Pole Barn Walls: opinions please!

[Laminarman]

Hi people, thanks for this great forum that I constantly lurk on.

I have decided on two things: First, I am going to build a 30x40' pole barn for housing tractor/implements...etc. starting in the Spring. Second, it WILL have a metal or fiberblass roof.

The building will be away from the house, doubtful it will need electric, but will be visible to all. I got quoted $9,800 for a metal building built (pole frame construction), complete with all hardware, one 10' door and roof/sides/lumber from 84 Lumber. Not a bad price I thought. Problem is, I'm not real big on the "metal building look". I DO like (and so does the wife) the look of a more "traditional" country barn. So...I am thinking do this myself and have the trusses engineered, and use either T1-11 siding or board and batten along with said metal or fiberglass roof. Question is, can folks give me their pros' and cons of wall materials? If I do board and batten, what type of wood, treated or untreated?

I like the speed/ease of metal and low maintenance, but I can assure you it will get dinged up and look like heck over time. I am not sure how durable a board/batten or T1-11 siding will hold up over the years, and if I went that route, any tips folks?? Here are my priorities

1. Appearance (think "wife" here...she wants a stone/stucco barn to match the house..ugh)
2. Durability/longevity
3. Ease of construction
4. Cost

 

[BHD]

there are lot of patterns of steel panels, with different looks, consider horizontal for a different look, one can put stone on the bottom and tin on top, of the wall,

look up some building sites and look at there photo galleries, here is a few to start with,
http://www.mortonbuildings.com/Gallery-of-Photos.aspx
Barns, Storage Sheds, Garages, Steel Buildings, Pole Barns - Lester Building Systems

I think a lot of the look of the building is more to what the building looks like, there is a house in town that has metal roof on it for the siding, and it looks like a house, why it is in a house shape,
any building with out eves and plain will nearly look metal sided if it looks like a normal metal pole machine shed or barn, if you stuccoed it would look like a pole barn. that is my opinion,

putting some other than tin on the side walls will normally end up costing you more. as you will need normally a conventional wall behind it to work with.

 

[Duffster]

Hi people, thanks for this great forum that I constantly lurk on.

I have decided on two things: First, I am going to build a 30x40' pole barn for housing tractor/implements...etc. starting in the Spring. Second, it WILL have a metal or fiberblass roof.

The building will be away from the house, doubtful it will need electric, but will be visible to all. I got quoted $9,800 for a metal building built (pole frame construction), complete with all hardware, one 10' door and roof/sides/lumber from 84 Lumber. Not a bad price I thought. Problem is, I'm not real big on the "metal building look". I DO like (and so does the wife) the look of a more "traditional" country barn. So...I am thinking do this myself and have the trusses engineered, and use either T1-11 siding or board and batten along with said metal or fiberglass roof. Question is, can folks give me their pros' and cons of wall materials? If I do board and batten, what type of wood, treated or untreated?

I like the speed/ease of metal and low maintenance, but I can assure you it will get dinged up and look like heck over time. I am not sure how durable a board/batten or T1-11 siding will hold up over the years, and if I went that route, any tips folks?? Here are my priorities

1. Appearance (think "wife" here...she wants a stone/stucco barn to match the house..ugh)
2. Durability/longevity
3. Ease of construction
4. Cost

What do you mean by a "fiberglass roof" ?

 

[dave1949]

I would not choose T1-11, I don't think it is very durable for the long haul. You are basically putting ship-lap plywood on the exterior. Plus, if you don't get the laps just right, it will wrinkle (it might anyways) when it changes dimensions with humidity. If your walls are taller than the longest sheet of T1-11, you have that horizontal butt joint to deal with. Another potential moisture uptake spot even using the metal drip strips.

Board and batten done in northern white cedar will hold up and takes a stain well. Rough-sawn eastern hemlock is another good choice for board and batten. You can rip your own battens on a table saw. Cedar saws easily and has natural pest and rot resistance. Rough-sawn hemlock is usually not kiln dried, it will shrink considerably, so that has to be allowed for.

Nothing compares to the beauty of natural stone, it my back were 40 years younger, I would be tempted to build something with that. It has zero insulation R value however. If you intend to heat the building, you have to build a conventional insulated wall inside the stone wall.

That's my .02, Dave.

 

[Laminarman]

Thanks for the help folks. After I posted that message I took a drive and wouldn't you know that a diner I pass daily has metal siding, with a stone section about 2' off the ground. Since I have no intention of gathering stone, or putting a concrete foundation/footer to support the weight of real stone, I might consider a low perimeter run of cultered stone or brick which would certainly give some durability.

One other question, what guage metal for walls is "standard"?? The 84 lumber kit is 29 guage for the walls. Thanks.

 

[Laminarman]

What do you mean by a "fiberglass roof" ?

A corrugated fiberglass sheeting, almost like the metal ones. They have them at Lowes for $30 for a sheet, some of these you can get translucent so they basically function like skylights.

 

[bobodu]

No to the T-111...buckles warps and rots. Rodents chew on it,cats claw on it and it needs painting.

 

[Duffster]

Thanks for the help folks. After I posted that message I took a drive and wouldn't you know that a diner I pass daily has metal siding, with a stone section about 2' off the ground. Since I have no intention of gathering stone, or putting a concrete foundation/footer to support the weight of real stone, I might consider a low perimeter run of cultered stone or brick which would certainly give some durability.

One other question, what guage metal for walls is "standard"?? The 84 lumber kit is 29 guage for the walls. Thanks.

29 ga. is the norm for wall and roof panels.

 

[MarkV]

I have never had much luck with the fiberglass sheeting, if we are talking the same type. The ones that are translucent become stained with in a year if you have trees near by. I don't think I would want to walk on them for maintenance and they will crack long before a metal roof wears out.

MarkV

 

[FlaDon]

29 ga. is the norm for wall and roof panels.

Lowes here has 22 ga Galvalume while HD has the 29 ga. Price difference is about $2 a sheet.