Planning to build new 50x60 Pole Barn. Help!

[Bigkrank]

I own 3 Morton buildings. I have looked at them all and wouldn't spend money on any pole structure but a Morton. If you keep the expensive options down, they are very competitive to others considering the value. If you can put your doors in the gable ends for instance, you save on headers. Their insulation package is great.

One of the first things I do when somebody brags about their other building is go rub my hand on it. Usually when I show them my hand, it's the same color as their building. You can rub your hand on any of my buildings and no color shows on it. There are dozens of other small details that people miss that are important to me, not so much to some people. To each his own.

 

[Oliver1655]

SawTooth,
Don't forget a bathroom/wash station. This also will provide you with a smaller area you can have a source of water in which you can heat in winter to prevent broken pipes.
If you plan to do sanding, painting, metal cutting/welding, these are very dirty jobs. You might consider a partitioned off area to do these things in or a lean to work under outside. If inside you will want to install ventilation to send the fouled air outside or to filter it. One of the best ways to do this I have seen is to have a floor vent to draw the air down & out with filtered vents at the top of the walls to allow clean air in. You would be amazed how much this helps! You frame out a square in the floor leaving a lip around the edge to place a grate in with a single layered nylon/ PVC culvert as a vent tube going from the side of the pit under the floor to outside where you angle it upward & have a fan dust rated motor drawing the air. (A small lean to or shelter for the fan/vent opening might be a good idea.) The nylon/PVC tube will make it easier to angle upwards once you are past the outer wall. If you have the pit deeper than the vent pipe you can place a box(s) in the bottom to allow you to sweep debris from the floor into it & be able to empty it at your leisure (or just before it overflows).
Compressed air ports all along the walls. Even if you are using a portable air compressor, it is so handy to not have to move it around or work around it. Use a length of rubber/hydraulic hose between the compressor & the plumbing to help isolate vibrations. Install a 6" length of pipe below each quick connect with a valve for moisture collection/drainage. I like to have the pipes bow upward slightly between the drops for the quick connects/drains to prevent moisture from pooling in the pipes. I know there is a lot of opinions on the use of PVC pipe for air lines. I have found over the years that if you use a cleaner/primer & a medium body solvent cement for bonding the joints together, firmly secure the pipe every 4 - 6 feet & on both sides of quick connects & drainage valves, you should not have any problems using PVC. I have had my shop plumbed for air this way for over 14 years: 1" PVC with a 3/4" by 3' length of hydraulic hose connected to an 80 gallon 2 stage 175 psi air compressor using ball valves for drains without any problems.
I use EMT (metal conduit) in my shop on the surface of the walls. This serves as rodent resistant, easy access for future needs, & to protect wires from items bumped, dropped, slid, knocked off walls, ... , & allowed me to install the wiring after getting the walls up.
I like to use a light colored material on the walls or to paint them to reflect light. I try to avoid placing "light" panels in the roof as they historically start leaking 10 to 12 years down the road. Most folks will place them along the upper walls. Maybe the panels of today will hold up better than in the past with improvements in technology, but most builders in Missouri where I am still avoid placing them in the roofs.
As several have mentioned, partitioning off a smaller area(s) for heating in the winter is mighty handy.
Talk to your insurance agent & find out what they think you need to avoid/do to help keep you insurance down. (Storage of flammables, size of windows, type of doors, ... )
Take a day or two and visit several commercial (cabinet, body, mechanic, ...) & farm shops for ideas. Most owners when they find your are getting ready to build a shop are more than happy to brag on theirs & tell you what they plan to change or wish they had done differently as long as they don't feel you will be in competition with them.
The phrase "I'm only going to build it once" sounds great but .... Determine what you want. Know your budget. Decide if you can build in phases. (Main building - add lean to side later, add loft, ...) If so make sure you allow for future wiring, plumbing, air, ... needs in your additions.
In your area due to snow/freezing, sliding doors are not a good option unless you plan to use them on a lean to area where they can be at least 4" off the ground to keep the ground from swelling up & grabbing them.

As much as we all want our shop up and running yesterday, take time to think it out to help decrease the "I wish I had ...". Have a blast! John

 

[boggen]

SawTooth,
.........
In your area due to snow/freezing, sliding doors are not a good option unless you plan to use them on a lean to area where they can be at least 4" off the ground to keep the ground from swelling up & grabbing them.
.......

