Finally My Pole Barn/Workshop Has Started

[USAFpj]

David, your Western NC climate is a lot like mine here in NW SC. Do you think that it will be feasible for you to be comfortable in the shop without HVAC for now?
If not, have you decided a route yet?
Any condensation issues as of yet?
Last question for now- do you have any regrets? Door size, windows, overall size, etc...

 

[hunterridgefarm]

David, your Western NC climate is a lot like mine here in NW SC. Do you think that it will be feasible for you to be comfortable in the shop without HVAC for now?
If not, have you decided a route yet?
Any condensation issues as of yet?
Last question for now- do you have any regrets? Door size, windows, overall size, etc...

I plan to start electrical as soon as planting is complete. I do not think I will add AC but my wife did suggest a large ceiling fan which I think is a great idea.

No condensation yet, I left the door open for 7+ days to allow air to circulate. I have had it closed for the past 5 days with temps ranging from 35* morning to 76* afternoon. I open the large door when I get home from work and have not seen any condensation. The humidity is higher but no condensation on anything. The builder told me to leave the door open for a week or two because of this and I told him I had already planned to do that.

Regrets, not really, I thought about putting a window in the top gable end for air circulation and will do this on the back side as soon as I get the loft built. I had thought about putting a garage door in the back but I don't think I would use it that much and I wanted to put the loft in the back.

I will extend the building sometime in the future and put a man door in the back to access the extension which will be an open shed for equipment or possibly enclose it.

I am leaning towards the open shed extension and enclosing the lean to in the future.

David

 

[KennyG]

I don't have to deal with heat like you guys in Carolina do, but I'm amazed at the difference since I insulated my pole barn (with a ceiling). The concrete seems to suck up heat and the building doesn't pick it up from the roof, so it's comfortable inside even when it gets into the 90's outside.

I kind of have the opposite problem in the spring. We finally get a nice 70 degree day and I have to open all the doors because it's 45 degrees inside.

 

[ultrarunner]

Kind of the meat locker affect...

Someone I know said insulation was a total waste and he was sorry he went to the trouble... he said his shop isn't any warmer... but, he has nothing to heat it so the temp always stays on the cool side even when it's nice outside... according to him.

 

[sld]

Kind of the meat locker affect...

Someone I know said insulation was a total waste and he was sorry he went to the trouble... he said his shop isn't any warmer... but, he has nothing to heat it so the temp always stays on the cool side even when it's nice outside... according to him.

When my brother built his house the builder convinced him not to insulate his garage. He said it was a waste if he wasn't going to heat / cool it.

I know I would rather have it insulated. If you have a front and back door opening for ventilation you can get it to ambient temps in the summer pretty easy. In the winter, the heat from your car will even be beneficial. Plus the wall it shares with the house will add some heat too. My garage attached to the house is insulated with no heater. I have never seen it drop below freezing in there. It does face south so that probably helps a little.

If you don't do it when you build (and sheet rock everything) it is very hard to add it later.

 

[ultrarunner]

When I was working on cars a lot the one thing I didn't like was working in the cold or on cold car parts...

The shop then was small 18 x 20.... just right for one car and tools... being insulated just diving in a warm car and parking it while having a bite for dinner was long enough so that everything warmed up enough.

My shop in Olympia is large and it never gets warm in the winter... the only person I know with similar keeps it very nice with in floor radiant heat and an outside wood boiler...

 

[pinetree10]

The covered exterior areas are a smart move and look good too. Nice building.

 

[blucoondawg]

Those book shelf type girders are common in pole building construction where insulation is involved it gives a place to attach the insulation and whatever interior wall covering. One nice thing with insulation is it keeps the garage nice and cool in the summer when it's hot outside

 

[woodchipper]

Congratulations on this well layed out pole construction! You did not spare much as well! Insulating the interior will help regulate your day and night time temps.
Well done and enjoy your new shop! :drink:

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Thanks for the reply's.

Started putting the osb on last week then had to stop to lay plastic for planting. Hopefully can get back on it this weekend. I decided to attache the osb with screws so if I ever need to remove a piece it would be easier.

 

[USAFpj]

David, are you going to place OSB on the ceiling portion as well? I don't know if you stated earlier, but what kind of venting do you have?

 

[joeyd]

Thanks for the reply's.

Started putting the osb on last week then had to stop to lay plastic for planting. Hopefully can get back on it this weekend. I decided to attache the osb with screws so if I ever need to remove a piece it would be easier.

