Category Archives: Pole Barn Design
Overhead Doors Taller than Eave Height
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 06/09/2017“Since the peaked end of my new post frame building will be so much higher than the sidewalls, how about I place a very tall overhead door at the center of it?” Today’s topic was prompted by BILL from BUFFALO who writes: “Have you ever attempted to install an overhead door in an end wall […]
Read moreSecond Floor Mezzanines and Heights
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 06/08/2017Second Floor Mezzanines and Heights As humans, the great majority of us are dimensionally challenged. Stop the snickers and giggles as this has nothing to do with human anatomy. In this case the dimension challenge is as it relates to post frame buildings and mezzanines. All of this was begun with a question from DAMIAN […]
Read moreSpot the Post Frame Problem
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 06/06/2017Spot The Post Frame Problem – Reprised In our last episode, I left you all with a cliff hanger. I did clue you into it being a structural issue, which rules out our builder in the air with his safety harness hooked to an invisible sky hook. While you all ponder the photo and look […]
Read moreTo Retro-fit Sliding Doors, Insulation, or Windows!
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 06/05/2017DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have an existing pole barn with a rough opening and I want to retro-fit a sliding door over it to block wind and rain. If I can supply you with the rough opening dimensions, can you quote the parts kit to assemble a metal frame and hangers that I can clad […]
Read moreConverting a Pole Barn to a Residence
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/31/2017One trend I have seen over the past ten years is folks purposefully designing post frame buildings to homes – they are recognizing the advantages, among them savings in foundation costs, speed of construction, flexibility of design and ability to insulate. Along with this, more and more post frame buildings are being re-purposed from pole […]
Read more3 Things to Know Before Running a Business from Your Pole Barn
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/24/2017If you’ve always dreamed of starting your own small business, setting up your business in a pole barn can be a great way to do it. Rather than worrying about paying rent on an expensive commercial property, you could find a low-cost, durable pole barn design and stay close to home to operate your business. […]
Read moreMoney-Saving Tips for Building Your Pole Barn
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/23/2017There are two types of pole building owners: those who like to build it themselves, and those who trust expert builders to masterfully construct their dream pole barn. Hansen Pole Buildings guides both types of owners in the careful selection of materials and designs that are the right balance of luxury, utility, and affordability. But […]
Read moreSturdi-Wall Brackets
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/19/2017Placement of Sturdi-Wall Plus Brackets I am enjoying our client Dan who is in the process of getting started with his new Hansen Pole Buildings’ kit package. My educated guess is he is going to construct one truly beautiful building. Dan has a great question, which I will share: “So I went ahead and purchased […]
Read morePlacement of Overhead Doors
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/18/2017Where, oh Where, to Place Overhead Doors My long term readers may have believed I have pounded overhead doors to death. Ha! I say – there is always more to talk about when it comes to overhead doors! We’ve talked about door widths, avoiding 8 and 14 foot width doors as they are not usually […]
Read moreLifesaving Bollard
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/17/2017The Day a Bollard Saved my Family’s Lives According to the sum of all knowledge (Wikipedia): A bollard is a sturdy, short, vertical post. Although it originally described a post on a ship or quay used principally for mooring boats, the word is now used to describe posts installed to control road traffic and posts […]
Read moreFloor Limits, Foam Board, and Consider True Costs!
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/15/2017DEAR POLE BARN GURU: If I wanted a pool table in 2nd floor I’d assume we might be pushing the floor limit at 40psf? NEIL in CLEVELAND DEAR NEIL: As a general rule of thumb, a slate pool table is going to add a dead load of roughly 100 pounds per foot of length. On […]
Read more- Categories: Insulation, Pole Barn Design, Pole Barn Structure, Trusses, Budget
- Tags: Foil-faced Foam Board, Floor Limits, Psf, Financing
- No comments
Boulders or Large Rocks in Post Holes
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/11/2017I’ve Hit a Boulder, What do I do? When I was building, the rock the size of a Volkswagon was generally parked in the last hole being dug on any given project. After digging all of the other holes – moving the building to avoid the rock just never felt like a viable option. I […]
Read moreMobile Home Snow Roofs
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/10/2017Most mobile (a.k.a. manufactured) homes are designed with roofs which are only engineered to support a minimal snow load – most generally the maximum design roof snow loads range in the 30 to 40 psf (pounds per square foot) range. Besides the issue of snow, many mobile homes are designed with roof slopes of less […]
Read moreCan 2×4 Roof Purlins Span 12 Feet?
