Category Archives: Pole Barn Design

Overhead Doors Taller than Eave Height

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 06/09/2017
Overhead Doors Taller than Eave Height

“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 […]

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Second Floor Mezzanines and Heights

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 06/08/2017
Second Floor Mezzanines and Heights

Second 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 […]

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Spot the Post Frame Problem

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 06/06/2017
Spot the Post Frame Problem

Spot 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 […]

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To Retro-fit Sliding Doors, Insulation, or Windows!

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 06/05/2017
To Retro-fit Sliding Doors, Insulation, or Windows!

DEAR 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 […]

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Converting a Pole Barn to a Residence

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/31/2017
Converting a Pole Barn to a Residence

One 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 […]

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3 Things to Know Before Running a Business from Your Pole Barn

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/24/2017
3 Things to Know Before Running a Business from Your Pole Barn

If 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. […]

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Money-Saving Tips for Building Your Pole Barn

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/23/2017
Money-Saving Tips for Building Your Pole Barn

There 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 […]

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Sturdi-Wall Brackets

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/19/2017
Sturdi-Wall Brackets

Placement 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 […]

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Placement of Overhead Doors

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/18/2017
Placement of Overhead Doors

Where, 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 […]

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Lifesaving Bollard

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/17/2017
Lifesaving Bollard

The 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 […]

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Floor Limits, Foam Board, and Consider True Costs!

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/15/2017
Floor Limits, Foam Board, and Consider True Costs!

DEAR 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 […]

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Boulders or Large Rocks in Post Holes

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/11/2017
Boulders or Large Rocks in Post Holes

I’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 […]

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Mobile Home Snow Roofs

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/10/2017
Mobile Home Snow Roofs

Most 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 […]

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Can 2×4 Roof Purlins Span 12 Feet?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/09/2017
Can 2×4 Roof Purlins Span 12 Feet?

Can 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 […]

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Pole Building Specs- Design Solution!

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/05/2017
Pole Building Specs- Design Solution!

Sometimes 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 […]

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The Search for Building Steel Trusses

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 05/03/2017
The Search for Building Steel Trusses

In 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 […]

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Let’s Cram Doors into an Endwall

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/28/2017
Let’s Cram Doors into an Endwall

There 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 […]

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Afraid of Buying a Pole Barn Home

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/26/2017
Afraid of Buying a Pole Barn Home

Reader 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 […]

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Hansen Buildings Testimonial

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/25/2017
Hansen Buildings Testimonial

Totally 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 […]

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Building Homes, Valley Rooflines, and Size Does Matter!

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/24/2017
Building Homes, Valley Rooflines, and Size Does Matter!

DEAR 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 […]

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Post Frame Safe Rooms

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/21/2017
Post Frame Safe Rooms

I’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 […]

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Open Endwalls in a Hay Barn

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/20/2017
Open Endwalls in a Hay Barn

There 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, […]

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What Kind of Footings? Beams? and Bi-Folds?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/17/2017
What Kind of Footings? Beams? and Bi-Folds?

DEAR 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 […]

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Propel Electric Door Openers

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/15/2017
Propel Electric Door Openers

I’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? […]

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Indoor Basketball Courts

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/13/2017
Indoor Basketball Courts

(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 […]

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Airplane Hangar Exposure C

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/12/2017
Airplane Hangar Exposure C

Why 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 – […]

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The Lowdown on Column Uplift

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/11/2017
The Lowdown on Column Uplift

Let’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 […]

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Post Frame House Quote? Design Recommendations, and A1 Insulation!

DEAR 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   […]

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Friends Don’t let Friends Stick Frame

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 04/07/2017
Friends Don’t let Friends Stick Frame

Oh 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 […]

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Plan to Avoid Failure, Closed Cell Foam, and Addition to Building?

DEAR 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 […]

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Cantilevered Roof Extension

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/30/2017
Cantilevered Roof Extension

I’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 […]

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Overhead Doors and Eave Height

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/29/2017
Overhead Doors and Eave Height

Putting 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 […]

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Timbers Checking In

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/22/2017
Timbers Checking In

One 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. […]

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Design for Spray-Foam, Sonotubes, or Proper Fasteners!

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/20/2017
Design for Spray-Foam, Sonotubes, or Proper Fasteners!

DEAR 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 […]

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Integral Condensation Control

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/17/2017
Integral Condensation Control

Integral 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 […]

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Steeper Roof Slope or Taller Walls?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/16/2017
Steeper Roof Slope or Taller Walls?

This 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 […]

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Materials Mastery with the PBG!

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/13/2017
Materials Mastery with the PBG!

DEAR 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 […]

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Panic Mode! We’ve All Been There

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/08/2017
Panic Mode! We’ve All Been There

When 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. […]

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Fall Up, Go Boom

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/07/2017
Fall Up, Go Boom

Fall 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 […]

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Safety Concerns from the Heartland

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/06/2017
Safety Concerns from the Heartland

DEAR 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 […]

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OSB Under Steel Roofing On Pole Buildings

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 03/01/2017
OSB Under Steel Roofing On Pole Buildings

Almost 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 […]

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Find Me a Contractor to Erect My Building!

