Clear-Span or Box Beam Barn

[olds67]

Besides not having a lower truss cord the price is the advantage. I want options such as ability to have or add a second floor for storage, which I can do with the 7/12 pitch and a loft. Also I want 12" eaves all the way around and a shingle roof. I've called on the news paper adds locally priced like that and after all the options I'm close to 12 grand without the flatwork. This type barn fits my budget with all the options I want. I was concerned about how sturdy the barn is, but after talking with the gentleman today who has one built, I am sold. I will post my progress so anyone interested can check out this type of barn.

 

[crazyal]

Is this something you need to have someone else build for you? I probably have about $8k into mine if you subtract the cement and the i-beam and second floor decking. The two garage doors were about $2k so the basic shell dried in costs about $6k. The trusses were a little pricey, a little over $2200 but up here I had to go with 80lb snow load. It's amazing how quickly the extras bump up the price.

 

[milkman636]

The inside of you new barn will look huge. You'll end up with about 20' of headroom at the ridge. I agree that they look cool on the inside.

When talking sturdiness, if everything is "engineered" they should be able to produce all the snow and wind load criteria that they are designed to.

Have you considered 2' overhangs on the eaves? I find the extra foot worth the cost.

Do they offer any type of guarantees on their fabricated structural members?

 

[BeezFun]

Besides not having a lower truss cord the price is the advantage. I want options such as ability to have or add a second floor for storage, which I can do with the 7/12 pitch and a loft.

If you think you want to add a loft, you're going to have to add posts in the middle of the structure to hold it up. If that's true, you might think of a traditional pole building with rafters instead of trusses. That keeps the upper area clear for later loft, and also has all the structural elements in place to support the floor of the loft. I think you'll end up paying more to add the loft to the design you're looking at than you would to a pole building with a steeper pitch.

 

[olds67]

The barn design is patented by Branstock. I talked talked with another guy who works with the owner and he was telling me how they are a small company but supply and build steel buildings and these "clearspan" buildings all over the US.

I am planning on doing the barn in stages, the first stage is the barn, then concrete, then loft which I plan on using a floor truss or steel I beam so I wouldn't have posts in the middle. The reason for the stages is money, I am trying not to finance and just pay cash. I sold my 67 cutlass to get the first stage done. I can't do much of the work because I have a demanding job and not too many weekends I want to give up with the wife and kids.

 

[olds67]

Have you considered 2' overhangs on the eaves? I find the extra foot worth the cost.

Do they offer any type of guarantees on their fabricated structural members?

I have thought about the 2' overhang and I am asking for how much additional the extra foot would be. Other then shedding rain water further away from the foundation, what are the other benefits?

I haven't asked about the garentee but I will. Thanks!

 

[milkman636]

With the 7/12 pitch there will be alot of roof draining off only one foot from the bottom of your doors, walls, and your windows. Two feet starts the water draining farther away and also gives twice the shade, soffit vent area, and shelter from the elements than one foot will. After opting for 2' once I wouldn't go back. Having my entry door and a 9x8 side door under my eaves, the extra foot is a noticable improvement on my newer barn over my old one.

 

[fowllife]

The box beam looks like a interesting design. It's essentially a wooden ridged frame build, similair to a metal building but just smaller frames. The strength comes from the gusset plates at the post/beam connections. I may have to look into them a little more before I put up my next building.

If your worried about water coming into your building through the doors, a gutter and downspouts will help you more. The larger the overhang to more rain/sun will stay off your building.

 

[SandburRanch]

Back in the day a clear span structure may have been called timber framing.

 

[gwjd]

if you dont want gutters but want a dry area over the door they make diverter strips you place on the roof that shead water to each side