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/09/2017Can 2×4 Roof Purlins Span 12 Feet? Reader DAVE in MICHIGAN writes: Hi, I saw on your webpage the Pole Barn Guru stated the trusses could be spaced 12’ apart (I called and was told it is a double truss one on each side of a post that is on 12’ centers). That is exactly […]
Read morePole Building Specs- Design Solution!
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/05/2017Sometimes prospective clients educate themselves just enough to be dangerous – most often dangerous to their own pocket books. I much more prefer a client who comes to us looking for a design solution and assistance in best fitting a building around their needs for today and the future. This is rather than one who […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Questions, Pole Barn Design, Pole Barn Planning, Budget
- Tags: Under-building, Overkill, Design Solutions, Future Needs
- No comments
The Search for Building Steel Trusses
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/03/2017In my several years of being involved in the metal plate connected wood truss industry only twice times did we ever fabricate trusses which were over 80 foot in length. As the forces which have to be carried by a truss are increased by the square of the span, say a 120 foot span truss […]
Read moreLet’s Cram Doors into an Endwall
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/28/2017There seems to be a propensity for potential new post frame building owners to attempt to put too many doors in a wall. While usually the challenge is trying to get too tall of a door to fit, in today’s article we will discuss too much width of doors. Please picture this, if you will […]
Read moreAfraid of Buying a Pole Barn Home
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/26/2017Reader Carol recently wrote me this: “I’m encountering problems with folks looking at my house and being “Afraid” of buying the house. Because it’s a pole barn house rather than a stick house. What can I tell these folks to help them understand pole barn houses are still a good purchase?” I happen to live […]
Read moreHansen Buildings Testimonial
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/25/2017Totally Unsolicited Hansen Buildings Testimonial When I was actively selling post frame buildings, I became adept at asking for written testimonials. They were actually quite easy to get. Immediately after the client has invested in his (or her) new post frame building, I asked them these four questions: Why did you invest in a new […]
Read moreBuilding Homes, Valley Rooflines, and Size Does Matter!
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/24/2017DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Just wondering if you build homes? I’m interested in building an open floor plan home with this style of architecture. NICK in SICKLERVILLE DEAR NICK: We do not happen to build anything, as we are not contractors. We do, however, design and provide the materials for post frame homes. Post frame […]
Read morePost Frame Safe Rooms
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/21/2017I’ve admired Dr. Frank Woeste, P.E. since I first picked up an article authored by him, which lead to us hanging out on his front porch in Blacksburg, Virginia in October of 1985 discussing bollards. Over the years Frank has done his best to attempt to cram post frame building structural design information into my […]
Read moreOpen Endwalls in a Hay Barn
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/20/2017There are plenty of bad structural things which can be done to post frame buildings. While roof only buildings can have their own set of challenges, these can be exponentially made worse by putting walls on the eave sides and leaving the building endwalls entirely open. Here is a good explanation of why this occurs, […]
Read moreWhat Kind of Footings? Beams? and Bi-Folds?
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/17/2017DEAR POLE BARN GURU: 34’x44′ pole barn middle is 20′ high and 14′ wide, the 2 outside parts are 10′ high by 10′ wide, frost level is 48″, snow load is 40lbs per sqft poles will be 6×6 what kind of footings will i need to have to support this building? MITCH in KAWARTHA LAKES […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Design, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure, Pole Building Doors, Footings, Rebuilding Structures
- Tags: Footings, Doors, Beams, Bi-Folds, Hangar Door
- No comments
Propel Electric Door Openers
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/15/2017I’ve written in the past about our oldest daughter, Bailey. Bailey is a professional horse trainer (Tennessee Walkers) and is well respected within her industry at the now ripe old age of 27. She is a smart lady – she wanted overhead doors with electric openers on the sliding doors of her barn aisleways.. Why? […]
Read moreIndoor Basketball Courts
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/13/2017(Rob Hammer photograph) Our youngest son, Brent, will be graduating from Gonzaga University (Spokane, Washington) in May with a degree in Kinesiology. Some of you may recognize the name Gonzaga as the team which just came within a minute or so of being the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) men’s basketball champions. Kinesiology means Brent […]
Read moreAirplane Hangar Exposure C
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/12/2017Why Your Airplane Hangar is Probably Exposure C I had the joy of growing up “hanging out” (pun intended) at airplane hangars and doing a lot of flying including having my hands on the controls of a Cessna 182 for many hours before I became a teen. One thing for certain about airplane hangars – […]
Read moreThe Lowdown on Column Uplift
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/11/2017Let’s Not Uplift I learn new things every single day, much in part to loyal readers, the Hansen Pole Buildings’ Building Designers and our clients. Column uplift seems to be a repeating point of contention for me, as it is (in my humble opinion) poorly addressed, if not totally ignored. Reader Dan has some uplift […]
Read morePost Frame House Quote? Design Recommendations, and A1 Insulation!
