Steel vs. Wood Pole Barn

[Duffster]

I am repairing a tornado damaged post frame that was built in ~'74. There is little to no rot on the post. Just like any building proper grade and drainage is important.

 

[flusher]

Planning to put up a pole barn building (30' x 56'). Even w/ pressure treated posts, will this be a 'permanent' building, or will the posts eventually rot? Obviously, the posts are under cover, but with greatly varying temperatures, humidity, etc. and the fact that they are imbedded in a concrete piling, I am concerned that eventually they will rot. Some pole barn building kits offer additional protection for the posts such as a layer of asphalt, plastic boots over the posts, etc.

The other alternative would be to go w/ an all steel building (I beams for the columns instead of pressure treated posts). I am in the process of getting a quote but assume that this will be a much more expensive option.

So, are my concerns w/ pressure treated posts legitimate or not?

It's unnecessary to embed the posts in concrete. I use Simpson post bases with 1/2" bolts/nuts to hold 4x6 PT posts in place for a 20x28 ft pole type equipment shed I built a few years ago. The posts do not come in contact with the concrete footings (18" x 18" x 24" deep).

 

[Highbeam]

Planning to put up a pole barn building (30' x 56'). Even w/ pressure treated posts, will this be a 'permanent' building, or will the posts eventually rot? Obviously, the posts are under cover, but with greatly varying temperatures, humidity, etc. and the fact that they are imbedded in a concrete piling, I am concerned that eventually they will rot. Some pole barn building kits offer additional protection for the posts such as a layer of asphalt, plastic boots over the posts, etc.

The other alternative would be to go w/ an all steel building (I beams for the columns instead of pressure treated posts). I am in the process of getting a quote but assume that this will be a much more expensive option.

So, are my concerns w/ pressure treated posts legitimate or not?

I am building a 30x60 pole barn now. It was engineered and all three engineering firms that I got quotes from require full concrete backfill four feet deep around the 6x8 treated posts. Will they rot? Maybe, but it will be decades and these buildings are cheap and somewhat disposable. If you don't think they are cheap then build it with a normal footing/stemwall/stickframe method and avoid the whole situation.

Steel buildings are desirable for several reasons but cost was more than double than the same wooden pole barn. Also, you don't just embed the steel columns, you construct a very special reinforced slab with steel anchors and bolt the steel structure to it. Consider the cost of this fancy slab in addition to the very expensive structure.