DEAR POLE BARN GURU: My contractor started by installing the roofing screws in the high ridges which I stopped since it was not per the instructions. After doing the installation there were many, many, many misses or partial misses that have cracked the wood members or at angles through them. Bottom line there are many […]

No This is NOT a Building Under Construction Here is the story from the building owner….. “When we pulled up here, about a quarter to 12 last night, is when I noticed I could see some insulation and then I got out and took a walk around and that’s when I saw that we had […]

Readers: This is another one of those “Dear Pole Barn Guru” questions where the answer is so lengthy it deserves an article all of its own! DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Why 10d nails? Do you know how difficult it is to get 10d nails? Every hardware store in my area has big boxes of 8d, 16d, and […]

In yesterday’s article, I gave credit to a post frame industry pioneer, Mr. Henry Getz, of Morton Buildings, for being innovative in the introduction of scissor trusses to post frame construction. Now I will tell you, gentle reader, of a scissor truss consideration which you have probably never considered – horizontal deflection. When sealed truss […]

Scissors Trusses in Post Frame Buildings I’ve written previously about Henry Getz, of Morton Buildings (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2016/06/origins-colored-steel/), however there are reasons other than pre-painted steel roofing and siding which the post frame industry should thank Henry for. Beyond color, Henry also introduced the raised-chord (scissors) truss to the post frame industry, which allowed a taller end […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am looking to get a set of drawings that I can use to build a pole barn in MT.  I will be doing the construction myself.  I know what I want and most of the design.  I need a set of plans that I can build to. Is this something […]

I’ve previously opined about my local Fire Department and the public’s “investment” into a new and fancy building: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2014/07/fire-stations/. Our fire station is now complete and I am in hopes the money spent will make our rural area safer from fires. Some Fire Departments are not as lucky. The Poland (New York) Volunteer Fire Department […]

Event Centers A little over four years ago, I introduced you, my gentle readers, to my late Grandma Jerene and her boyfriend Bob, the “Weather Cat” (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/07/weather/). They are going to play a part in this story. Earlier this summer my lovely bride and I had just gotten home when a couple pulled up in […]

Few things drive me nuts more than self- serving advice columns. In my humble opinion, if one is offering advice as an expert in a construction field they should be open to a plethora of possible design solutions. The following article appeared October 1, 2016 at www.kpcnews.com and is copied in its entirety without edits: […]

When I began writing these articles a few short years ago, I assumed I would run out of subject matter after about 100 or so. Silly me – as I’ve now produced in excess of 1100 of them and I keep realizing I have totally skipped over some obvious subject matter. One of those which […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU:  My walls from outside to inside will be as follows, vinal siding, house wrap(Block it), OSB, 2″ of closed cell spray foam, about 5″ of open cell spray foam then OSB inside painted with Kilz Premium Sealer. That is what my insulator has recommended. What do you think of that setup. […]

Please Structurally Design My Pole Barn for Free This is one of those POLE BARN GURU questions which results with a lengthy enough answer I feel I must devote a whole column to it. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Could you please help clarify, for a 40 ft. wide x 64 ft. long x 15 ft. […]

I started snow skiing back in 1963, shortly after my sixth birthday. My dad and uncles were the framing contractors for the first condominium units at Schweitzer Basin, near Sandpoint, Idaho and somehow we ended up with a unit shared with the families of my uncles Lyle and Gil. Uncle Lyle’s wife, my Auntie Joyce […]

The world’s first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago, was formed in 1905 by Paul P. Harris, an attorney who wanted to create in a professional club with the same friendly spirit he had felt in the small towns of his youth. The Rotary name derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among […]

Any sort of construction project can feel overwhelming. From design to budget to execution, the process can cause strain and stress on even the best contractor. If regular projects weren’t difficult enough, consider horse barn construction and the process of putting together something that is supposed to house multiple 1,000 pound animals. For a construction […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have a 30x40x10 pole barn placed in a bad location, would like to move it to a better location on the same property. RICHARD in HOLLY DEAR RICHARD: There are far too many buildings placed in the wrong locations, so you are not the only one who owns one. Obviously, […]

Building your own wilderness retreat isn’t as difficult—or as expensive—as you might think. If building a cabin in the woods has always been a dream of yours, it’s time to look into prefab cabin options. By purchasing a prefabricated cabin kit, you’ll get all the building materials you need, along with detailed plans so that […]

Deciding to add a pole barn to your property can be exciting, and you may already be envisioning how you’ll use this new space. However, before you get too carried away planning your pole barn’s layout and features, you’ll need to choose a building site and prep the site for your pole barn. While pole […]

One of the many decisions you’ll need to make when choosing a customized pole barn is the door type. You can opt for either an overhead door that raises up or a sliding door that pushes from left to right (or vice versa) – so what’s the better choice? The sliding versus overhead door decision […]

Do it Best® I get a lot of people asking some great questions of the Pole Barn Guru. Some of which take some lengthy answers, in order to adequately make the point. Here is one which involves the thought of doing business through a Do it Best® store would add a level of security. For […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Is there anyone in this huge great country of ours who might draw and engineer stamp a plan for a 36 foot SITE BUILT TRUSS? ITS NOT LIKE I’m BUILDING THE FIRST EVER 110 FOOTER! It will be plywood laminated both sides, site build is always strong with big gussets and […]

As an RV owner, you may enjoy weeks or even months of traveling the country every year. But do you have a plan in place for those times when you won’t be using your motorhome? If you have a permanent home and give your RV a break for part of the year, it’s important to […]

Maybe you have a hobby that’s outgrown its current space. Or your family has been telling you they’re tired of hearing power tools running in the garage. Maybe you just need a place to work that’s free of distractions. Whatever the case, it’s time to build a custom workshop. You can create a backyard workshop […]

If you’re thinking about building a pole barn home (or ‘barndominium’), you no doubt already know that construction and labor costs for this type of residence can be significantly lower than the cost of building a traditional house. However, you may be wondering what your monthly utility bills will look like once you move in. […]

Who wouldn’t want a backyard guesthouse and the endless possibilities it offers? You could use your guesthouse to host friends from out of town or house parents or in-laws. You could earn some extra income by renting out your guesthouse on Homeaway or Airbnb, or you could use it as your very own sanctuary for […]