pole barn squareness?

johnday · Dec 15, 2003

Please don't think I'm being a smart---, but do you have the trusses up yet, and it is out of SQUARE or out of plumb? Personally I don't think your going to have much problem, I'm a licensed builder/general contractor, I've seen much worse than what you've got. :: /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

johnday · Dec 15, 2003

Now that I've seen your picture I don't think you've got a problem. Your not building a palace and someone would really have to be looking hard. DON'T take this wrong, I WOULD NOT build a house like this.
Is that a 65 Coronet I see? /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Glenn9643 · Dec 15, 2003

I don't know what's going on, but when I clicked on "attachment" to view your picture, I came up with this url:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forumfiles/
and a list of pics

As for the metal roof and being somewhat out of square, I think you'll be OK. When you start out with your first pieces of metal they MUST be aligned carefully, and if not you'll be adjusting all the way down that face. The way I've done is to tack a 1x4 at each end of the roof at the eave letting it protrude out from the end of the rafter several inches. It must be installed in a way that it doesn't interfere with the actual installation of the metal. Measure down from the peak of the roof the distance that corresponds with the length of your metal sheets and put a small nail in the top of the board about 1/2 inch beyond that. Use the same measurements for each end of the roof, and then pull and string between the two nails. Put up two sheets of roofing and carefully align them with the string at the bottom. When you think they are perfectly in line with the string, with 1/2" or less clearance, screw them down TEMPORARILY. Just a few screws to keep them in place. Then put up the third sheet. If it seems to be following the string perfectly then screw it all down tightly and continue until you're done. Doing it this way you'll have an even edge at the eave. You'll still have an uneven overhang in the gables but it shouldn't be that noticeable. Hope you can understand where I'm coming from and get some help from this. Again, I can't emphasize how important it is to get the first sheets lined up properly.

hockeyhead · Dec 15, 2003

Looks like a pole barn, brace those post better in 2 directions. A strong wind will rack this thing out square badly as you have no real strength sideways until your siding is up. I notice that you have started from the bottom up. Everybody I know, including me start with the top grits first, the 2-12's that your trusses will sit on, and work down keeping them all level brace those post better so far so good

mopower440 · Dec 15, 2003

No, they are not out of plumb, i check that a million times before and after i nail to the posts, then again everytime i work on the thing,trussess are not up yet.. that is a 1973 dodge dart, my buddy did just sell a 66 coronet though.. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

cj7 · Dec 15, 2003

yes you better brace it better. Run long braces from about where the header would go to the ground. It is much easier to start from the top down with your girts.

johnday · Dec 16, 2003

Oh well, looks like I struck out all the way around. You've gotten some good advice here. I asked about the trusses because I usually have the entire roof system up before I do any of the walls. As you put the roof on it' really tightens a pole building up, and you can make minor adjustments as your doing it. I still think you'll be fine. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

herbenus · Dec 16, 2003

Looks like good advice. I just finished my second "pole barn" project. This was only an 8' x 16' shed for my boy's 4H rabbit project. It has a peaked roof. My first was a 40' x 20' lean-to. On both projects I got my corners square within 1/2" or better. But still I have trouble keeping those roofing sheets square. I always have at least a little jagged edge. Maybe on my next one I'll screw all the sheets together and pull tight before nailing down. I'm really just kidding but have been tempted to try something like this. I've found the roofing to be frustrating, when it should be pretty simple.

Glenn9643 · Dec 16, 2003

Just keep in mind that the ridge of the roof (gable roof) is a straight line, and you need something on the lower end to align your sheets by that is parallel with the ridge line. By running a string to align the metal with, if you start out properly and your metal is crimped properly, everything will work out. If your string isn't parallel with the ridge, your metal will have a jagged edge, or "run" up or down as you progress across the face of the roof. It's not difficult, but very important to get it right to start with!

Spencer · Dec 16, 2003

mopower440, you have had quite a few different posts about this pole barn project. I think it would be great to have all of them combined into one post so everything from start to finish would be in the same place. Would you mind if one of the moderators combined all the posts into one? I'm sure a lot of others, like myself, are interested in your project and want to continue to follow your progress in the future. It would be a lot easier to keep track of everything if it was in the same place.

What do you think? If it was to all be combined into one post what would you want the subject title to be?

Spence