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/10/2017DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Is it possible to get a quote from you guys? Do you just deliver material or build too? I am looking to build a house pole barn in Belle Plain MN Do you have to have a 36″ frost wall to build on a concrete slab? JOSHUA in BELLE PLAIN […]
Read more- Categories: Insulation, Pole Barn Design, Pole Barn Planning, Ventilation, Concrete, Footings
- Tags: Ridge Vents, House Quote, Building Instructions, A1 Insulation
- No comments
Friends Don’t let Friends Stick Frame
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/07/2017Oh the misconceptions arm chair engineers have when it comes to what can be done with post frame construction. For the most part – if you can imagine it, we can design it! Here is a case in point shared by our friend Neil: DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have limited floor plan on my […]
Read morePlan to Avoid Failure, Closed Cell Foam, and Addition to Building?
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/03/2017DEAR POLE BARN GURU: We are planning to build a pole barn in the near future and, I need some advice on the footings. depth width etc. We are planning to use rough cut 6×6 pine for the posts and plan to use anchors. The soil here on the property is very sandy. I’ve set […]
Read more- Categories: Insulation, Pole Barn Design, Pole Barn Planning, Concrete, Footings, Professional Engineer
- Tags: Planning, Closed Cell Foam, Addition To Structure
- 2 comments
Cantilevered Roof Extension
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/30/2017I’ve designed a fair number of interesting cantilevers in my time, but they have always been as original construction, not as an “add on” after the fact. Here is a request for a cantilevered roof extension from FRED in BURLINGTON: DEAR POLE BARN GURU: My 30′ x 54′ x 12′ pole barn was constructed in […]
Read moreOverhead Doors and Eave Height
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/29/2017Putting a 14 Foot Tall Overhead Door in a Short Eave Height… I’ve been doing post frame buildings now for a couple of years. Okay, maybe a couple of couple of years, as in 37 (ouch, am I seriously this old?). I’ve learned a certain amount of clients (and builders) are seemingly dimensionally challenged when […]
Read moreTimbers Checking In
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/22/2017One of our clients, Matt from Chapel Hill, NC, sent us a few photos showing a concern of “timber checking” to Justine, the Hansen Pole Buildings Productions Wizard (she loves it when I come up with interesting titles for what she does). Here is what Matt had to say: “Been a while since we spoke. […]
Read more- Categories: Lumber, Pole Barn Questions, Pole Barn Design, Pole Barn Structure
- Tags: Strength Of Timber, Lumber Cracks, Lumber Checks, Timber Cracks
- No comments
Design for Spray-Foam, Sonotubes, or Proper Fasteners!
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/20/2017DEAR POLE BARN GURU: My name is Wade, I purchased the design and material from Hansen for my pole barn this past year. It is a 64×64 Pole Barn. My question is, what’s the best way to insulate with the wall girts being horizontal and at an odd measurement on center? Thanks WADE in HILLSBORO […]
Read more- Categories: Fasteners, Insulation, Pole Barn Design, Roofing Materials, Steel Roofing & Siding
- Tags: Fasteners, Bedrock, Insulation, Leaking Roof, Sonotubes
- No comments
Integral Condensation Control
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/17/2017Integral Condensation Control (I.C.C.) products are manufactured and distributed with trade names such as Condenstop (which I have written about previously: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2014/07/condenstop/) and Dripstop. Here are a few words on Dripstop, recorded live at the NFBA Expo held recently in Nashville, Tennessee: I.C.C. provides drip prevention which is integral to steel roofing and is aimed […]
Read more- Categories: Insulation, Pole Barn Design, Roofing Materials, Steel Roofing & Siding
- Tags: Dripstop, I.C.C., Steel Barrel Roll, Condenstop
- No comments
Steeper Roof Slope or Taller Walls?
