14 x 20 Pole Barn using 4x4 posts

[Sawyer Rob]

I would NOT use 4x4's, I'd use 4x6's...

I would NOT use flat lumber nailed together... Most flat lumber is not treated for in ground use, the companies that lam up flat lumber spec out to have their flat lumber treated better.

Make sure any nails/screws that go into treated lumber are meant for treated lumber or they WILL fail by rusting out...

SR

 

[buckeyefarmer]

You need .6 cca wood in the ground, Probably won't find that at HD.
For the building size, 4x4 is ok, but twisting is a major problem. For your size building I'd frame walls with footers and 2x4 walls.

 

[boggen]

dig your holes with a PHD (post hole digger), fill them up with concrete to a couple inches above ground. set your lumber on top of that. set an anchor before the concrete dries. so you do not need to fuss with drilling and setting an anchor later on. (no lumber in ground) and doing this way, you can pre set the tops of all the posts with a "water level" and be ready set go.

if you digging holes and dropping lumber down into the holes. you generally need to have a little "ley way" as far as how long the posts are. so once you get them all set in the ground, and have them supported with say two 2x4's angled up for bracing. you can go back around and cut all the tops off evenly with the trusses.

being your in NY, i would imagine frost depth atleast 3.5 feet deep, here in illinois it varies between 3 to 3.5 feet depth, you being further north imagine frost depth is deeper.

if you dug holes and filled with concrete, you could buy some bags of ready mix cement. squirt some water into the holes with garden hose, dump dry bags of concrete down into hole. squirt some more water in. use a larger "coffee can" or like doing for a make shift sono tube above ground level. and finishing topping off with some concrete above ground level. set in your anchor for your lumber.

stick building does have advantages, as far as spacing out the studs. so you can easily match up what ever you use for sides (metal, to plywood, to other)

 

[skipmarcy]

Definitely a minimum of 4x6 to get the better quality and strength, they're barely heavier than a 4x4. How are you going to get a 4' deep post hole ? My hand posthole diggers will only get me down about 30" before you can no longer get a bite of dirt. Using my digger on the tractor with standard augers can only get me down a touch over 3' before the pto shaft gets too close to the ground. I pour some concrete in the holes about 3"-4" deep and let it set a day or two for a footer, then drill a hole thru the lower end of my post a put a piece of 1/2" rebar thru it and build my framing for the building before going back and pouring concrete around the posts and then filling with dirt and tamping with a rock bar real well as you go.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Cementing a post in where I live, will guarantee it will have a much shorter life!

SR

 

[Tomtint]

I built a small barn / large shed last year. Had the same concerns you are asking about now. I wanted a post and beam look, and a concrete floor. I had thought about using 4x4s for the posts and nailing a 2x4 to the outside of it to help mitigate warping. After a bunch of thought, I ended up going with 6x6s and a PT wood deck on concrete footings, and the frame as well as the siding is all rough sawn pine. As it ages I'm expecting to have ongoing maintence to keep it looking good, but I'm ok with that.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I have used 4x4 posts for a small 10x16 shed roof and it worked out ok. Depends on the quality of your lumber.

 

[Kenneth in Texas]

4x4's are fine, I used them on a 24x36 building that I built 25 years ago, just as straight and solid as they were then, just make sure drainage is good around them.

 

[JeremyL]

The posts you got 25 years ago were treated differently. Nothing you can get today will be of the same quality.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

The posts you got 25 years ago were treated differently. Nothing you can get today will be of the same quality.

And, that's a fact!

At least nothing a home owner can get....

SR