Having a pole building built

[WantedWolf]

If your going to have sliding doors put them on the inside instead of the outside of the wall.

This keeps them out of the wind and snow.

A great idea I saw on Prarie Farm Report for shop doors, They seemed quite involved during building but once complete they would be tough to beat.

The farmer took a salvaged hydro power plant, and 2 cylinders (one each side of door). A steel tubing framework to support the weight of the tin door during lifting. the neat feature of this door was that it was not 100% vertical like traditional doors. it was on a 10-20* angle \ hinged on top so that gravity and the hydraulic creep would seal it against the sides of the shop.

I obviously cant describe it very well but it was a very good idea.
heres the only pic I could find and a link to the site I found it on the inventors contact info is there also.

 

[tommu56]

I cant say I have ever seen sliding doors on the inside. Sounds good if you have the building width......do you have a pic? How do you seal up at the floor if you have concrete?

As for a tip: Bigger is better. I like my ridge lite....but I don't have any electric.

We had sliding door at one placed I worked at and the contractor put the track at an angle so when you opened it up it slid up the track creating clearance for the bottom gasket.
The only issue you had to hook the door in the open position and there was a pully and counterweight on it too.

tom

 

[Duffster]

Some pics

 

[foggy1111]

Very nice Duffster. I can see where that would work good for some applications. It takes a good size building to pull that off....but solves allot of problems I am sure.

Around here, you see allot of large pole buildings for the mega size farm equipment. Many of those barns use a bi-fold door such as used in an airplane hanger. I am told people like those doors too...as they seal up tight and dont have the wind to cause problems, etc.

 

[EddieWalker]

I like a roll up door. Don't know of anything that even compares for the money.

A sink is just about mandatory. Good to wash up, but also having water handy is also very useful.

Lots of overhead lighting.

A 36inch man door.

Insualtion on the ceiling at the very least. Walls would be a nice bonus.

An outlet every four feet.

Wire a dedicated outlet for the air compressor and another for a welder.

Cover walls in OSB. It's strong enough to hang just about anything from.

Shelving and more shelving.

Eddie

 

[srs]

I was just wondering, if based upon your experience, that you wish you done something differently either in building it, or in contract specifications with the builder.

Steve, with all the snow that you get I'm sure you know about a higher pitched roof to allow the snow to slide off. Also make sure when the snow does slide off it won't block a door, either an entry door or the large garage door. And have you thought about having the concrete floor slope to a center floor drain to allow the melting snow that comes off your tractor to drain safely out of the building. One final thought is I would raise the building up so that you have to step up into the building. I had two Morton buildings built and d*mn if I didn't have them raise it high enough. The problem for me is that grass grows real close to the metal siding and I have to be real careful when using the weed eater. I should have had the building higher so the grass would be next to some pressure treated bottom sill. Also with the building higher you have to drive UP into the building and this helps prevent water from a heavy rain from coming into the building. As EddieWalker mentioned I would also add the rough in for a toilet too. Perhaps this won't be an issue but I roughed in the PVC for a future toilet/sink plus a slop sink for my garage.

 

[smfcpacfp]

Thanks for all of the good ideas. I have decided to go with a Cleary Building. I read the report from daviddame and others, but our township just had the local Cleary crew put up a building recently and they did an excellent job.

I ilked the idea of the slide by door on the inside, but since I will have a roll up door and a slide by on the same side, the slide by will have to be on the outside due to a lack of room. I will seldom use the slide by.

I am having a slightly higher pitched roof than normal and am having the trusses built to 80 lbs per SI for snow purposes. Given that it will be mostly unheated, the snow doesn't usually slide off according to people that I have talked to, even with a very steep roof. It isn't unusual for us to have no above freezing temperatures from mid December to mid March. I do have 24" overhangs on all sides so that the snow doesn't screw up the building when it does fall. Unfortunately drains just freeze up in the winter time due to the extreme cold, but I will probably have one put in.

I am going to put in an electrical service for the building with its own meter. Many of you said have water and sewer which I would love to have, but given the extreme cold here, I would have to expend a lot of money on heat to keep things from freezing up.

The building will be 30 by 48 x 13 1/2. with a concrete floor. I will have a 15' by 24' workshop within which I will finish myself. I will have to think about how to heat that portion. Anyway the Cleary cost will be $26,000 with me doing the site preparation. I suspect that finishing the workshop, heat source and electrical hookup will add another $10,000. I am going to have Cleary do their work around August 20, which should allow me enough time to finish the inside before it gets real cold up here.

I have not signed any contracts yets so I still welcome your ideas. Their salesman told me business was down 25%, so it is a buyer's market here and they are anxiously awaiting my business.

 

[wedge40]

I am having a slightly higher pitched roof than normal and am having the trusses built to 80 lbs per SI for snow purposes. Given that it will be mostly unheated, the snow doesn't usually slide off according to people that I have talked to, even with a very steep roof. It isn't unusual for us to have no above freezing temperatures from mid December to mid March. I do have 24" overhangs on all sides so that the snow doesn't screw up the building when it does fall. Unfortunately drains just freeze up in the winter time due to the extreme cold, but I will probably have one put in.

I've always wondered why someone doesn't make a way to "vibrate" the roof in colder climates. Seems you could get most of the snow to slide off doing that.
Just a late night thought.

Wedge

 

[foggy1111]

I've always wondered why someone doesn't make a way to "vibrate" the roof in colder climates. Seems you could get most of the snow to slide off doing that.
Just a late night thought.

Wedge

Early morning thought......It seems that around here, steep pitched roofs hold more snow depth than a shallow pitch roof.....thus requiring a better rafter system. Maybe the wind blows the snow off the shallow pitch a little better.

I just finished with a Cleary building (see posts elsewhere) and was quite happy with the end result....although I still have not been able to use the building....as the concrete is still curing.

 

[Duffster]

Many of you said have water and sewer which I would love to have, but given the extreme cold here, I would have to expend a lot of money on heat to keep things from freezing up.

Put in a hydrant that shuts off under ground.