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/16/2017This is a subject I have had near the top of my list for a considerable time. Along came a faithful reader – Chris – to give me a little poke to inspire me to write about it. Chris wrote: “I am planning on building a 40×56 pole barn and would like to use part […]
Read moreMaterials Mastery with the PBG!
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/13/2017DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hi: I have a design and will build myself. Do you sell components such as poles and trusses? Or is it possible to purchase one of your kits and leave off certain materials? For example, I want to use corrugated metal siding. If you don’t supply that could it be left […]
Read more- Categories: Columns, RV Storage, Pole Barn Design, Steel Roofing & Siding, Pole Building Siding, Trusses, Alternate Siding
- Tags: Siding, Roof Only, RV Cover, Kit Materials
- No comments
Panic Mode! We’ve All Been There
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/08/2017When Clients get into Panic Mode Most of us have been there with a major purchase – we were all excited about it and then somewhere before it gets delivered we start to second guess ourselves. Here is an example: Dear Mr. Xxxxxx ~ Thank you for your investment into a new Hansen Pole Building. […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Design, Pole Barn Structure, Trusses, Professional Engineer
- Tags: Engineered Plans, Snow Load, Pole Barn Column Size
- No comments
Fall Up, Go Boom
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/07/2017Fall Up, Go Boom What? Sir Isaac Newton pretty much confirmed things do not fall up. Well, this building did not actually “fall” up – it was sucked out of the ground. How would I know this? Look at the ends of the columns which are lying on the ground. There is no concrete attached […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Design, Pole Barn Structure, Columns
- Tags: Concrete, Footings, Uplift, Uplift Protection, Rebar Tie-ins
- No comments
Safety Concerns from the Heartland
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/06/2017DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Could you give me a cost of installation of spray foam insulation for an indoor horse arena that is 65 by 125 ft in size. Wanting to insulate under roof area only. We are a faith based non profit 501 c 3. JACK in SAVANNAH DEAR JACK: Thank you very much […]
Read more- Categories: Insulation, Pole Barn Design, Ventilation
- Tags: Insulation, Polyiso, Safety, Load Capcity
- No comments
OSB Under Steel Roofing On Pole Buildings
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/01/2017Almost anything can be sold as a benefit… Most post frame buildings are sold to the unsuspecting or ill-informed client based upon a set of features. These features may or may not have an actual benefit to the long term performance of the building. What is most unique is – the sales person often has […]
Read moreFind Me a Contractor to Erect My Building!
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/28/2017What Type of Barns Do You Sell?
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/22/2017And my response to the question would be, “What type of barn would you like to invest in”? Here is the full question asked by JOEL in THOMASVILLE: “What type of pole barns do you sell? (Truss on post or truss on band) Also what’s the spacing on the trusses? 2 foot, 4 foot” […]
Read moreWhy Not Use T Girts?
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/21/2017Last August one of our clients in Colorado invested in a new Hansen Pole Buildings Monitor style building. One of the features of the building was for it to be drywall ready. The typical method we use for this is what we refer to as “commercial” girts – basically they are bookshelf style girts, set […]
Read moreBlog Entries Lead to Post Depth Question!
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/20/2017DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Good morning. I have been reading the various blog entries for several days, regarding pole barn construction. I have been in contact with your design professional, but I a question that I thought might be a question that could possibly benefit others with a similar situation. I am in the process […]
Read morePros and Cons of Two-Story Pole Buildings
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/16/2017Building a two-story or multi-story pole barn is an ambitious project, and if you’re considering such an undertaking, be sure you know both the advantages of stacking space and the issues that come with it. Think about some of these common pros and cons related to the construction of two-story pole buildings, and remember: the […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Questions, Pole Barn Design, Pole Barn Planning
- Tags: Accessibility, Building Restrictions, Two-story, Single Level
- 5 comments
How Can I Add interior Walls to a Post Frame Building?
