Pole Barn Renovation

[Aaron9876]

Hello Everyone,

Ive got an older pole barn that was on my property when i bought it. It has a giant list of problems which i have been slowly fixing. First major concern was part of the roof had been torn off, that has been fixed. Next major problem is the grading around the barn, that is being fixed. Once ive managed to keep a dry floor im going to pour a concrete pad for half of it and leave the other half dirt. Heres where i need some advice. As far as i can tell the post are just simply stuck into the ground, some have rotted off and need to be repaired. I would like to cut all of the post off at the top of the slab and use a cast in place bracket to attach the columns. I will then use cable x bracing to give the shed its rigidity back. Problem i keep running into in my head is how the heck can i cut off all of those post, pull out the remnants below, and then pour a thickened slab underneath without having the whole shed fall down. Any advice on a method to do this would be appreciated.

 

[BHD]

I would do one at a time or at lest not two in a row, may even build a support on the post being worked on, so it does not sag while being worked on, pour a square footer under the post, and up to the floor level or a few inches down so the floor would cover the footers,

 

[mikefromnh]

Sometimes it easier to start over.

 

[Djames55]

I would just leave the old post... Pour the floor with the cast in place brackets right next to the old post... Put the new post in right up against the old post... Bolt the new post to the old post... Then I may cut the rotten post out and add a new section of post in that area just for looks... But it real hard to say not being there to see for my self... Like mikefromnh said... It maybe better to start over...

 

[Aaron9876]

The shed as a whole is in relatively good shape, framing looks good, tin is good just needs some paint. Most of the post in the area i want to pour concrete are in good shape still but i would like to fix this well known problem before it happens. It is in good enough condition that economically starting over doesn't make sense. Also bolting the posts down to a slab and adding bracing will make the shed considerably stronger against wind loading, standard pole bars are very susceptible to failure once the post have started to go.

 

[jimmysisson]

How about do one at a time, cut the post up where it's good. Than form and pour a concrete pier under each. Slower but safer. You can bolt in the proprietary post base on top of the pier. Embed the J bolt in the pier before it sets up. Then you'll have no wood (not treated, right?) in ground contact.
It won't exactly be a pole barn, but will be durable. I think you'd have trouble long time if you tried to raise the whole thing a bit and pour under all posts at once. That's cool for 8x12, but not much bigger.
I'm with you though, I'd try to save the old thing.
Jim

 

[BHD]

another thought, I was guessing you were going to buy the steel post supports,

but one could dig down around the old post, bolt on two channel irons to each side, and then weld some rebar on to them or other steel, to grip in to the concrete once you get the steel on the post it should be self supporting and if one just fills the bottom of the of the hole, one can pour your floor up to the post,

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https://www.permacolumn.com/perma-column-post-repair

click on the dots in the picture to see the process of this product, and even If you use your own design a good process to follow

https://www.permacolumn.com/

another company's product
Simpson Strong-Tie CBSQ44-SDS2 4x4 Standoff Base

 

[MNBobcat]

Jack up the whole building. Run 2 x 10's horizontally from the base of one pole to the next. You would have a 2x10 on each side of the post sandwiching each post between the two. Then put jacks under the 2x10's and lift some of the pressure off. Cut your posts and continue jacking. Put some cribbing wherever needed. Then come back and pour your slab.

 

[EddieWalker]

I think getting the post out of the ground is going to be your biggest challenge is going to be getting the post out of the ground. I've found that they always rot right at the surface of the ground and you have good wood in the dirt, so you might have to dig down along the side of the post a little ways to find something solid to get a hold of. Since you want to transfer the weight that the post was supporting to where the post used to be in the ground, you will have to pour concrete into the ground to create a footings. Seems simple enough to build a form to go around that footing up to the height of the floor when it's done. Just do them one at a time, and then when you are done with all your posts, you can pour the entire floor using those footings as your height for leveling off the floor.

Eddie

 

[MNBobcat]

I think getting the post out of the ground is going to be your biggest challenge is going to be getting the post out of the ground. I've found that they always rot right at the surface of the ground and you have good wood in the dirt, so you might have to dig down along the side of the post a little ways to find something solid to get a hold of. Since you want to transfer the weight that the post was supporting to where the post used to be in the ground, you will have to pour concrete into the ground to create a footings. Seems simple enough to build a form to go around that footing up to the height of the floor when it's done. Just do them one at a time, and then when you are done with all your posts, you can pour the entire floor using those footings as your height for leveling off the floor.

Eddie

I'd dig out the old post, set a sonotube in place and back fill around the tube. Then pour my concrete into the sonotube. Put an anchor on top while the cement is wet. Set the building back down and attach the posts to the anchors. Then come back and pour the slab.