built this gazebo from tamarack logs and scrounged building materials four years ago, it took 5X longer than anticipated due largely to the "natural" logs; nothing can be plumbed or squared I am a carpenter by trade and it just drove me nuts...... I would never go that route again but for aesthetic reasons. 500.00 sounds cheap to save all that grief.

 

[weldingisfun]

I built this gazebo from tamarack logs and scrounged building materials four years ago, it took 5X longer than anticipated due largely to the "natural" logs; nothing can be plumbed or squared I am a carpenter by trade and it just drove me nuts...... I would never go that route again but for aesthetic reasons. 500.00 sounds cheap to save all that grief.

Hey Davitk, by the looks of your gazebo you have clearly demonstrated your carpentry skills in overcoming the challenges presented by the tamarack logs. Good work and a nice looking project that will surely provide you and your family years of enjoyment.

There you go Kossetx, see what you can do with natural logs.

 

[davitk]

thank you

 

[kossetx]

Davitk, Very nice indeed! You understand what I was saying about square, and I'm not as good a carpenter as you.

I've decided to use the native post and build I'm gouing to build smaller the first time. 20X24 or 20X30. I can always add on or build another later.

Thanks for those pics and thanks to all who replied.

 

[gregthegasman]

i agree with motorseven. when i was setting posts , i was told never to use concrete since concrete acts like a bag to hold water and cause problems. good drainage around post is the key and ERC could last longer then 10-25 yrs.

its not so much the water problem .... the lime in the concrete promotes wood rot

 

[GLyford]

due largely to the "natural" logs; nothing can be plumbed or squared

Well, you could take a page from those old timberframe/post-and-beam guys. They eventually figured out that scribing and hand-fitting to match the sizes and angles of each axe-hewn log took too long and too much heavy lifting, so they started cutting all the logs back to a single set of simple known dimensions (usually to just fit their smallest log)--but only at the joints.

You could do something similar by deliberately setting the posts a bit too far out and then cutting in seats for girts etc. with a chainsaw or sawzall until it all lined up right on your desired dimension...