Building Your Own Pole Barn

PBMAX · Jun 3, 2003

Well best of luck to you however it works out. Me I've been trying to figure out the most simple way to sink the poles or dig wholes in the mountain top. Sand stone layers can be a ft thick in places. Course if I do manage them poles would be in there good and solid.... I'm sure somebody has managed before the ? is at what cost?
Ya'll have fun now.....

cowboydoc · Jun 3, 2003

We have built ALOT of fence in rock. You need a rock auger. We had one that we used on the front of a skidsteer. Works kind of like a hammerdrill in concrete. It's the only way to go.

PBMAX · Jun 9, 2003

I thought about some thing like that. Would 12" thick sandstone give it any trouble?
Or is just that it takes more time? There are areas with some much hader rock. I hit a layer around 1' thick when I was putting in the undergraound utilities when the house was goin up. Though I'd busted the ditch witch at first... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif Furtunately it was just a seem or pocket not a whole big area.

The planes I have are for an L shaped barn with 2 12x12 stalls and a 12x20 tack area and storage room. Thats quite a few wholes and more than half would be rock 2" from the top to the bottom. What would the min. depth be for a 12' (bottom of)rafter hight? in rock can it be less? Say 2feet deep instead of 4'.

cowboydoc · Jun 9, 2003

You get that rock auger and you can go through about anything. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

WVBill · Jun 10, 2003

( What would the min. depth be for a 12' (bottom of)rafter hight? in rock can it be less? Say 2feet deep instead of 4'. )

I'd stay with the four foot deep hole. A lot of the stability of a pole barn depends on holding those poles up straight and 2 feet deep doesn't give much resistance to swaying. There's also the resistance to uplift force from wind that a deeper hole gives.....
Check some pole building books.

cowboydoc · Jun 10, 2003

I definitely agree with Bill. That thing will collapse at the first big wind if you only put the poles in 2'.

StoneHeartFarm · Jun 10, 2003

( What would the min. depth be for a 12' (bottom of)rafter hight? in rock can it be less? Say 2feet deep instead of 4'. )

Our local Code calls for 42". The Inspector will pass the occasional pole that's at 40". If you want 12' walls, use 16' poles and set them 42" to 48" deep. It's tough to get the holes exactly the right depth and most of the contractors I see wind up cutting off at least some poles.

Steve

Justaplain · Jun 10, 2003

How about adding 2 feet of fill during the construction? 200 Yds would do the trick. Use extra diagonal bracing for those "windy" conditions out west. A triangle is stronger than a box.bcs

PBMAX · Jun 11, 2003

The fellow digging my basement out thought his track loader(big sucker) would to and he went back and got his 4x4 johndeer backhoe the jackhammer on it instead of a buckit. After about 30 min of scrapping around.... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
He would hammer a bit and use the FEL to clean up. would you believe he would let me play at it....Had some lowsy time table excuse.... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

PBMAX · Jun 11, 2003

some how I knew U would say that. You mean I would get to WORK /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif with a digger for a little bit longer... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Hey U don't think my lil TC21D would be jealous do ya??? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

As for adding 2ft yep I'v been adding a load here and there but at $120 for a tandum axel truck it will take a while to get that depth... I'm at about 1' on the lowest end so far...

And I like the idea of adding the long brace it deffenitly couldn't hurt...
The wind averages 3-6 mph per on a daily bases and rugularly gust to 15mph.
We're on a small mountain (foot hills to some of you folks) about 1300ft and it will often rain side ways and even up if the wind is right...

As for laying out I can get assistance from a cousin who is a retired home builder...with servey eqiupment. So we can hopfully get pretty close...
But stuff Happens.... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif