Pole Barn size?

[savageayape]

I would like some input to help me decide what size pole barn to build. I'm seriously considering purchasing through DIY Pole Barns. Currently I'm torn between the following: 40x72x14, 40x72x16, 40x64x14 and 40x64x16. I have several implements, a JD3520 with front end loader, a 20x8 enclosed trailer and a 22' deck over trailer all of which I'd like to store in the barn. I would also like to purchase a larger tractor and more implements in the future. Part of the barn will be used as a shop area for my various projects. What else should I consider to determine the height and length of the barn. Is 14' tall enough? What reasons may there be to want one taller? I don't want to waste money building something taller or longer than I need, but perhaps I'm not considering something.

 

[CompactTractorFan]

With any of the sizes listed, it is going to be a bigggg barn...Good luck! :thumbsup:

 

[whitedogone]

14' is tall enough IF you don't need to put a combine or simular in it. I'd go as big as you can afford and go 14' to save some $. Plan on door layout so you don't have to jocky trailers all the time. You will fill up a 40x72 in no time. DAMHIKT

 

[savageayape]

I won't be putting a combine nor anything else that tall in it as far as I can imagine. As far as door layout, I was thinking having double sliding 16' doors on each 40' end of the barn. and a couple entry doors. Would you suggest anything different? Is 16' not necessary? Should I go with 14' double sliding doors or would you place them on the 72' sides of the barn?

In order to save some money right now, I thought I'd forgo insulating the sides and not install a ceiling until sometime later, but I do plan to insulate the entire building eventually and I do plan to put on roof decking, tar paper and a vapor barrier on the roof so that part is taken care of already.

I also intend to have a full ridge vent and 12" vented overhang all around.

 

[KennyG]

Given your info, I don't know why you would even go 14 feet. Mine is 12 feet and I can't imagine why I would need more unless I was really farming. I have a 12 x 12 overhead door and my 2320, 16 foot trailer, etc all look tiny in comparison.

If you intend to insulate and heat it, that additional 2 or 4 feet in height will just be a waste.

 

[milkman636]

Height is something that is hard to add later. Do you think you ever might back the deckover in with a tall load on it? or buy a fifth wheel trailer with a roof mounted air conditioner? or want to add some overhead storage over a shop area in part of the barn? etc.....

 

[Soundguy]

i did a metal building last year.. went 32 x 53 and had them go as high as they could without using a crane. figure it's a 20' to cross beam at least.

get 2x as much as you think you need.. really...

soundguy

 

[USNative]

I agree with others who say 14' is good however if you ever want to stack hay in it using a stacker or store any huge machinery then 16' or even more would be a lot better. The overall size of the barn sounds adequate for your stated intentions. Good Luck to you. :thumbsup:

 

[babypp2]

Height is something that is hard to add later.

 

[LD1]

I also would go as big as you can afford, but I take issue with the proposed height.

I know height is something hard to ad later, but jumping from a 12' wall to a 14' wall ads a LOT of cost and potential wasted space.

For starters, you will no longer be able to use a standard 16' posts. And 18' posts jump up big time in price. Not to mention the extra 2 or 4 foot of metal ALL THE WAY AROUND. Just an extra 2' is a total of about 400 extra feet of siding plust trim. So close to an extra grand JUST IN siding:confused2:

A couple of options though, first you could use laminated posts (like morton buildings) to save on the cost of the posts.

Another option if you do need the height, go with 12' walls, scissor trusses, and doors on the gable ends. Should give you pleanty of height if you need it.

And do you ever plan on heating the building??? Taller buildings have a LOT more volume and are harder to heat.

So I guess what I am getting at is: If you dont actually "need" 14 or 16' walls, take that money and use it for more square feet:thumbsup:

 

[Kays Supply]

One more suggestion. I researched as you are. I decided to take the laminated posts and separate them. That way I went with 2x6 walls on 24" centers. It only took a couple more studs per 10'. I had to have a footing and foundation but I now have a building. It has taken a couple of real storms that twisted and dropped several barns very close by. It will be much easier to finish the walls and insulate at a later date. Just food for thought.

 

[JerryK]

I have a insulated 40by80, but only 10' high. I walled off the center 16'by40' for a woodheated work area, with 10by10 doorways in that section that are closed by big tarps. I have sectional doors at each end, and find it usefull to be able to open it all up and drive thru sometimes....especially with a big trailer. There is a lot of thermal mass in large barns. You heat up the cement in the winter and it stays above freezing during the night. Likewise, in the summer, stays fairly cool inside. Whatever size you end up with, you will someday wish it was bigger. [ Heah....same as tractors... ] Some of the 'real tall' big barns around here have block or poured walls up three or four feet or so. But I have never been inside them to see how the structure was built. I am not a fan of sliding doors. I like keeping the critters out. Sectional doors for me... I measured, and the bottom of my trusses are 10'10" for clearance for the 10' sectional doors. I have trusses @ 4' centers and a steel roof.....lots of snow up here...

 

[LD1]

One more suggestion. I researched as you are. I decided to take the laminated posts and separate them. That way I went with 2x6 walls on 24" centers. It only took a couple more studs per 10'. I had to have a footing and foundation but I now have a building. It has taken a couple of real storms that twisted and dropped several barns very close by. It will be much easier to finish the walls and insulate at a later date. Just food for thought.

SO what you have isnt even a pole barn. It is just conventional stick framing with a concrete footer and studed walls.

And with all due respect, I personally think finishing a pole barn is easier. Because you still have nailers every 2', they are just run vertical instead of horizontal. AND they are also easier to wire, because you dont have to drill holes and pull wire through all the studs.

And truss choice also becomes a factor. IF you are using 8' OC trusses (which a lot of pole barn trusses are) you want your posts every 8' so the truss is supported DIRECTLY by the post. I dont think I'd want to set 8' or 10' OC trusses on a wall built conventionally. Just my :2cents:

 

[spencer1199]

We are 48x60x16 and use every inch. I would definitely go 16' as another poster mentioned a fifth wheel or motor home or boat needs the extra height to avoid the pucker factor. Our door opening is 15' 8" to the peak and 18' wide. We mounted our sliding doors on the inside which eliminates fighting the snow in the winter here in Northern Michigan. We also have laminated poles with treated on the bottom part and non treated above. After looking at how a Morton Building was put together we copied their method of building the poles. We found the laminated poles don't twist or warp like a solid pole.

 

[bradm64]

I won't be putting a combine nor anything else that tall in it as far as I can imagine. As far as door layout, I was thinking having double sliding 16' doors on each 40' end of the barn. and a couple entry doors. Would you suggest anything different? Is 16' not necessary? Should I go with 14' double sliding doors or would you place them on the 72' sides of the barn?

In order to save some money right now, I thought I'd forgo insulating the sides and not install a ceiling until sometime later, but I do plan to insulate the entire building eventually and I do plan to put on roof decking, tar paper and a vapor barrier on the roof so that part is taken care of already.

I also intend to have a full ridge vent and 12" vented overhang all around.

Savageayape,

I agree with 14 foot tall at a minimum. Everybody thought I was crazy going that tall on my 40 x 60, till my father-in-law wanted to put his motor home with roof mounted air inside.....

2nd thing - like you, to save money when I built mine, I only put in sliding doors. I wish I had put one normal or slightly larger than normal garage door in mine, off set from the sliders. It really stinks to have to move a (heavy) 16 wide 14 tall slider to get the lawn mower or a four wheeler out. Plus, you can add an opener if you ever get to the point of storing a routinely driven vehicle in the barn. We keep our convertible in our building, and a lot of times I might drive it if I did not have to open the door, pull the car out, get out and close the door, then repeat process when you get back home.....


