From reader Paul in Bismarck: “How do you deal with the requirement for a 4 foot frost wall on buildings that will have plumbing installed in them. Typically, the concrete footing on a stick built structures qualifies as the frost wall. How is this accomplished with a pole building that will be used as a […]

A loyal reader writes: “Hi. Good morning! As I read your post about a wood floor in a work shop, it reminded me of my research into a garage with a wood floor. I have often wondered, can this be done? So I ask you, can this be done? I am not a rich man, […]

Tackling Headroom Headaches, Post Hole Problems, and Insulation Options DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am curious about the room I needed for my overhead door. I had my building designed for a 12’x12′ overhead door in the middle of the end wall. My wall height is 14′ but with a truss depth of 18″ the […]

One of our clients is preparing his site in order to dig the holes for his new post frame building kit. He happens to live in an area of Washington State, east of the crest of the Cascade Mountains, which would be best classified as being high desert. He has encountered the bane of excavators […]

4 Unexpected Reasons to Invest In Energy Efficient Post Frame Design Post frame buildings are increasingly being looked at from the standpoint of being energy efficient in their design. Regardless of the usage of the building, the costs of energy are not likely to decrease in future years. With the ability to easily create deep […]

When building a pole barn, economy of scale can be your ally. Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer Doug passed along to me this message from a client of his: “The last quote was for a 45′ x 42′ building with 2 garage doors and one person door. The new quote was for a 18′ x 42′ […]

A reader writes: “Dear Guru.I have an all wood gambrel style pole barn that I’m converting to a shop.  I’ve installed forced air heat and am getting ready to insulate.  My exterior walls are Tyvek wrapped osb and vinyl sided.  I am wanting to use rigid board to help deter rodent nesting.   My questions […]

  Replacing siding, roof steel, and Sliding door install. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Greetings! We are planning on replacing a large portion of the siding on the south side of our home with Corten steel (7/8″ corrugated) as part of an exterior remodel. Up here at 8,500 ft elevation we get very strong sun.  Should […]

Dream Duck Hunting Lodge Post Frame Construction lends itself to a myriad of possibilities – only limited by your available space, your budget and your imagination. Now I will confess to not being a hunter. Some of us are hunters. I happen to be none of them, which is a rarity here in South Dakota. […]

In Bend, Oregon, Hacker Architects, out of Portland, Oregon, designed a library with wooden beams similar to pole barns in the area. Hacker is an architecture firm which has designed over 30 libraries in the U.S. In my humble opinion, rather than trying to give the “feel” of a pole barn, libraries would be best […]

Reader KEN in FORT COLLINS writes: “HI MIKE! We just bought an acreage with an existing 36 x 48 post frame farm storage building. In talking to the prior owner, we have learned that the builder did not use cookies, footing pads or a cement bottom collar. So nothing to prevent settling (He did nail […]

What to do About a Leaking Cupola Hansen Pole Buildings has always used prefabricated cupolas manufactured by MWI – I even have one on top of my own house, so they must be good stuff! Only once have I ever gotten feedback from a client to tell me their cupola was leaking. In their particular […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Your from Spokane area? Can one construct a custom pole building as home Spokane county? Would you have any references of builders in my area to consider? TERRY in MEAD DEAR TERRY: Yes, I was born and raised in Spokane – still have a plethora of family members there (as well […]

Treated Lumber – Justine Schools a Major Lumberyard Chain When it comes to pressure preservative treated lumber, ignorance from the supply side seems to be bliss and there are way too many folks out there happily selling under treated product. For your entertainment pleasure I bring you a discourse between Hansen Pole Buildings Lumber Wizard […]

Reader Sally wants to know: “What can I use on my pole barn to remove chalky residue, so it looks like new?” Well Sally, ask and ye shall receive! Maintenance & Cleaning Methods for Metal Roofing & Siding Sunlight and extremes of the weather and atmosphere will cause colored painted surfaces to fade, chalk and […]

Need a 13’ Tall Door With a 12’ Mean Height Restriction Planning Departments can be the bane of a property owner’s existence. They are the folks who are delegated enforcement of what some might feel are unrealistic expectations as to building heights and footprints. Many times there are solutions, and chances are if a solution […]

Don’t Sink the Pole Barn Floor Reader Clay has contributed the beginnings of this article, with a concern his pole barn floor might sink. Thank you Clay. “I am about to construct a 24’x32′ building to be used as a woodworking shop. I am strongly considering a pole barn.  Now I do not want a […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: If I put double bubble under metal on roof for condensation control, then insulate bottom chord of trusses with white vinyl faced insulation , will this create a problem if I ventilate attic space ? Thanks. SCOTT in DUNLAP DEAR SCOTT: You actually have several things going on here. First, single […]

Free Bonus – Opportunity to Win Three Post-Rack Brackets Long time readers will recall my article on post-rack brackets: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2016/12/post-racks/. Well, Hansen Pole Buildings has teamed up with our good friends at Scott Systems to give our valued clients an opportunity for a freebie! You heard it right – this is a chance to win […]

Non-commercial Plot Plans Considering adding onto an existing non-commercial building, or constructing a new one? If you live in an area governed by Planning and Building requirements, then you are most likely going to need to have a plot plan – and soon! When Will You Need It? Before you ever think about the structural […]

My now 23 year old daughter Allison sent me this meme once. I found it quite appropriate for self use when I mentioned a product in yesterday’s article which I had never written about. From Homework Design, the makers of Plasti-Sleeve® Post Protectors is another innovation towards post frame building longevity – the Plasti-Skirt. Plasti-Skirt […]

When it comes to post frame building construction, I know a little bit about a lot of things. I get asked a lot of questions about how to solve post frame building challenges and do a pretty fair job of answering them. When I do not know an answer I feel confident in, I have […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am installing re-bar hairpins prepping for a pour in a Hansen pole barn. My question is about the inside poles. I have on rebar per outside pole. Do i put two rebar hairpins on the inside poles?   Thanks ALCUIN in LAVEEN DEAR ALCUIN: The purpose of the rebar hairpins […]

This is a sad story I hear all too often from pole (post frame) building owners who have buildings which were not properly designed for future uses, especially when it comes to insulation and ventilation. Reader JASON in TENINO writes: Hi Pole Barn Guru, I recently purchased a new house and it came with a […]