Building a Pole Barn: Step 1

[gregfender]

Broke ground today...finally. I couldn't believe how rocky the place is where I'm putting it. On the plus side, I have about 15 tons of landscaping stone now.

I'll keep posting on the progress in case y'all are interested.

 

[gregfender]

Broke ground today...finally. Never realized how rocky the place was. But on the plus side, I now have about 15 tons of stone for landscaping.

I'll post progress updates...in case y'all are interested.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

My place is the same, I can't drive a piece of re-bar anywhere without hitting rock. Keep posting pics.

I am taking the week of Easter off to get my field ready and have a day scheduled to cut trees for my pole building. Hope to start a thread soon after.

Are you by any chance going to the Herb Fest at Painter Greenhouse near Old Forte this weekend? Nice place, large greenhouse, good crafters and worth a trip.

 

[gregfender]

My place is the same, I can't drive a piece of re-bar anywhere without hitting rock. Keep posting pics. I am taking the week of Easter off to get my field ready and have a day scheduled to cut trees for my pole building. Hope to start a thread soon after. Are you by any chance going to the Herb Fest at Painter Greenhouse near Old Forte this weekend? Nice place, large greenhouse, good crafters and worth a trip.

My wife is planning on taking her Mom to Painters this weekend. I've got to head to Greenville, NC to pick up a temporary power pole from my brother-in-law. It's convenient to have an electrician in the family!

 

[hunterridgefarm]

I've got to head to Greenville, NC to pick up a temporary power pole from my brother-in-law. It's convenient to have an electrician in the family!

Dang, that's a long drive, ECU country. I'd buy a 14-16' 4x6

 

[gregfender]

Dang, that's a long drive, ECU country. I'd buy a 14-16' 4x6

His already has the meter and breaker box...plus it gives me a chance to stop by Smithfields BBQ and bring some good eastern style back. Plus our 17 year old German exchange student is riding down with me to to visit my pretty 16 year old niece who asked him to her prom. ;-). Lol!

 

[SPIKER]

Broke ground today...finally. I couldn't believe how rocky the place is where I'm putting it. On the plus side, I have about 15 tons of landscaping stone now.

I'll keep posting on the progress in case y'all are interested.



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Seems your footer is not very deep, while NC is not a lot of frost I would try for a bit deeper.

Sure does look pretty rock tho

M

 

[gregfender]

Seems your footer is not very deep, while NC is not a lot of frost I would try for a bit deeper. Sure does look pretty rock tho M

Minimum depth here in NC is 12" but code for our county is 18". These are actually closer to 20" but the pics make them look a bit more shallow. You welcome to come haul off all rock you want!

 

[gregfender]

Footers poured, temp power pole set...just waiting for the power company to run the line over. Foundation block is being delivered Monday, should be set by Wednesday. If everything goes as planned, slab will be poured by Friday. I love some progress.

 

[GPintheMitten]

You know what would be cool, would be attach some kind of camera support to the power pole to take time lapsed photos of the build.

 

[EddieWalker]

Is this going to be a pole barn? How do you get the poles in the ground with a concrete footing?

Eddie

 

[gregfender]

Is this going to be a pole barn? How do you get the poles in the ground with a concrete footing?

Eddie

I decided to stick build. Ended up being cheaper for my needs. Considering all of the rock uncovered when digging the footers it was good I chose this route. I would have never been able to dig holes for the posts.

 

[gregfender]

Got the foundation block laid today. Things are coming along. Should pour the slab either Friday or Monday.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Digging that must have just stunk.

 

[gregfender]

Digging that must have just stunk.

My builder had originally thought they would knock it out by hand...no kidding. The guy that came and took care of it only charged me $200...I couldn't believe it.

 

[EddieWalker]

That makes sense. I wasn't sure if I missed that somewhere or you where going to put the poles on top of the footing. With a concrete floor, stick building makes more sense to me too.

What are you going to use to build up the ground before you pour concrete? How will you compact it?

Since you didn't mention what you are using to reinforce the concrete, be sure to use rebar. Wire is quick, cheap and easy, but it always ends up at the bottom of the pour and becomes useless. Everyone will tell you that they pull it up while they spread the concrete, but don't mention that's just for show and as they walk on the wire, it gets pushed back down to the ground. It is impossible to pour a slab and keep wire in the middle of it while walking on it. Even with chairs, a persons foot doesn't fit between the squares in the wire. I only use rebar and would fire a contractor who insisted on using wire.

Eddie

 

[gregfender]

That makes sense. I wasn't sure if I missed that somewhere or you where going to put the poles on top of the footing. With a concrete floor, stick building makes more sense to me too.

What are you going to use to build up the ground before you pour concrete? How will you compact it?

Since you didn't mention what you are using to reinforce the concrete, be sure to use rebar. Wire is quick, cheap and easy, but it always ends up at the bottom of the pour and becomes useless. Everyone will tell you that they pull it up while they spread the concrete, but don't mention that's just for show and as they walk on the wire, it gets pushed back down to the ground. It is impossible to pour a slab and keep wire in the middle of it while walking on it. Even with chairs, a persons foot doesn't fit between the squares in the wire. I only use rebar and would fire a contractor who insisted on using wire.

Eddie

My concrete guy and I have already had the discussion of using rebar in the pour. I told him that's the only way I would do it. We are using a good bit of the excavated dirt to fill the foundation then I am hauling in about 4' of crush and run to finish the fill and compact. We hope to be ready to pour by tuesday of next week.

 

[gregfender]

That's 4" of crush and run, not 4'!

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Looking good. You should have some good weather next week to get the pour in.

 

[GManBart]

Since you didn't mention what you are using to reinforce the concrete, be sure to use rebar. Wire is quick, cheap and easy, but it always ends up at the bottom of the pour and becomes useless. Everyone will tell you that they pull it up while they spread the concrete, but don't mention that's just for show and as they walk on the wire, it gets pushed back down to the ground. It is impossible to pour a slab and keep wire in the middle of it while walking on it. Even with chairs, a persons foot doesn't fit between the squares in the wire. I only use rebar and would fire a contractor who insisted on using wire.

Eddie

I'm not saying wire is as good as rebar, but it doesn't have to end up at the bottom if you know what you're doing, and they do make heavy gauge wire that's pretty stout. If you set the panels as you pour, rather than set them all first, you don't have to walk on them at all.