Pole Barn or Metal building?

[ovrszd]

Yep. Especially if gravel floor.

 

[BMan2005]

This is all very good info! My original plans was to just build a pole barn from my own plans I would draw up and do it in stages over a few years. I just might still do that after some of your comments.

 

[ovrszd]

My first shop was pole design and I used it for 2 years before adding concrete. Your elevations need to be carefully planned!!!!! Draw it up as if concrete is used.

 

[Oldoak]

My first shop was pole design and I used it for 2 years before adding concrete. Your elevations need to be carefully planned!!!!! Draw it up as if concrete is used.

Yep, and depending upon the engineering design, the header can reduce the overhead clearance (height of the drive in door openings) by 12" +/-.

 

[goeduck]

My first shop was pole design and I used it for 2 years before adding concrete. Your elevations need to be carefully planned!!!!! Draw it up as if concrete is used.

Agree, build it level in case you want to add a floor. Also, I cannot see sticking wood poles in the dirt in our wet climate and soils where I live. I’d prefer a pole barn vs metal with that exception. I would put in concrete footings for the structural posts anchored with strong ties or something. Other climates, I am sure they are fine.

 

[Creamer]

OUCH!! My concrete was $12,000. and assembly crew was $7500. on my 40' X 60' in 2015.

I found a lot of differences between concrete contractors. My concrete was $17,800 but that included the rock underneath it, 42" deep footer, 42" square concrete pillars for steel posts, 6" floor, insulation, and vapor barrier - and a 2' high stub wall on one side. The key was finding a contractor who would dig the footer and not want to form it - just use the foam insulation on the outside and the dirt wall on the inside as the form - that saved about $4k I am guessing by the quotes I received.

 

[ovrszd]

Agree, build it level in case you want to add a floor. Also, I cannot see sticking wood poles in the dirt in our wet climate and soils where I live. I’d prefer a pole barn vs metal with that exception. I would put in concrete footings for the structural posts anchored with strong ties or something. Other climates, I am sure they are fine.

If going that route I would eliminate poles and stud build
Only reason to use poles is to save on footings.

 

[Creamer]

Agree, build it level in case you want to add a floor. Also, I cannot see sticking wood poles in the dirt in our wet climate and soils where I live. I’d prefer a pole barn vs metal with that exception. I would put in concrete footings for the structural posts anchored with strong ties or something. Other climates, I am sure they are fine.

If you go pole barn I would use the new guaranteed structural systems that many pole building contractors are selling. They are poles that are built by using 2x6s. The parts in and just above the ground are fully treated unlike posts which sometimes are not treated in the center. The 2x6s are glued and screwed together and are barely sticking out of the ground. Then you build the pole to the height you need by gluing and screwing more 2x6s on the bases. I believe they have 50 year warranties on post rot and they are very easy to erect as they are not the big long cumbersome posts to handle. For a DIY pole barn that is the way I would go.

 

[aczlan]

If you go pole barn I would use the new guaranteed structural systems that many pole building contractors are selling. They are poles that are built by using 2x6s. The parts in and just above the ground are fully treated unlike posts which sometimes are not treated in the center. The 2x6s are glued and screwed together and are barely sticking out of the ground. Then you build the pole to the height you need by gluing and screwing more 2x6s on the bases. I believe they have 50 year warranties on post rot and they are very easy to erect as they are not the big long cumbersome posts to handle. For a DIY pole barn that is the way I would go.

Our pole barn has a commercially made version of that, the first 3-4 feet is pressure treated and then it is spliced into non-pressure treated wood. The whole thing is glued together and they say that they are straighter and hold up better than a 6x6 post.

Aaron Z

 

[ovrszd]

I think there could be variations based on location, soil type, climate, etc


With that said, my pole built shop used 6x6 treated posts. When it was 25 years old it burned down. I cleared the location and rebuilt. I pulled all of the post stumps. I cut several of them into short lengths to use for blocks. They were still greenish colored. Looked new.

Rot and decay doesn't happen underground. It happens at the surface where air and moisture are introduced.

More important than material choice is controlling moisture against your post.