Lightning and Steel Covered Pole Buildings

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/25/2018
Lightning and Steel Covered Pole Buildings

Lightening and Steel Covered Pole Barns From a www.kmbz.com story of March 8, 2018 by Jim Cunningham: “Each year more than 100 people are killed by lightning in the U.S., according to the National Weather Service. Another 300 people are injured in the electrical strikes.  Severe Weather Awareness Week is March 4-10.  In most cases […]

Read more

How to Clearspan the Juncture of L or T Shaped Pole Buildings

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/24/2018
How to Clearspan the Juncture of L or T Shaped Pole Buildings

How to Clearspan the Juncture of L or T shaped Post Frame Buildings There are some instances where either an L or a T shaped building is the design solution of choice. In some cases it is due to the shape of the property being built upon. Other times it is a result of ideal […]

Read more
Overhead Door Replacement, Building Instructions, and Strong Columns

Replacing and overhead garage door, instructions for a pole barn, and the use of “Strong Columns” in today’s Pole Barn Guru! DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Looking to perhaps replace my 10 wide by 8 tall overhead pole barn door with a 10′-10′. Along with chain pull down. What options do you have or suggest. It’s […]

Read more

Is the Double Truss System Stable for the Midwest?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/20/2018
Is the Double Truss System Stable for the Midwest?

Is a Double Truss System Stable for the Midwest? Reader SHARON in NORTH DAKOTA writes: “Dear Pole Barn Guru, I have attached some pictures of a 62×96 pole barn with 12ft sidewalls. I am rather ignorant about truss systems, but this one looks atypical to others I have seen. What type of truss system is […]

Read more

2018 Architecture Awards

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/19/2018
2018 Architecture Awards

2018 ARCHITECTURE AWARDS For the second consecutive year Hansen Pole Buildings, LLC has been nominated for BUILD News’ Architecture Awards. Pretty heady stuff, however it seems after 16 years of promoting building excellence and delivering “The Ultimate Post Frame Building Experience™”, our hard work and due diligence is paying off. From BUILD News: Shaping the […]

Read more

Post Frame and Permafrost

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/18/2018
Post Frame and Permafrost

Permafrost is soil, rock or sediment which is frozen for more than two consecutive years. In areas not overlain by ice, it exists beneath a layer of soil, rock or sediment, which freezes and thaws annually and is called the “active layer”. In practice, this means permafrost occurs at an average air temperature of 28°F or […]

Read more

No Leak Overhead Door Dog Ears

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/17/2018
No Leak Overhead Door Dog Ears

No Leak Overhead Door Dog Ears The key to cutting trims for no leak overhead door dog ears for post frame buildings comes from careful cutting and installation of pieces to water flows in front of, rather than getting behind, each piece as it works down the building. It also helps to utilize a trim […]

Read more

Earth Work, Pole Barn Conversion, and Insulation Issue?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/16/2018
Earth Work, Pole Barn Conversion, and Insulation Issue?

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am about to build a pole building on a piece of land that is absolutely flat (pasture). I have read on this site that the poles should be installed before any earth work has been done. However, the state of Idaho says that I must have a drainage slope away […]

Read more

Bad Energy Efficient Pole Barn Advice

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/13/2018
Bad Energy Efficient Pole Barn Advice

Bad Energy Efficient Pole Barn Advice from GreenBuildingAdvisor.com Long time readers of this blog have seen ample posts about energy efficient post frame (pole barn) buildings. As most are aware, there is as much bad information (maybe more) than good available on the internet. Whilst I’d like to believe Martin Holladay at www.greenbuildingadvisor.com is fairly […]

Read more

Agritourism and Pole Barns

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/12/2018
Agritourism and Pole Barns

Agricultural land has increasingly become overrun with a proliferation of event centers, wedding venues and bed-and-breakfast inns. This is due to a rise in the “farm-to-fork” movement which has seen a growing popularity of agritourism as more landowners open up their ranches to those who wish to experience the bucolic countryside views. I’ve written in […]

Read more

Halloween Store Not a Pole Barn?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/11/2018
Halloween Store Not a Pole Barn?

Narrowmindedness drives me literally crazy. Post frame (pole barn) buildings can look like absolutely any other building. The only differences being the structural system – post frame and saving a fair amount of hard earned money. From the Marion, Indiana Chronicle Tribune February 21, 2018: “The Marion City Council will review a rezoning request for […]

Read more

Attic Insulation Types

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/10/2018
Attic Insulation Types

Attic insulation has been a recent popular topic of discussion – so rather than reinventing the wheel, I’m sharing a relevant article written by Structure Tech Home Inspector Reuben Saltzman. Originally published by the following source: Minneapolis Star Tribune — February 6, 2018 The following article by Reuben Saltzman was produced and published by the source above, who […]

Read more

Radiant Barrier, Wind and Hail, and Sliding Door Parts?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/09/2018
Radiant Barrier, Wind and Hail, and Sliding Door Parts?

