Pole barn thoughts and ideas please

[ovrszd]

even this one requires a ceiling height of 13' for vans /SUV's
Atlas(R) OH-1X Overhead 1, lbs. Capacity 2 Post Car Lift (EXTRA WIDE/EXTRA TALL) | GSES

Again, if you have a specific need, go for it.

What are you lifting?

 

[countrybumpkin]

. I don't raise mine even close to max height when changing oil, etc.

No, I don't either, even most of the time working under a vehicle you can be to high to work on some things comfortably. I know the lifts I have looked at all lift the same hight , only thing the extra tall ones do is give more head room above the vehicle and cross brace on top. If it wasn't for needing the ceiling hight for other vehicles and stuff, I would go as low as I could for ease of heating and cooling the shop.

 

[dieselcrawler]

Hmmmm,, between me and the boys we have 3 lifts. None require more than 12'. For two post lifts the top cross brace is 12'. For four post lifts much less is required to set the lift. Ceiling height requirement is determined by how tall the vehicles are you choose to lift. I'm actually using a four post lift in a 10' eave height shop with vaulted ceiling. My lift will raise high enough to put a vehicle into the ceiling. But by that time it's much too high to work on.

Us short guys have that problem. Co-worker is only 3" taller than me, we can't work together under the same truck on our lift! 'D@MN it Tom, I can't reach!'


The hight vs heating issue comes to my mind... but... I would go for 16'-18' ceilings, high enough in areas you need hight, and tall enough to allow loft area for storage, etc. Doubles the useable space under roof. My uncles was like that, I lived there for 8 years after he passed. 30x80, 16' ceiling.... miss it.

 

[truckdiagnostics]

this is what we did.

Side walls are 10' door openings are 9' building width is 28 foot. Where the lift is, are rafters the rest are trusses. Roof pitch is 4/12. We can get suburban all the way up so I can just about walk under it and i am 6'. We insulated the snot out of the building so we could afford to heat it. has in floor heat. It is really nice to work in!
we have pole building with 16' sides and 14' doors that we do not heat.

 

[ovrszd]

this is what we did.
View attachment 500691
Side walls are 10' door openings are 9' building width is 28 foot. Where the lift is, are rafters the rest are trusses. Roof pitch is 4/12. We can get suburban all the way up so I can just about walk under it and i am 6'. We insulated the snot out of the building so we could afford to heat it. has in floor heat. It is really nice to work in!
we have pole building with 16' sides and 14' doors that we do not heat.

Very nice. My steel building ceiling is vaulted but not that steep. My building is tight and well insulated. It's a very comfortable environment to work in T-shirt on the worst Winter day. It's my oasis.

Wish I had your second building!!!! I think a second building saves a lot of shop floor space. Store all the things that you only use once in awhile and all excess vehicles/tractors/etc. :thumbsup: