Variances in Surface of Pole Building Concrete Slabs Reader RON in MARYSVILLE writes:  “What is an acceptable variance in the finished level of the concrete floor in a new 24×36 pole building? It is 1/4 inch out of level, 1 1/8 inch slope, 3/4 inch hump all acceptable numbers? My floor has all of these […]

Reader BILLY in WESTVILLE writes: “How do I get the f and I trim to meet from the end wall to the side wall together?” I am going to have to put my mind reading cap on for this one, as I have little idea what you are asking. By playing Sherlock Holmes, I will […]

Our gracious thank you to Lisa Richards for this guest blog post. Vapor Barriers for Slabs on Grade Pouring a slab on grade is a common way to lay a sturdy floor or foundation where a basement or crawlspace is unnecessary. However, concrete slabs are vulnerable to moisture from the ground. That’s why, in most […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hi, I’m planning on building a ( 32’ x 60’ x 12’ ) Pole Barn with 4/12 scissor truss.  I want to price out rough cut lumber on walls and ceiling.  How do I calculate the Amount of board feet lumber I need to cover the walls and ceiling. Thanks BRIAN […]

Purpose of a vapor barriers Vapor barriers are designed with one purpose: to halt the movement of water vapor and prevent it from getting into the wrong parts of your building assembly. Usually, this means protecting insulation or building materials from moisture damage. Any material with a U.S. perm rating of less than 0.1 perm […]

Many iconic traditional wooden barns feature sliding doors with wooden cross bucks. Originally, the cross buck design had a utilitarian purpose, fortifying gates, fences, and large barn doors by providing structural support. However, the X-design on doors appeared in the mid-1800s as part of what was called “Stick Style.” This Gothic-inspired variation of Victorian architecture […]

Come on now, be honest, we all have our fears and phobias. One of the most interesting ones I have found over the years with clients is “postsetaphobia”, or fear of setting posts. This particular phobia is defined as, “the fear of being able to properly set posts for a pole building”. Fear is False […]

BIB’s Insulation, In-Ground Posts, and Rodents DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I’m still in processing with the county to get permits for our new Hansen home building but in the meantime I’m trying to figure out insulation for our raised floor. County requirements (I’m assuming IBC code) requires R30 floor insulation. The building floor design wound […]

How to Properly Insulate Between Roof Purlins Efficient climate control is becoming the buzz term for post frame construction. A challenge occurs when clients look to insulate between their roof purlins. Reader JOHN in COVINGTON writes: “I am building an all wood pole building. The purlins are 2x8s. I want to insulate the walls and […]

Leaking Steel Roofing Properly installed, there is truthfully no reason for a through screwed steel roof to leak. The key being “properly installed”. Here is a report from a less than totally satisfied with his builder’s installation client: “Sorry to report I have numerous leaks in the steel roof of my Hansen pole building.  In […]

My Poles are Placed Farther Apart Than the Trusses Span Reader ALURA in NORTH CAROLINA writes: “We recently purchased a 60 x40 pole barn kit from Florida and we are in North Carolina.  We talked to them on the phone several times about the size the inner dimensions. They reassured us that yes the 40×60 was […]

Hansen Pole Buildings Made the List of 2017’s Top 500 Inclusive American Businesses   OMNIKAL, the nation’s largest, inclusive business organization, built to empower all entrepreneurs, has recently acknowledged Hansen Pole Buildings, LLC as one of America’s “Top Businesses” for 2017.  This exclusive ranking is a reflection of Hansen Pole Buildings’ overall vision, leadership and […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello, I am from Webster SD and I built a pole barn and insulated it.  I then put turf above gravel floor and use it for a indoor baseball practice facility.  It can be heated as we have heaters in there.  We have a huge problem and was wondering if you […]

Trying to Buy Properly Pressure Preservative Treated Lumber Reader ZACH in BLACK CREEK has been challenged trying to buy properly pressure preservative treated lumber. He writes: “Hello, I would like to get your opinion on 2×6 grade board. I read the article you wrote about lumber pressure treatment. I have been looking around for .20pcf […]

Today’s Lesson: Wind Speed and Air Density There are sometimes I get reminded I really do not know very much. This question from a client reinforced this reminder: “I have an engineering question. The wind speed is 159mph but what do you use for density? At almost 8000ft. altitude the air density is very low […]

What Thickness OSB to Use Under Shingles Reader JOSH in POST FALLS writes: “My pole building is going to have asphalt shingles. I know how much you dislike shingles vs a metal roof, but the garage needs to match the house. My question is what thickness of OSB should I use? I saw 7/16″ in […]

How Should I Backfill My Pole Building Holes This is a subject which is repeatedly brought up. Usually it is ones who are constructing a post frame building which was not designed by a registered design professional (RDP – architect or engineer). The wrong answer could easily lead to a catastrophic failure of the building! […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: My poly ridge cap needs to be replaced because it was leaking due to cracks. I want to replace it with a metal ridge cap. The purlins spacing specified for a poly ridge seems to be a little too far apart for supporting a metal ridge cap. Is this going to […]

Properly Treated Poles, Ceiling Loads, and Uplift Plates DEAR POLE BARN GURU: My pole barn is approximately 25 years old. My question is, does the foundation need to be treated for maintenance to prevent rotting? The wood that is underground was originally treated wood but how long does that last? The floor inside is concrete […]

International Residential Code and Tension Ties Reader DENNIS in TRAVERSE CITY writes: “ICC R602.10 is written to work with continuous foundations and vertical studs, not posts in holes and horizontal girts. How does a person translate bracing into post-frame language? An answer addressing tension ties would be helpful.” From the 2015 International Residential Code (IRC): […]

Raising Sections of Pole Barn Roofs Reader LONNIE in COLORADO SPRINGS has some ideas about how to raise sections of his new post frame (pole barn) building roof. For your reading pleasure, I will share: “My question is concerning the assembly of my Hansen kit. I’ve read your article about using winch boxes to raise […]

Building a Pole Barn Style Home Reader DAVID from NINE MILE FALLS writes: “I am building a pole barn style home. I am having a difficult time in finding what the requirements would be for post setting and post distance spacing in regards to a pole barn used for living spaces. I plan on using […]

I personally have a great deal of fun working with the majority of our clients, most of whom are truly wonderful. The most rewarding part is when those who have done the work themselves share with us what I refer to as “post frame satisfaction”. This satisfaction is in part due to the new building […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I bought a home that has a newer pole barn (40×56, laminated 6″x6″ posts 8′ o.c…. 12′ walls) and the entire barn is wrapped with bubble wrap between the metal and perlins / girts. Would it be acceptable to frame 2×4 walls, and place bat insulation in the stud spaces? I […]