If you don't want to spend the money to put the door in now, just lay out your sliders and storage arrangement to plan for the garage door, and have the builder rough in the support poles at the correct spot to allow framing, cutting out the metal, and installing a roll up garage door later. I really wish I had done that.

Been there, done that, trying to work arount it now......

 

[Bigfoot62]

I have a 32'x50' quonset shop building, a 30'x60'x10' hay barn, a 32'x60'x10' truck/camper shed and I'm currently building a 32'x80'x14' that will serve for hay storage as well as tractor and implement parking.

Having two buildings that are 10' tall, I won't ever build another that short. For example, my fifth wheel camper will only fit in the center of my truck shed. (free-span steel truss with more clearance in the middle than at the side walls) In the 10' tall hay barn (wood truss with ceiling joists: same clearance across the width of the building), I can only stack two rolls of hay, but I have the capability of stacking 3 high with my tractors.

Generally, I would say that's it's hard to build a barn too big or too tall.

 

[BMod]

Savageayape,

I agree with 14 foot tall at a minimum. Everybody thought I was crazy going that tall on my 40 x 60, till my father-in-law wanted to put his motor home with roof mounted air inside.....

2nd thing - like you, to save money when I built mine, I only put in sliding doors. I wish I had put one normal or slightly larger than normal garage door in mine, off set from the sliders. It really stinks to have to move a (heavy) 16 wide 14 tall slider to get the lawn mower or a four wheeler out. Plus, you can add an opener if you ever get to the point of storing a routinely driven vehicle in the barn. We keep our convertible in our building, and a lot of times I might drive it if I did not have to open the door, pull the car out, get out and close the door, then repeat process when you get back home.....


If you don't want to spend the money to put the door in now, just lay out your sliders and storage arrangement to plan for the garage door, and have the builder rough in the support poles at the correct spot to allow framing, cutting out the metal, and installing a roll up garage door later. I really wish I had done that.

Been there, done that, trying to work arount it now......

GO BIG!!! I built mine 60x99, and the next year I had to add on 36 more feet to get more stuff in, lol. Put REAL garage doors in. I put inside sliders, and hated them, in the winter they bound up, and it sucks to have to open them, I have now put in real garage doors and openers on all doors. I just hit a few buttons and I have air flow through the shed. I went 12' tall as that is all I need for height, and it makes the building not "look" so big, lol.......

 

[LD1]

GO BIG!!! I built mine 60x99, and the next year I had to add on 36 more feet to get more stuff in, lol. Put REAL garage doors in. I put inside sliders, and hated them, in the winter they bound up, and it sucks to have to open them, I have now put in real garage doors and openers on all doors. I just hit a few buttons and I have air flow through the shed. I went 12' tall as that is all I need for height, and it makes the building not "look" so big, lol.......

I have to ask...why 99'. Did you just want to cut a foot of of them last boards or what???

 

[BMod]

I have to ask...why 99'. Did you just want to cut a foot of of them last boards or what???

Nope Cleary Builders builds buildings on 9' centers.......

 

[LD1]

Nope Cleary Builders builds buildings on 9' centers.......

Cant see how that is benefical to them OR the customers????

The ONLY thing I see them saving money on is concrete and siding. (since siding is 3' and works out in multipuls of 9).

But ALL the 2x4's for wall girts and purlins, all the base boards, all the headers, etc has to be bought in 10' lengths and then a foot hacked off.

I would think a 100' building with posts on 10' centers would have been cheaper??? 2 less posts (one each wall), 1 less section of wall girts (nailers), FAR less labor measuring and cutting 1' off of everything, one less...you get where this is going.

Personally I always try to build in 8 or 12 foot increments. And preferably 12. Because lumber is standard in that size. it is divisible by 4 because plywood and drywall are 4' wide. and it is also divisible by 3 for the siding. Building on 12' intervals seems to net the cheapes square footage. EX: 24x36, 36x48, 48x96, etc.