Want to see yet another pole building?

[SteelDust]

Perhaps I should not be asking this. Did you attach anything to the posts to limit uplift or is that not something particular to your area?

Typically, with PT posts, many (not all) the builders in my area nail or screw on some pieces of PT about 8" long to the posts. Once the posts are well tamped in or in your case, backfilled with the ash, the blocks resist frost heave which is a possiblity where I live.

Nice project.

Frost heave isn't really a concern here. Winter time temps are not often below freezing, with only 4 or 5 days a year dipping below 20. I had to replace a "frost free" hydrant in the middle of the worst cold snap since I've lived here. The ground was only frozen to a depth of 2-3".

There is enough friction provided at the backfill/post interface to prevent uplift....at least that's what the engineers in this area and the county building department will tell you.

 

[SteelDust]

Slow progress over the past week or so, it's dark by 4:15 pm here and lots going on with the holidays.

The center rafters went up today in the middle of a snowstorm. I started nailing on the blocks for the overhang, so I know where to set my first row of roof purlins, they have to be dead on as I plan to sheet the roof in OSB, prior to putting the metal down. I didn't get very far before the snow collecting on the rafters made it difficult to look up or see my pencil marks. You can see one roof purlin nailed up on the far side.

So, with no idea how much snow was going to fall and it being a wet heavy snow, I figured it prudent to sink the rest of the nails in the joist hangers supporting the loft floor. 16 nails per hanger...ugh.

First picture is looking SW, about halfway between the house and the barn.

Second picture is looking S, taken during a break in the snow, we're up to 4" at this point tonight and the loft hasn't come down yet....haha. Notice the scrap lumber hand warmer fire to the left of the pic...it was a lifesaver today.

 

[RussMan]

I have been searching for plans for similar barn - I believe mine will be about 36 X 30 or so. But I want a loft like yours, and be able to throw down hay for the horses. Are you going to have a way to throw down hay into the stalls? Also, where did you find these plans? (Thanks in advance for any info you provide)

(I'm basically wanting a 12 X 24 run in area for the horses, and tack/feed room, and a place to park the tractor)

 

[firefighter9208]

Notice the scrap lumber hand warmer fire to the left of the pic...it was a lifesaver today.

It's funny how the colder it gets the larger a piece of wood can be to qualify as "scrap".

Chris

 

[SteelDust]

I have been searching for plans for similar barn - I believe mine will be about 36 X 30 or so. But I want a loft like yours, and be able to throw down hay for the horses. Are you going to have a way to throw down hay into the stalls? Also, where did you find these plans? (Thanks in advance for any info you provide)

(I'm basically wanting a 12 X 24 run in area for the horses, and tack/feed room, and a place to park the tractor)

The plans were originally purchased by a friend and were for a gable style barn which had a 7/12 pitch and some very expensive LSL beams for rafters. Knowing I was putting most of this up myself, and not having access to a boom truck or crane I modified the plans to a monitor style. I also adapted them to the lower snow loads in this area. (2x6 vs. 2x8 roof purlins, etc). The original plans were from an outfit called stablewise. Good plans, just not exactly what I was looking for, but gave me a good starting point.

Yes, I'll be able to throw hay down from the loft. The lean to portion of the roof attaches at 14.5 feet, the loft floor is at 9 feet, so there's 5.5 feet of space for that purpose.

 

[RussMan]

Curious what is the clearance for the horses in the stalls - is it also 9'? obviously depends on the size of a man's horse, but wasn't sure if 9' would be adequate/comfortable for a horse?

 

[SteelDust]

Curious what is the clearance for the horses in the stalls - is it also 9'? obviously depends on the size of a man's horse, but wasn't sure if 9' would be adequate/comfortable for a horse?

At the lowest point of the stall the clearance will be 9'6", at the highest it will be 14'6". The biggest concern with height in a stall is the horse rearing and slamming his/her head into the ceiling. For this reason I'll mount the light above the stall on the higher portion of the cieling. Higher clearances will also enhance air circulation, which is important if your horses are going to spend extended amounts of time stalled.

 

[SteelDust]

I wish I had an update for everyone following this thread.

I happen to live in the middle of ground zero for the flooding you may have heard about in Western Washington. My property sits about 400 feet above the rivers in the area so I'm high and dry. But, have been volunteering my time helping those not as fortunate as I. Lots of farmers hit hard in this event, whole dairy herds wiped out. Nothing will evoke more emotion to people like us than asking a 5th generation dairy farmer, who lost 289 of 300 head if he needs any help and having him turn you down.

There's another member of this board that lives on a road that was hard hit, his screen name had "inline diesel" in it...I'm fairly certain he lives on the higher elevation of that road, but if anyone knows him, let him know I'm avail for help, just shoot me a PM.

 

[SteelDust]

I saw a request for an update in another thread so figured I'd get at least one picture of where I'm at up.

Things have slowed way down. Awful winter weather and lack of daylight have really slowed me down. Of course I knew that was going to happen, still frustrating.

The purlins are up on one side, this picture was taken christmas day. I've since put up the blocking between the purlins on the end rafter and hung the fascia boards on that section of the roof. I've got the center purlins up on the other lower roof section.

I hesitate to start putting roofing on until I know I have a few days to get it done. We get some pretty nasty windstorms up here, and the last thing I want is the partially installed roofing being torn off. Once the lower roof is done, I'll progress to the upper sections, working off of the completed lower roof.

I'll continue to update as things gradually progress.

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks for the update and recent picture. It's a beatuful building and I'm enjoying following along with your progress. I can sympathise with your frustration with the lenght of daylight. It drives me crazy being inside at 6pm because it's too dark outside to get anything done.

Eddie