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/13/2017DEAR POLE BARN GURU: How difficult is it to add interior walls to build rooms inside the pole barn. Are more materials needed to add interior rooms and do the exterior walls need extra support? PATRICIA in McMINNVILLE DEAR PATRICIA: The beauty of post frame (pole barn) buildings is the great majority of them are […]
Read moreRemodel: Gutters and Snow Brakes
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/10/2017One of my Facebook friends, Scott, has recently been doing a house remodel on a home he purchased in Spokane, Washington. He has been good about posting progress photos, until today when he posted a non-progress photo. The casual article skimmer will notice the photo and perhaps think this “gutter on the ground” issue must […]
Read moreWhy Use Window Pan Flashing?
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/09/2017Windows are typically installed using one of two installation system options – a barrier or drained: Barriers do not provide for forgiveness to water infiltration through or around the window opening and should be limited to areas of low rainfall potential or where the area where the window is located is protected by overhangs or porches. […]
Read moreBuilding Site Preparation
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/08/2017I’m a Bit Confused… No, not me – one of our clients who is about ready to invest in his new Hansen Pole Buildings’ Post Frame Building kit. Just like me, when I have something new on the way, Phil is chomping at the bit to be doing something! Anything! DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I’m trying […]
Read morePole Barn Decks
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/07/2017A Decked Out Lesson I keep telling people after over forty years in the construction industry I am still learning new things each and every day. Today being no exception, I found out things I did not know about decks. I’ve spent most of my building career immersed in post frame buildings, which (until the […]
Read moreBook Shelving? Ceiling Insulation
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/06/2017DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you have to set laminated pole so you see the 1.5 side of the 2×6’s while looking in or out of the building? I was thinking of using 4ply 2×6 post 10′ out of the ground every 8′ while book shelving with 2×6’s in between posts. I thought it would […]
Read moreShould I Buy This Building?
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/01/2017Some Unsuspecting Person Will Buy This Building (or one like it) The post frame (pole barn) building industry is relatively unfettered by needs for buildings to have structural plan reviews (In My Humble Opinion [IMHO] BAD), building inspections (again IMHO – BAD), and plans sealed by a registered design professional (architect or engineer – again […]
Read moreDoor Facing North, Optimizing Space, and Remodel?
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/30/2017DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have a (about) 40×24 pole building that faces north. I have a regular door that faces west. The wind and any accompanying rain typically blows directly against that west facing door. The building was built in 1996 by the original owner of the house. I’ve only lived in the house […]
Read moreWood Floor Trusses
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/27/2017When I was first in the metal connector plated wood truss industry back in 1977, my employers – Dutch Andres and Tom Vincent at Spokane Truss, had just invested in a machine which would fabricate what would be called a 4×2 floor truss. These trusses revolutionized the way floors could be constructed – freeing up […]
Read moreNot All Pole Barns Are Designed to Code
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/25/2017Not All Pole Barns Are Designed to Code Mandated Wind Loads Photo by Lewis Geyer, Longmont Times-Call Debris are all which remains of a pole barn formerly belonging to Tom Bennett of Berthoud, Colorado. According to Berthoud Fire Chief, Rob Stumpf, their office received a call about 9:15 on Monday morning, January 9, 2017 to […]
Read moreFurniture Making from a Barndominium
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/24/2017A year and a half ago, Michael Gibson had what he considered to be a brilliant idea. He and his bride, Andrea, would sell their home, move to his grandparents’ house and build a barn to live in while they invested their money in land they would one day build their forever home on. And, […]
Read more- Categories: Lumber, Pole Barn Design, Building Interior
- Tags: RAW Furniture, Michael Gibson, Tupelo Daily Journal, Barn, Pole Barn
- No comments
Concrete Considerations from the PBG!
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/23/2017DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Is concrete included in price? TRACEY in SUMTER DEAR TRACEY: No, we do not include concrete in the price and here is why: Most familiar, as well as most available is the Sakrete® general purpose High Strength Concrete Mix. When mixed per the manufacturer’s instructions, this mix affords a compressive strength of […]
Read moreTaking the Air Out of Inflation
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/20/2017Welcome back, loyal readers. The first timers amongst you will want to jump back and read yesterday’s article, so today will make sense. Or as much as any day can make sense! First, as promised, the difference in buildings over 26 years of time (not just the price). Method of Pressure Preservative Treating Wood – […]
Read moreConsider Post Frame for New Home!