*ughs* i hate frost heave, some places i get zero heave, other places i can get up to 2 inches easily of frost heave. during winter. if i do not remove snow from doors quickly enough and just let the snow melt and then refreeze, on the sliding doors, i end up having to use a crow bar. across bottom of sliding doors. to break door out of ice. and then have to work the doors back and forth (open close) multi times to break ice away to get them open all the way. and this is with garage up on hill and good water drainage away from shed.

see attached diagram.

 

[sawtooth]

Awesome info guys. As i was hoping this is stuff i never thought of but info i need. Going to make a list of these ideas to help me start my project. I also wanted to ask as for materials what do i look for in types of paints on metal for long durability and color fastness. Also what gauge metals should i use?

 

[brokenknee]

I had a 40X60 built at my last place. I did price out a Morton building, while nice I could not justify the additional cost. I went with a local builder who did quality work. I was more than happy with the building.

If you are set on a Morton building still shop around, the salesman did call me back and offered to lower the price by (I think) about $6,000.

Another poster mentioned the paint wiping off on his hand. I did not have that problem with mine, make sure they use quilty material.

I also agree to go higher mine was 12' high and I really wish I would have gone at least 14'. I did go with the wainscoting and put a one foot overhang on all sides, it was a little more but gave it a real nice look. As mentioned before on the wainscoating much easier to replace a panel if it gets damaged.

 

[KennyG]

Awesome info guys. As i was hoping this is stuff i never thought of but info i need. Going to make a list of these ideas to help me start my project. I also wanted to ask as for materials what do i look for in types of paints on metal for long durability and color fastness. Also what gauge metals should i use?

The two choices on metal will be 26 or 29 gauge. Obviously, there is a little difference in thickness between them but as long as the girts are spaced at 2 feet, I'm not sure you need the thicker siding. For roofing, the main advantage is less hail damage on the 26 gauge. More important than the thickness is the coating. It shouldn't be just "paint", it should be a coating system. Galvalume is one of the better products.

The thickness will affect resistance to denting, etc, but if the coating is damaged, the time to rust through will not be affected much by the thickness. Installation is absolutely critical. I've replaced the roof and will be replacing all the siding on a pole barn that I think is about 25 years old. The previous owners fastened swimming pool solar heater tubing to the roof and it completely rusted through. It was originally built without any kind of ratguard or bottom trim and dirt was allowed to pile up against the siding. It's rusted through all along the bottom. There is now a composite (non-metal) ratguard available and I'm looking at that.

 

[wedge40]

I love spending someone elses money. So here's my :2cents:.

I've been told that the rule of 8 should be used for pole barn dimensions. That means that you should do things in 8' increments. So I'd go with 56'x64'
I do know that you can get 40PSF attic trusses for 40' span, but not sure about 56' span. I'm talking about having open span with no supports below.
Something that big I'd look into breaking it up a little and at a minimum having a bathroom and utility sink put in.
I'd spend the extra money and put in the hardware for radient heat.
Figure out how you're going in insulate and what area(s) you're going to insulate.
I presonally have never been a fan of sliders as far as doors go. The bigger the better and look at drive through if you're going to be bringing stuff in a a trailer.
200 amp service minimum.

Just some thoughts.

Wedge

 

[doohicky]

I put up a 30x56x12 a couple of years ago and went with an outfit from Ohio(no tax and free shipping to Pa) diypolebarns.com nice people to work with and VERY reasonable on price, I went with the upgraded 55lb snow load. I believe that they can even customize to fit your needs.

Mike

 

[Dr Dave]

Menards sells for Midwest Manufacturing steel buildings, they have a free post frame construction manual, Exterior Doors | Reliable Building Material Products & Services this is very informative, and is a guide from start to finish
If you have a Menards, they have the guide, and also have a DYI design-it center computer, it will print off a price and truss spec sheet. You can try several diffrent sizes, options and accesories.

When sizing trusses, be sure to design for load of insulation and liner panel, for ceiling. Venting is a must in any climate, continues ridge vent and vented overhanges, will keep you cooler and help prevent condenstion problems.

Wainscot panels at the bottom, then if a panel is damaged or rusted, replacement is easy. Composet grade boards have a ledge to set panels on, seals bottom of panels and will not corrode steel panels, like treaded lumber can.

Insulation will pay you back every month you heat or cool. Heated floors are great to work on, put foam under concrete and around perimeter of floor.
Place windows and doors for max venalation, sliding windows at the top of the wall provide great light, ventalation and security. The new clear veiw poly panels at top 2' of walls, in unheated spaces realy add a lot of daylight.

Dave