Reader CAROLYN in INDIANAPOLIS writes: “How tall are barn homes? I didn’t know what height to put in…I like tall ceilings …also do u build the homes also?” Fully engineered post frame homes and barndominiums (barn homes) are beautiful because they only limit your heights under Building Codes to three stories and a 40 foot […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru discusses adding insulation to an existing building, building a monitor style building with a large clear span main level, and a building official misinforming a potential client. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I currently have a 30×50 Wick building on some property which I purchased last May. The building is […]

Let’s finish off the week with one more day of Ask the Pole Barn Guru. Today Mike takes on reader questions about connection with a continuous foundation, benefits of 10′ or 12′ column spacing, and replacing inside foam closures. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello. We are located in Ohio. We would like to build a […]

For a second day of Ask The Guru, Mike answers questions about “raising the door opening” on an existing pole barn, where to get plans for a pole building, and where to get a hangar door. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Is it possible to raise the door opening of a pole barn. The opening is […]

This Monday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about engineer stamped plans,  hanging sheetrock of OSB from truss bottom chords, and the best choice for spray foam insulation in a post frame building. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Are your drawings engineer stamped to meet local municipality requirements? ERIK in LAS VEGAS DEAR ERIK: Yes, […]

This Friday’s daily blog will feature three questions and answers from the Pole Barn Guru. First is a question about financing, followed by a question about a vapor barrier for an add-on lean-to, and then building a quite lengthy boat storage facility. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hi there. I’m looking to utilize a VA loan […]

While we United States residents like to think of ourselves as perhaps the center of our universe, post frame construction appears world wide. Reader JONATHAN in HALIFAX picked Alabama as his state when he filled out his online request for information when he wrote: “What insulation do you suggest between bookshelves of wall?” With so […]

Today the Pole Barn Guru answers readers questions about condensation control in a small garage with a gravel floor, the possibility of adding a “mother-daughter” unit to her house, and “ribbed vapor barrier” for a shed roof. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Recently purchased a metal garage kit, 24X26. No insulation. Two garaged doors. Gravel floor […]

Rascally Rodents Rodents, such as rats and house mice cause serious damage to structures of barndominiums, shop/houses and other buildings. These rascally rodents can cause grief with any structural system – not just post frame buildings. While rodents are notorious for their consumption and contamination of feed, rodent damage to insulation raises heating and cooling […]

Where Have You Gone, Joe DiMaggio? From the third verse chorus of Simon & Garfunkel’s 1968 “Mrs. Robison” from “The Graduate” album: “Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio A nation turns its lonely eyes to you Woo, woo, woo What’s that you say, Mrs. Robinson Joltin’ Joe has left and gone away”   “Where have […]

This Monday the Pole Barn Guru discusses the use of PermaColumns, planning of a pole barn in Florida, and the best solution for a building without roof or exterior wall weather resistant barriers. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am having a pole building put up with engineered laminated columns. The contractor is pushing a “Perma […]

Reader GEOFF in MILFORD has an often found potential challenge, he writes: “I am looking to build a 30×40 pole barn and want to also have a covered lean to for my camper that will run the length of the barn. In order to have the lean to tall enough for the camper how tall […]

Post Frame Barndominium Exterior Wall Questions Reader IAN in RIDGWAY writes: “I am looking for help understanding a couple of exterior wall questions.   My county is enforcing the 2018 IECC for energy efficiency. In my region this requires R-20 cavity + R-5 exterior wall assembly.  From everything I’ve read, this means a continuous layer of […]

This Monday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about bigger options for the Charlotte 40×50 on the Home Depot site, Raymundo asks if a building can be made 2 ft. taller, and how to brace a building to stop it from “rocking” in the wind. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Good morning. I saw on […]

Thoughts When Considering Building a Barndominium If you are reading this, you are probably somewhere between, “Living in a barndominium would be really cool” and “I wish I would have done…..” This is not meant to be a 100% comprehensive list, but may give some food for thought. The Importance of Location When it comes […]

For many, a new barndominium is looked upon as being a ‘forever’ home. This is an opportunity to have a floor plan custom crafted to meet all sorts of family wants and needs – whether it is a huge country kitchen or shop space big enough to house a fleet of classic vehicles. It is […]

Fire Separation When Living With Large Animals While barndominiums and shop houses have become quite a rage, for years we have been providing fully engineered post frame buildings combining animals (most often horses) with living spaces (usually as a full or partial second floor). Along with this come some perhaps unexpected design considerations. Reader LISA […]

Site Storage Guidance for Long-Span Trusses Originally published by: Construction Magazine Network(link is external) — February 3, 2021 The following article was produced and published by the source linked to above, who is solely responsible for its content. The Pole Barn Guru blog is publishing this story to raise awareness of information publicly available online and does not verify the […]

Today the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about adding on to an existing pole barn with use of 24″ oc trusses, covering old wooden sliding doors with steel, and advice regarding erecting an acquired Cuckler steel building. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Trying to plan on a 36’x80’x12′ addition to an existing 30’x40’x10′ pole barn. […]

For some obscure reason people planning new buildings tend to scrimp on height. In most instances, designing a new fully engineered post frame building – whether for a barndominium, shop house (shouse), garage, shop, etc., just a little bit taller is a relatively inexpensive proposition and can save many more dollars and mental anguish than […]

Slabs on grade are highly popular for barndominiums, shop houses (aka shouses), post frame homes, garages and shops. Many (mine included) use radiant in slab heat, meaning there will be PEX tubes in the floor to be avoided when attaching framed interior walls. Reader STEVEN in AKRON writes: “My wife and I are looking to […]

Reader MICHAEL in EAGLE POINT writes: “I want to span 18 feet on a shed roof with any pitch necessary should I nail two 2x 6 rafters together and place this in the center and use 9 foot 2×6 purlins. The shed will be 18 X 18. Do I need to nail two 2×6 together […]

2000 Thank you to loyal readers who have made this blog a success – today marks 2000 blog articles written and shared! It could not have been done without your continued support and encouragement. Back in December 2015, I shared a milestone of reaching 1000 articles, and thought it was a very big number (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2015/12/1000/). […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about use of a gable fan to prevent condensation, building with posts in clay soils, and addressing condensation issues in a three-stall garage. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have been reading some post on your site about gable vents. I have a 40×80 building with spray […]

Looking for a Place for a New Barndominium Reader PATTI in MINNESOTA writes: “My husband and I are knocking around the idea of doing a Barndominium.  We need a 4-5 car garage space and we can barely afford a traditional preloved home that has a 3-car garage which will require us to add another stall […]