I also used screws to attach my osb panels, I have had no issues after almost 6 years. The builder left behind enough insulation that I doubled it up behind the panels. I cut it to fit between the 2x4 girts which were installed flat. I like your storage on the side, I wish I had done that originally. My front apron was poured separate from the floor and not pinned so it does heave in the winter when the ground freezes. Well live and learn!

I installed joists in the ceiling and dry walled the ceiling and upper 4 feet of the walls, then added blown in insulation. With electric heaters it is very comfy when working in the winter and even though we regularly get in the 90's it is comfortable in the summer.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

OB, not sure if I will do the ceiling but if I do I will use a light weight luan type panel. No venting but may put a window in the top of the gable end once I get the loft built.

Joey, that looks great!!

 

[Pieter78]

Nice looking barn.
:thumbsup:

 

[USAFpj]

David, how's that barn doing? Any updated advice or recommendations? I'm about half way there on the $$$ to get one built without another loan:2cents:

 

[hunterridgefarm]

It is a slow process right now. I did get the osb around the bottom part of the inside. Talked to electrical about installing the meter and power ran but have not had time to schedule. Only advise is build a lager as you can afford.

I hope by late fall to get started on the loft and would like to get it completed before wiring. I will be coming here for advise once I get close.I was hoping to rent a truck to go get all my wood working equipment at one time but can't seem to get it scheduled. I could use my trailer but unable to make the turn into parents long driveway due to power pole and fence.

Right now the problem is time, harvest has started for the Farmers Market and one evening it is irrigation and maintenance of the crops and the next evening it is harvest. Working 45-50 hours a week then trying to run 2.5 acres of produce is about to kill me this year.

Next year will be different, the field will only have a cover crop, taking a year off to get the shop up and running. So it will be October before I can get back to the shop.

Before harvest started I finished putting the osb up and had a couple of hours free time, looked over and saw some scrap wood and thru this coffee table together, it will be October before I can get back to it to finish

Good luck on your build. I have been following some of your threads just no time to post....

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Well one year after building this I have finally found the time to get the power to the building. It has been a busy year and I have been running the equipment off the generator when needed.

I have a lighting question. I am looking at this LED

EnviroLite 4 ft. 6-Light T8 LED High Bay Light with 2 Lumen DLC Flex Tubes-EVHBA6T21 - The Home Depot

Everyone is telling me it is extremely bright and for a 24 x 36 shop 4 down thew center would be the most I would need. I have 12' side wall and a 4/12 pitch, so lights will hang 12'-14' off the floor.

I was planning on putting lights down the center where the workbenches are and having a couple of smaller lights hanging over a couple of machines if needed.

I don't know much about LED other than what I have time to read on TBN. My internet is problematic at this time.

Any feedback would be appreciated!

David

 

[kevinwak]

Well one year after building this I have finally found the time to get the power to the building. It has been a busy year and I have been running the equipment off the generator when needed. I have a lighting question. I am looking at this LED EnviroLite 4 ft. 6-Light T8 LED High Bay Light with 2 Lumen DLC Flex Tubes-EVHBA6T241 - The Home Depot Everyone is telling me it is extremely bright and for a 24 x 36 shop 4 down thew center would be the most I would need. I have 12' side wall and a 4/12 pitch, so lights will hang 12'-14' off the floor. I was planning on putting lights down the center where the workbenches are and having a couple of smaller lights hanging over a couple of machines if needed. I don't know much about LED other than what I have time to read on TBN. My internet is problematic at this time. Any feedback would be appreciated! David

I don't know which exact lights to recommend, but I do know that for a workshop more is needed then a single row down the middle. That will just create shadows when using a tool off to the side. A row about a quarter in from each end will result in less shadowing.

 

[kevin37b]

Go LED , 4x the light . I replaced the crummy tube lights in my garage and could not believe the difference . They fire up if it is cold and provide a nice white light .

 

[Zerk]

One thing to think about with a high ceiling is changing bulbs. One of my barns has a high ceiling with trusses every 8' apart. I have 8 bulbs that I can put in from one end. With 4 footers maybe I could put them in from each end. But I don't have a step ladder tall enough to get to the middle. I use an extension ladder against trusses.

Could support the lights with wire or rope and use a pulley to lower. Could get a taller step ladder.

My other barn is in snow country and has trusses every 2 feet and is not an issue.