Introduction and pole barn planning help

[Brendanspapa]

Your local building materials supplier should be able to help with the engineering details, as they are fairly standard for a given area.
I recently built a similar building, using steel trusses on 6 x 6 posts. Posts are ground contact pressure treated, set 3 ft. deep into a 4 ft. deep x 18” dia. concrete foundation. The concrete extends just above ground to keep the posts dry. I also used steel straps for X bracing under the roof and wall skins to carry the wind load, (design for 140 mph). Posts and trusses on 12’ centers, 36’ span.

 

[Mart5130]

Right across the road from me a guy build a 40x60 "Barndominium". So called "Pros" built it. What a P.O.S. You will undoubtedly do a MUCH better job than those guys, because:
1. It's your place. 2. You're mechanically inclined. 3. You aren't lazy. and 4. You'll take the time to do it right.

I would strongly suggest you subscribe to this guy's You Tube channel. He's the best I've seen on Post and Beam. Tons of good insight, tips and tricks to make it right. I particularly like the way he makes his posts. (He laminates his own, or has a vendor do it for him now) And he builds monster size buildings with just 2 guys, sometimes 3.

(RR Buildings)

Agree RR the best to watch

 

[Dundertaker]

Not to send you away from this good discussion, but when I built mine this resource was invaluable.

The Garage Journal

Garage design & tool discussion for the working man,,,

www.garagejournal.com

 

[Dundertaker]

Not to send you away from this good discussion, but when I built mine this resource was invaluable.

The Garage Journal

Garage design & tool discussion for the working man,,,

www.garagejournal.com

On the SLAB vs. Basement discussion: I had the decision made for me. I'm in TN and the amount of rock to just get this level (we broke an industrial ROCK HAMMER on this job) meant no basement. The owner of the Building Supply suggested I do storage up....since I was trying to match the style of my house with the roof pitch. I was going with a vaulted ceiling/open space. The Lumber Yard owner told me; "I built a pole barn and regret not adding a loft/attic and stare at all that storage I don't have every day and regret it"....that got my wheels spinning. The solution...the Lumber Yard called their engineer and we came up with this giant laminated beam. This allowed for one long span with no "Jacks/mollies/posts" to get in the way.
The next thing was the lift. I knew I wanted a lift and wanted a 4 post for storage. The original plan was to pour a "piss flat" slab so I could roll it. (there are 4 posts with "jacks" that allow you to move it around). When we went with the second floor, my wheels started spinning on possibilities. So...I bought the larger lift designed for RV's (Same lift just taller) and it meets the floor. With Wheel Jacks/Spinners (pump jacks on tires like they use in car dealers) I can pull a vehicle, trailers, etc...into the attic for storage. We went with Engineered I-Beams and thicker flooring. The cost was about 15% more for almost 2x the storage space. We also used YouTube and some "hillbilly engineering" to make a folding set of stairs with an electric winch. Why? When the lift is in use, you can't get up and down without other access, and without stairs you need 2 people or more to use the lift as an elevator (think about it). I also didn't want to have floor space permanently occupied by stairs I'd only use occasionally.

 

[aircommuter]

I did a full basement in my house but the shop is a different matter with a floor needed for heavy equipment and car hoists. So I went up with a

2000 square foot mezzanine and like you didn’t want a staircase in the way. So I bought a scissor lift which is also nice for taking heavy things up and down plus other uses.