I’ve espoused previously on the joys of hydronic radiant floor heating (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/08/radiant-floor-heating/) and would encourage anyone who is going to install a concrete slab on grade in their new (or existing) post frame (pole) building to consider at least making a provision for it in the future. As we all realize, once a concrete floor […]

My early days of post frame (pole) buildings came in the Pacific Northwest. In the early years, rarely did buildings have any overhangs…at least not beyond a few inches of roof steel extending past the siding. When building did have overhangs, they were always “open”. Open, in this sense, did not mean birds and other […]

We get a few requests for quotes from clients every day – actually more like a few hundred. With this volume of inquiries, it goes to figure we see and hear a broad variety of ideas. One of the more popular ones is clients who want a 16 foot tall eave height and a loft […]

One Foot And it isn’t the left or the right one! Actually the one foot I have in mind is the difference in width between a standard 36 inch width entry door and a 48 inch wide one. Oh what a difference the extra foot makes! And most of the difference is not in cost. […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello, I have a steel shop (30×50) that I need to have the existing roll up door (10×12) removed and a rolling steel barn door to replace it so that I can get 13.8ft of clearance to get my 5th wheel in to it. It appears you sell these doors (picture […]

History of the Development of a National Standard of Practice for Wood Design From time-to-time you might see the term NDS® (National Design Specification® for Wood Construction appear in my blogs, and it is referenced on every set of Hansen Pole Buildings plans, as well as within the International Building Codes. Me, being the curious […]

Don’t Cut Trusses! In regards to cutting trusses, an excerpt from the NDS® (National Design Specification for Lumber®) is quoted in the Hansen Pole Buildings’ Construction Manual: “Cutting and altering of trusses is not permitted. If any truss should become broken, damaged, or altered, written concurrence and approval by a licensed design professional is required.” […]

I Want to Add a Steel Ceiling This must be my week for receipt of good questions which require lengthy answers in order to do justice to the subject. Here is another one: DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have a 42 x 60 with insulation in walls and roof, 26 gauge metal, wood trusses, 10 […]

Double Bi-parting Sliding Doors for an Airplane Hangar Every once in a while I get asked a Dear Pole Barn Guru question which just demands its own space in order to do the subject topic true justice. This happens to be one of them. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I want to build a 50x40x16 for […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What is the minimum height of a RV garage and which size overhead door is needed to store a 5th wheel travel trailer or class A motor-home? JOHN IN COUPEVILLE DEAR JOHN: If you want to insure you do the job right and have the clear space you will need for […]

Let’s dig a Big Hole … and plant a post-frame building in it! Part I of two parts. This article (written by yours truly) appeared in this month’s Rural Builder magazine. If you prefer to read it online, here is the link: https://www.constructionmagnet.com/rural-builder/lets-dig-a-big-hole-and-plant-a-post-frame-building-in-it: I’ve now surprisingly (especially to me) spent my entire adult life in […]

South Dakota Department of Transportation Fabric Covered Hoop Barn I’ve been in South Dakota all but a few days in 2016, I figure another 50-60 years or so and I might even be considered to be a “local”. Last Saturday I was a participant in a 5k “fun run” in conjunction with Sisseton’s Horse and […]

Part III of three in how to build a Sliding Door(Part I posted July 13 and Part II July 14): Door Pull From experience, for opening ease, it is best mounted vertically onto door “end” – on a Vertical Side Rail face. If one-piece sliding doors, skip next section. Bi-Parting Doors With a few exceptions […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: It says in my plans that my post concrete encasement depth is minimum 18 inches. Does that mean 18 inches from the bottom of the hole or 18 inches from the bottom of the post? Thank you. COREY IN SPIRIT LAKE DEAR COREY: The post hole concrete is calculated as the […]

This is part II of our three part series on how to build a sliding door. Trolley Mounting Instructions   Insert trolley mounting bolts into previously drilled door grid top lateral. See Figure 27-5. Assemble star washer, flange nut and locknut, and adjust on pendant bolts until there is approximately one inch between trolley bolt head […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: How does one construct a sliding barn door?  SHIRLEY IN FAIR GROVE DEAR SHIRLEY: The best answer to your question is Chapter 27 of the Hansen Pole Buildings Construction Manual. Here it is in three parts, Part I:  Most Common Mistakes: Expecting the door frame to be shipped pre-assembled. Installing siding […]

Hansen Pole Buildings Designer Rachel asked me about this today: “I have more and more builders say they put Tyvek® on the walls and roof and then spray foam.  This is so they can replace the siding/roofing in the future.  Do you find any downfalls with this?  I thought this was a pretty good idea.” […]

Once again – confession time. I’ve never personally used spray foam insulation. My oldest stepson, Jake, teaches high school chemistry and physics. He is one smart dude, as he has a master’s degree. When he added onto what was formerly his grandparent’s home, in the Browns Valley, MN area, he utilized closed cell spray foam […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What is the average square foot price to build a typical pole barn with no concrete in WA State. How much is charged per opening (Door)? DON IN LONGVIEW DEAR DON: Back when I was building pole barns, we first had a very complex formula for determining labor. As square footage […]

While I am on an Overhead Door Rant I have been blessed to be the father of a herd of children – my youngest two, Allison (age 22) and Brent (age 21) will both be seniors in college this Fall. Yes, I am hearing the cheers from loyal readers who have reached this milestone. They […]

Several years ago, when Hansen Pole Buildings was a fledgling company, I worked with a client in Goldendale, Washington assisting him in designing what (in his eyes) would be his ideal dream building. My mission has always been to deliver the “Ultimate Post Frame Building Experience™”, which is greatly helped by clients who are open […]

What Real Life Technical Support Sounds Like Many of us have had situations where we needed to contact a company we have purchased a product from for some technical assistance. I know when I have done so, every once in a while I am thankfully surprised to have the person I am dealing with actually […]

In the 1990’s my company was the most prolific post frame building construction company in the Inland Pacific Northwest. At times we had as many as 35 crews erecting buildings in six states. We were fairly selective in the building crews we hired and felt we had developed a reputation for very good quality at […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Can vertical board and bat siding be installed on a pole barn without first installing osb? Would diagonal bracing be required beings the 12′ wide board (Siding) would not give much lateral stability (shear)? SCOTT IN ROY DEAR SCOTT: As much as I would like to tell you it must be […]

Undertaking a commercial building development is a big step for many businesses and it’s an investment which shouldn’t be taken lightly by any means. Unfortunately, too many commercial developments are rushed into for one reason or another—time constraints force the project ahead and before you know it, you’re left with a project coming in overtime […]