Pole barn finishing question

[Macinnis]

I finally pulled the trigger on a 60x60 pole barn that should be completed in may.

About 20x45 will be an apartment so the wife and I can spend the weekends until a house can be built (this is our retirement property).

My posts will be 7.5 on center.

Would you stick frame the outside walls or put up bookshelf Girts between the posts?

The only negative I see with stick framing is a possible frost heave...and the extra cost of redundant lumber.

My concern with the bookshelf is how flimsy would that board be horizontally once drywall was put up? Would a 2x4 work or would I need 2x6?

Thanks

 

[ovrszd]

Looking forward to your build!!!

Assuming you are pouring a concrete slab? If so, my builder said he could build cheaper using 2x6 stud construction than poles.

Using poles. You will need to add studs. This creates redundancy.

I'm not sure what you mean by frost heave?

I guess I'm kinda lost as to what you are doing?

You have hired a builder to construct a 60x60 pole barn with 7.5' spaced poles that will have Purlins added and metal screwed to the outside of the wall?

Now you are trying to decide how to finish the inside?

2x6 studs will be easiest to work with. You are going to get some odd spacing at the poles because of their dimension.

If your building has the Purlins spaced close enough you could have 2x6 bookshelf Girts added at each one during construction. This would create a T and be extremely strong. But then you would have to add studs where the sheetrock splices would be?

With all these considerations it's easy to see why my builder said it's cheaper to stick build off a slab.

 

[Macinnis]

Sorry, I wasn't clear.

I am going to have a pole barn erected first. Approximately 12 months later, I will have the 4" (deeper around all edges) concrete floor poured over the entire 60x60.

Once that is done, I am going to finish out the 45x20 apartment by myself.

So my poles that are holding up the pole barn are 7.5' on center. I am trying to determine if I need to completely stick build in between those poles or can I just add the 2x6 bookshelf girts? The frost heave I was referring to was if the frost pushes the concrete slab up out of the ground because I am not going to pour a regular foundation.

I will be doing all of the interior work myself as I enjoy it.

I agree with you about doing a slab first, much easier to stick build on that.

I doubt I will have any frost heave if the edges are dug deeper and its insulated 8' all the way around. I guess I will just frame out the inside walls like normal. Too much thinking I guess.

Thanks,

 

[ovrszd]

I suggest 5" or 6" concrete where you are going to have the apartment. Don't want problems with that floor.

I'd do studs between the poles. For the cost difference, I'd do 2x6.

What do you mean by insulated 8' all the way around?

What's the plan for plumbing in the apartment area?

These projects always become more complicated than first imagined. Best to act than react.

Looking forward to your progress!!!

We are one year in to our new shop and house, separate buildings. Both on slabs.

 

[Macinnis]

Yes, I have followed your builds closely. Instead of insulating the complete slab with 2” insulation, I was just going to do 8’ around the entire perimeter (on the inside of the structure).

All of the plumbing will be in the concrete. I have attached what I could of the plans on this device.

 

[ovrszd]

Very nice plans!!! This will give you a great place to live while building a house. A good friend of mine did this several years ago. Now uses the apartment for a guest house.

I understand the insulation now. Remember to insulate your water lines umder the concrete as well.

Looking forward to pics in May!!!

 

[EddieWalker]

...So my poles that are holding up the pole barn are 7.5' on center. I am trying to determine if I need to completely stick build in between those poles or can I just add the 2x6 bookshelf girts? The frost heave I was referring to was if the frost pushes the concrete slab up out of the ground because I am not going to pour a regular foundation...

For piece of mind and a small amount of money, I would dig a footing between each post for your walls, even thought it's very unlikely that it will be an issue. A foot will give you a lot of strength, especially if you add a couple lengths of half inch rebar from post to post.

I would frame between the posts just like a house is stick built with a PT sill plate on the bottom and stand my 2x6 studs up virtically.

What are you going to use for exterior siding of the barn? If it's metal over wood purlins, I would be sure to use house wrap as a minimum under the metal so provide an air barrier for your insulation. Even better would be to install OSB first, then house wrap, and then install your metal. But since you are planning on making this area a living area in the future, I would skip the purlins, pour the concrete footings now, and install your stick framing, then OSB, then wrap it and then install the metal siding. Doing it now will make life easier in the future and save you some money in the long term. You can always pour concrete for the living area after your footings are done and your walls are in place.

 

[Macinnis]

Great advice. It’s amazing how long you can think and plan and about the right way to do things and find more, better ways to do it here. Thanks again!!!

 

[cycle_gator]

How high are the eaves? What size are the posts? One thing I have learned about pole barns, unless the sidewalls are diagonally braced equally on both sides, the structure will tend to rack. The amount of flex at the top of the posts is pretty astounding. So the structure needs to be braced equally to stop the flex. So using either bookshelf or vertical studs, a well nailed layer of sheathing, all the way around or diagonal bracing all the way around is important to stop deflection. Otherwise you will be fighting to keep interior finishes from cracking or parting ways with the exterior structure. I doubt any of it will actually fail, like fall down, but cracks will be an issue without a means to arrest defection in the whole structure, especially a 60x60 structure.