Mike answers questions about a adding radiant barrier, wind and hail, and parts for sliding doors: DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have an existing pole barn and want to add a radiant barrier to the inside walls before I insulate and cover the walls. Is this wise and can I use a foil that comes […]

Read more

The Perma-Column Price Advantage?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/06/2018
The Perma-Column Price Advantage?

My good friend John owns (among other things) Heartland Permacolumn. I’ve borrowed this from his website (https://www.heartlandpermacolumn.com/products/the-perma-column-price-advantage/): “Perma-Column products give you the ultimate price advantage. You simply cannot put up a building on a concrete foundation for less money. Yet some may say, “They’re too expensive…” HOWEVER, the only people who ever say this install buildings using […]

Read more

Vetting Out a Building Contractor

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/05/2018
Vetting Out a Building Contractor

Do not let this happen to you… not vetting contractors Long time readers of this column have heard me preach this sermon repeatedly – do not let yourself be scammed by nefarious pole builders. From the Danville (New York) Evening Tribune (dated February 21, 2018): “A Dansville man was sentenced in Allegany County Court and […]

Read more

18 Foot Span Roof Purlins?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/04/2018
18 Foot Span Roof Purlins?

The Possibility of 18 Foot Span Roof Purlins? Reader CHRIS writes: “I have a building I want to build but I am not able to add the height I need on the side walls.  My plans are 24 deep by 30 wide with 8 foot walls.  Roof trusses would be 24 ft.  My problem comes […]

Read more

Fire Resistance, Condensation, and Wind Speed

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/02/2018
Fire Resistance, Condensation, and Wind Speed

Fire Resistance, Condensation, and Wind Speed DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you know if WMP-10 metal building insulation facing is ok to have exposed in a commercial building in regards to its fire resistance rating? JON DEAR JON: WMP-10 facings are flame resistant, however you should consult with your local building code enforcing agency to […]

Read more

Use and Occupancy Part IV : Egress

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/30/2018
Use and Occupancy Part IV : Egress

This is Part IV in a four part series on Use and Occupancy. If you have just joined us now, it would behoove you to go back to Tuesday’s blog and get caught up by reading the first three parts before rejoining us for Egress. “1006.2.1 Egress based on occupant load and common path of […]

Read more

Use and Occupancy Part III: Monitor Style

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/29/2018
Use and Occupancy Part III: Monitor Style

Go back two days to get up to speed for an example of determining the Use and Occupancy of a monitor barn example. Part III “SECTION 506 BUILDING AREA 506.1 General. The floor area of a building shall be determined based upon the type of construction, occupancy, whether there is an automatic sprinkler system installed […]

Read more

Use and Occupancy Challenge Part II

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/28/2018
Use and Occupancy Challenge Part II

See yesterday’s blog for Part I. To continue the discussion on Use and Occupancy: Momentarily skipping a few chapters and going to Chapter 6 (because it would be too simple if the IBC was in order) the code book outlines different types of construction. Post frame buildings can fall under the following construction types: The […]

Read more

The Use and Occupancy Use Challenge

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/27/2018
The Use and Occupancy Use Challenge

The Use and Occupancy Classification Challenge Part I Every building, regardless of how it is constructed has a Use and Occupancy Classification (sometimes more than one). In order to best enjoy this, you can play along at home by opening this free access link to the International Building Code (ICC): https://codes.iccsafe.org/public/document/IBC2015 Who Should Read This? […]

Read more

Reduce Heat, Garage Kits, and Updates to Aging Building

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/26/2018
Reduce Heat, Garage Kits, and Updates to Aging Building

Reduce Heat, Garage Kits, and Updates to Aging Building DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I’m looking to build a 40×48 monitor style barn with a 16×48 loft in the center. I don’t plan to heat or cool the loft but would like to reduce the heat in the summer. My first plan is to use a […]

Read more

Minimum Headroom for Overhead Doors

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/23/2018
Minimum Headroom for Overhead Doors

Mike address “headroom” needs for overhead garage doors. Reader JEFF in ROSEBURG writes: “If my roll up door opening is less than 2′ from wall height, 18″ is what I have, is there a roll up door that would work? Or is 2′ below wall height the absolute minimum?” Mike the Pole Barn Guru writes: […]

Read more

Insulating a Semi-Trailer Truck

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/22/2018
Insulating a Semi-Trailer Truck

Insulating a Semi Trailer The beauty of being available to answer questions on the ‘net is one hears just about everything – even challenges which do not involve buildings! Here is a recent one asked by reader BOB in NORTH CAROLINA: “PolebarnGuru, Purchased a 53foot x 8.5ft dry van all metal trailer (like tractor trailer) […]

Read more

Public Works Pole Barns, and Labor Costs

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/21/2018
Public Works Pole Barns, and Labor Costs

Public Works Pole Barns, and Labor Costs Many town/city jurisdictions in the United States have a Department of Public Works, which depending upon the individual municipality it may be responsible for a wide variety of activities including maintenance of streets and roads, maintenance and operation of drainage facilities, sewer collection lines, maintenance and operation of […]

Read more