Pole Barn Advice

[KaiB]

Four posts in a row; can ya'll tell I'm stuck in the 'puter. Dogs have run out and I have to wait 'till they return to start my day!

So, we will soon be building a 96x56' barn/shop/office/guest quarters. In my younger days, I built a boatload of barns in VA, but times (and my location) have changed and I need to turn to ya'll for advice on a few things before I shop the suppliers.

Poles; the local lumber supply tells me you can't get .60cca posts anymore. This doesn't sound right. I thought it was still approved for "ag" use. (perhaps you Okies know of a source in the city).

Roof and siding (utility metal); I really can't use the internet for pricing and advice as most sites want me to call sales staff. What say ya'll. What would you recommend? What general price range (per square) are we looking at?

Nails; back then we used hardened screw shanks (8d all the way to 60d)...what do we use now.

Exterior "wainscotting"; back then we ran 4 to 6 courses of 2x6 treated tounge and groove from grade up. The siding would come down and overlap the top board. My local supplier has never even seen the stuff. Any ideas?

thanks mucho...of course, as it happens, pics will come.

 

[firefighter9208]

Find someone who builds chicken houses. That's where I just bought cca posts 4x4 and 6x6. Home Depot, Lowes, and building supplies sell to the general public and can't stock cca posts.

29 ga. galvinized tin 3' wide is going for $1.35 a running foot at my supplier right now.

Chris

 

[Darren]

CCA is still available. I just went to a conference that had a speaker that was still buying the stuff for bridges. He mentioned one plant that treated specially cut 50' (that's not a typo) long yellow pine stock to 1.0. He wasn't familiar with the 2.5 marine treatment. But it's still available too. You can find sources on the internet. I'd find the closest treatment plant then see if they have a record of trucking companies in your area.

A lot of the smaller trucking companies haul lumber. If you have a local hauler with flatbeds they may already know of a source.

 

[KaiB]

Thanks; Spoke with another local supply today, it does seem that they have to outsource the good stuff. I see no sense in investing this kind of money (and time) if I can't plant CCA. Poles are really a minor investment in the scheme of things, but 100% of the foundation.

I saw a siding source for decent siding (in a raft of colors) at around $70/sq. Is this ballpark...I don't want to go with plain Ag tin, and the good ply T1-11 is up there.

 

[Darren]

There should be treatment plants that serve builders along the Texas and Louisiana coast. The following, as an example of what's available, is located in NJ. FLW Wood Products - Products Try searching the internet using CCA + products. If the treatment plant won't sell direct, they can direct you to a lumber yard that has an account.

 

[KaiB]

Yep Darren,

My lumber supply found a source down in the city; $60.75 ea. for .60CCA 6x6x18...only prob is they want me to commit to a lift, which is 96 poles. I think I can trailer down and pick up what I need.

They even had the 2x6 treated T&G I want, bit pricey though at $15.18.

I've got everything else spec'ed out and sourced ceptin' for nails; it seems these days everybody schedules galv or stainless...it seems like overkill to me as the stuff we built 30 years ago is still standing tall.

 

[EddieWalker]

KaiB,

Modern treatments of Preasure Treated wood will rust out untreated nails, screws and other metals. I belive the 6x6 posts still use the old style treatment with the arsnic in it, but everythins smaller is the newer, environmentally safer version that came out about three years ago.

Eddie

 

[KaiB]

Yep Eddie,

I got smart and called some old friends back "home".

The newer agents will indeed corrode fasteners; the good old CCA is still safe with the hardened nails. That's good.

The Bad. Its been six years since I had concrete poured. bit more expensive now!!! I hate to think about the basement and foundation when we build the house.