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/16/2017DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Good morning. My name is Thomas and I am with xxxxxx; we manufacture metal roofing and siding and based out of Tennessee. I wanted to ask you a few questions to gain some information. First, my wife and I are starting to look at metal building for our new home, is […]
Read moreSnow Sliding off a Roof
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/13/2017Snow Slides Off Roof – Kills Child I’ve recently been searching the pages of the IBC (International Building Code) for a section which I was just certain I had viewed in an earlier Code edition – preventing accumulated snow sliding off roofs, in particular at door openings. I even went so far as to post […]
Read moreBarn Doors? Houses? Materials!
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/09/2017DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Where can I find barn doors, sliding steel style? They have no internet presence, or else there is a secret name for them. Thank you! BONNY in FRANKFORT DEAR BONNY: If you are in search of a steel covered, metal framed sliding door (which is what the huge majority of sliding […]
Read moreMaximizing the Metal: Why all Metal is not Created Equal
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/06/2017This article, by my friend Sharon Thatcher, was originally published in the September 2016 issue of Rural Builder magazine and appears unedited. I’ve opined upon many of these areas in previous articles, however here Sharon ties it all together: You may be the best builder on the planet, but if you use inferior products your stellar reputation […]
Read moreCalling for the Wall Steel Stretcher
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/05/2017Calling For The Wall Steel Stretcher In our last episode, the dilemma of how to get a smooth roof plane was solved, to the apparent joy of all involved. However up cropped a new challenge, contributed to by us however pretty much on the builder and this is why. You may recall the eave height […]
Read moreWhen the Truss People Do the Dog
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/04/2017Yes, it happens. My long time readers will recall I owned two prefabricated light gauge metal plate connected wood truss plants in a not too distant past. And yes – this may come as a surprise – truss people are not perfect. In this particular case, we had set out what we needed explicitly as […]
Read moreSharing the Pole Barn Blame
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/03/2017Sharing the Blame Welcome to 2017! As you may recall, 2016 ended with me sharing an email from a builder who is constructing a new Hansen Pole Building and may possibly be a legend in his own mind. Our company policy, when a challenge arrives, has always been to begin by looking to see what, […]
Read moreClear Span Width, Interior Sliders, and Roof Quote!
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/02/2017DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What is the widest free span I can get in a pole barn? I live in zip 54474 for snow loads. Needs to have a door opening of 14′. LES in ROSHOLTDEAR LES: It would be very practical to have a clearspan of up to and including 80 feet. In some […]
Read moreModern Post Frame Buildings and Geothermal
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/28/2016Modern Post Frame Buildings and Geothermal Over the past few years, there has been a trend towards building modern climate controlled post frame buildings for homes and commercial use, but the HVAC Systems in these buildings remains outdated. Most climate controlled post frame buildings are still being built with inefficient gas or propane furnaces, coupled […]
Read moreASCE Changes in 2017
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/27/2016ASCE/SEI 7 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures The times, they keep a changing, and as they do Building Codes and Building Design becomes increasingly more complex. My long time readers have read my preaching about why all buildings should be designed by Registered Design Professionals (RDP – architects or engineers) to insure […]
Read moreAn Apartment Addition?
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/26/2016DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Can you supply me with a copy of the sparrow barn in Texas plans It is a wedding venue I would like to copy. JAMES in HAMPTON DEAR JAMES: Certainly we can, stamped by a registered professional engineer, and custom designed for your climactic loads – and for free. They come […]
Read moreDesign Wind Speed Changes
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/23/2016Design Wind Speed Changes with Building Code Editions Every three years a new version of the International Building Code (IBC) is printed, which brings with it the latest and greatest information for building design as approved by Code Officials. State and local permit issuing jurisdictions then can either adopt or amend the Code as they […]
Read moreBuying a Used Pole Building
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/20/201640’ x 60’ Used Pole Building – $14000 (Silverton) SERIOUSLY? The following ad appeared in the Salem, Oregon Craigslist December 6, 2016 in for sale > farm & garden – by owner: “I have a nice fully enclosed 14 foot tall pole building. It is fully disassembled and ready for transport. All the metal is […]
Read more- Categories: Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure, Professional Engineer, Pole Barn Design, Pole Building Comparisons, Building Department
- Tags: Building Code, Galvanized Steel, Lateral Truss Bracing, Oregon Agricultural Exemption, Truss Plywood Gussets, Flat Wind Girts
- 2 comments
The Right Size, Connection, and Foundation!
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/19/2016DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am considering using pole barn construction to add on to an existing metal building I have I also already have a 24×34 foundation were I want to put the add on. This will be a residential building. Would you recommend using drill in slab brackets to connect the post to […]
Read moreWhen Buildings Fall Down
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/16/2016When Buildings Fall Down, People Can Die It was a busy Friday morning in downtown Sioux Falls, South Dakota on December 2nd of this year. About 10:30 a.m. near the corner of East 10th Street and South Phillips Avenue, Boyd McPeek was inside the Coffea coffee shop, when the 1916 building across the street collapsed. […]
Read moreBUILD Magazine-Engineering Leadership Award
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/15/2016BUILD magazine Just announced – Hansen Pole Buildings, LLC has been selected by BUILD magazine in their Engineering Leadership awards. According to Dominic Lloyd, Feature Executive at BUILD (www.build-review.com/build-rewards/), “Hansen Pole Buildings LLC has stood out from the thousands of potential contenders due to your creative movements, dedicated team and brilliant quality of production and […]
Read moreRetrofit for Wind Uplift Protection
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/13/2016Another great question from a reader! DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello, I bought my house from you a few years ago and know that you all have a very good engineering group. I was wanting to see if they could come up with a plan to retrofit an existing pole barn for wind uplift. The […]
Read moreDesign Review is Important Component!
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/08/2016DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am building a pole barn 50 foot clear span wide, and 70 foot long, 16 foot to the eve. I am using 4×4 metal uprights on 20 foot spans, red iron purlins and stringers, and 4×4 metal welded all around the top. I am using conventional wood trusses engineered for […]
Read morePost Racks
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/06/2016Recently Eric Graff, managing partner of Hansen Pole Buildings, and I have been discussing the possibilities of a new post frame building at our home distribution center in South Dakota. Eric is a shrewd buyer and has negotiated some significant discounts from vendors for the purchase of materials in bulk quantities (think of a semi-truck […]
Read moreScary Pole Barn Design
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/02/2016Scary Design A one-time potential Hansen Pole Buildings’ client, who is a friend of mine on Facebook, didn’t invest in one of our engineered post frame buildings. Most likely it was due to price – people so easily believe they have gotten a great deal, when instead they set themselves up for nothing but potential […]
Read morePole Building Gone Wrong
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/01/2016There is Something Wrong with This Picture My disclaimer, this is NOT a Hansen Pole Building. It was advertised on Craigslist by a builder in Kentucky. There are some odd things about this pole building – one of them which is crucial and the building owner is going to hate probably forever. Maybe longer. The […]
Read moreCordwood Masonry Appears to be a Contradiction in Terms
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/30/2016This article by Randy Edison about cordwood masonry first appeared at www.gfwadvertiser.ca November 24, 2006 and has not been edited “When Paul Johnson first heard of the construction method from a friend it became a curiosity. He was curious enough, in fact, to turn it into a handyman project that, despite the challenges, brought a […]
Read moreAdaptive Snow Skiing Pole Barns
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/29/2016From the age of six, alpine (aka downhill) snow skiing has been a part of our family culture. As my three youngest children (Bailey, Allison and Brent) graduated from being toddlers – I took them to the slopes and taught them to ski as well. It was not my being the greatest skier on the […]
Read morePowerlifting in Pole Barns
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/24/2016Power Lifting Pole Barns They might seem like typical teenagers, but Joshua and Kaitlynn Naert are worlds apart from most pair of siblings in Michigan. The brother-sister combo come from a good, blue-collar home, living with their mother and father, Tracy and Jeff, and their dogs. It’s not until Joshua, Kaitlynn and their father step […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Design, About The Pole Barn Guru
- Tags:
- No comments
Sheetrocking Trusses Advice
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/23/2016How Advice Columns Get Interesting… Just last week, I shared a question from TOM (a reader who reads my blog) in regards to finishing the inside of a fairly recently constructed post frame (pole) building. The dialogue has continued. Tom: “Obviously drywall for the ceiling would be a wiser choice. The truss manufacturer said the trusses […]
Read moreGymnasiums Perfect for Post Frame Truss Construction
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/18/2016This article’s content was published in Construction Magazine, October 28, 2016 Post-frame construction is ideal for non-code-exempt buildings of many shapes and sizes. One category of such structures that is often overlooked by post-frame builders is gymnasiums and multipurpose recreational buildings. Gymnasiums and multipurpose recreational buildings are a perfect fit for post-frame construction for several […]
Read moreTrail Maintenance Buildings
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/17/2016Trail Maintenance Buildings All across America old railroad beds are being converted into trails for uses such as walking, running and biking. According to www.railstotrails.org over 30,000 miles of trails now criss-cross our country. My personal favorite is the Hiawatha Trail (www.ridethehiawatha.com) which begins in Western Montana (near what was once the boomtown of Taft) […]
Read morePoured Foundation or Block: Neither!
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/15/2016What’s better: A poured foundation or block? How about – neither? Try post frame footing design! Even though my lovely bride and I are now living 98% of the time on the eastern border of South Dakota, I still read the online version of my formerly local newspaper – The Spokesman Review, from Spokane, Washington. […]
Read moreFree Engineered Pole Building Plans
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/08/2016FREE Engineered Pole Building Plans! Yep, you heard it here first…. on Roller Derby (borrowed from Cheech and Chong’s 1973 album Los Cochinos from a skit about the “Evelyn Woodhead Sped Riddin’ course”). Today’s article was sparked into being by an email I recently received: “I’m an architect trying to provide bid documents for a […]
Read moreThings to Know When Adding onto an Existing Pole Building
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/02/2016Things I Need to Know When Adding on to a Post Frame Building Real life scenario – one of our clients is adding onto the end of a clearspan 24 foot wide by 36 foot long by 10 foot eave post frame building. The add-on makes the structure another 24 feet longer, same height and […]
Read more4 Tips for Using a Pole Barn as Bulk Storage
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/01/2016Of course the lofty ceilings and long, tall skeletons of pole barns are wonderful for breathable living spaces and roomy storefronts. But the endless customizability of pole barns also lends storage utility for goods produced and delivered in bulk. If you want to turn your pole barn into a world-class storage facility, just follow these […]
Read more4 Things to Love about Gambrel Roofs
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/27/2016The gambrel roof is characterized by two slopes on each side, with a shallow upper slope and a steeper lower slope. This is the style of roof you’ll see on many traditional barns, but a building with a gambrel roof doesn’t just have to be used for hay storage or livestock. Gambrel roofs are a […]
Read moreWhat Does It Mean When a Pole Building is ‘Engineer-Sealed’?
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/26/2016If you’ve been shopping around for a pole building kit, you may have heard the phrase ‘engineer-sealed’ and wondered what it meant—and whether it matters for your planned building. ‘Engineer-sealed’ simply means that a licensed engineer has reviewed a set of building plans and put their stamp of approval on it. Engineer-sealed plans are also […]
Read more5 Reasons to Add a Loft to Your Pole Building
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/25/2016It’s not uncommon to construct a loft in a pole building – after all, construction is so affordable that you’re going to be left with excess funds that you can pour right back into your investment. They take up almost no space and can sometimes even add space to an existing interior. If you’re on […]
Read moreNot a building Under Construction
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/14/2016No 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 […]
Read morePole Barn Event Center
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/06/2016Event 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 […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Design, About The Pole Barn Guru, Pole Barn Planning
- Tags: Pole Barn, Rotary Club, Event Venue, Wedding Venue
- No comments
Misguided Stick Frame Builder
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/05/2016Few 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: […]
Read morePole Barn Design for Free
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 09/30/2016Please 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. […]
Read moreHorse Barn on a Budget
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 09/27/2016Any 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 […]
Read moreGet Your Own Prefab Cabin in the Woods
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 09/23/2016Building 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 […]
Read moreShould You Choose Sliding or Overhead Doors for Your Pole Barn?
Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 09/21/2016One 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 […]
Read more