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/28/2017
Find Me a Contractor to Erect My Building!
Fewer and fewer of our clients seem to have the inclination to erect their own post frame building kits. Here is one and my response ended up being quite lengthy. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you have about 3 names of companies/contractors that can erect my 40x40x14 hanger kit, once I buy it from you […] Read more

What Type of Barns Do You Sell?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/22/2017
What Type of Barns Do You Sell?

And 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”   […]

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Why Not Use T Girts?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/21/2017
Why Not Use T Girts?

Last 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 […]

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Blog Entries Lead to Post Depth Question!

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/20/2017
Blog Entries Lead to Post Depth Question!

DEAR 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 […]

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Pros and Cons of Two-Story Pole Buildings

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/16/2017
Pros and Cons of Two-Story Pole Buildings

Building 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 […]

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How Can I Add interior Walls to a Post Frame Building?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/13/2017
How Can I Add interior Walls to a Post Frame Building?

DEAR 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 […]

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Remodel: Gutters and Snow Brakes

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/10/2017
Remodel: Gutters and Snow Brakes

One 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 […]

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Why Use Window Pan Flashing?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/09/2017
Why Use Window Pan Flashing?

Windows 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. […]

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Building Site Preparation

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/08/2017
Building Site Preparation

I’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 […]

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Pole Barn Decks

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/07/2017
Pole Barn Decks

A 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 […]

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Book Shelving? Ceiling Insulation

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/06/2017
Book Shelving? Ceiling Insulation

DEAR 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 […]

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Should I Buy This Building?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 02/01/2017
Should I Buy This Building?

Some 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 […]

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Door Facing North, Optimizing Space, and Remodel?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/30/2017
Door Facing North, Optimizing Space, and Remodel?

DEAR 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 […]

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Wood Floor Trusses

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/27/2017
Wood Floor Trusses

When 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 […]

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Not All Pole Barns Are Designed to Code

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/25/2017
Not All Pole Barns Are Designed to Code

Not 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 […]

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Furniture Making from a Barndominium

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/24/2017
Furniture Making from a Barndominium

A 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, […]

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Concrete Considerations from the PBG!

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/23/2017
Concrete Considerations from the PBG!

DEAR 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 […]

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Taking the Air Out of Inflation

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/20/2017
Taking the Air Out of Inflation

Welcome 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 – […]

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Consider Post Frame for New Home!

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/16/2017
Consider Post Frame for New Home!

DEAR 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 […]

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Snow Sliding off a Roof

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/13/2017
Snow Sliding off a Roof

Snow 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 […]

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Barn Doors? Houses? Materials!

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/09/2017
Barn Doors? Houses? Materials!

DEAR 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 […]

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Maximizing the Metal: Why all Metal is not Created Equal

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/06/2017
Maximizing the Metal: Why all Metal is not Created Equal

This 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 […]

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Calling for the Wall Steel Stretcher

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/05/2017
Calling for the Wall Steel Stretcher

Calling 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 […]

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When the Truss People Do the Dog

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/04/2017
When the Truss People Do the Dog

Yes, 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 […]

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Sharing the Pole Barn Blame

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/03/2017
Sharing the Pole Barn Blame

Sharing 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, […]

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Clear Span Width, Interior Sliders, and Roof Quote!

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 01/02/2017
Clear Span Width, Interior Sliders, and Roof Quote!

DEAR 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 […]

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Modern Post Frame Buildings and Geothermal

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/28/2016
Modern Post Frame Buildings and Geothermal

Modern 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 […]

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ASCE Changes in 2017

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/27/2016
ASCE Changes in 2017

ASCE/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 […]

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An Apartment Addition?

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/26/2016
An Apartment Addition?

DEAR 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 […]

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Design Wind Speed Changes

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/23/2016
Design Wind Speed Changes

Design 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 […]

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Buying a Used Pole Building

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/20/2016
Buying a Used Pole Building

40’ 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 […]

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The Right Size, Connection, and Foundation!

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/19/2016
The Right Size, Connection, and Foundation!

DEAR 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 […]

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When Buildings Fall Down

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/16/2016
When Buildings Fall Down

When 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. […]

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BUILD Magazine-Engineering Leadership Award

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/15/2016
BUILD Magazine-Engineering Leadership Award

BUILD 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 […]

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Retrofit for Wind Uplift Protection

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/13/2016
Retrofit for Wind Uplift Protection

Another 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 […]

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Design Review is Important Component!

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/08/2016
Design Review is Important Component!

DEAR 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 […]

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Post Racks

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/06/2016
Post Racks

Recently 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 […]

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Scary Pole Barn Design

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/02/2016
Scary Pole Barn Design

Scary 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 […]

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Pole Building Gone Wrong

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 12/01/2016
Pole Building Gone Wrong

There 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 […]

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Cordwood Masonry Appears to be a Contradiction in Terms

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/30/2016
Cordwood Masonry Appears to be a Contradiction in Terms

This 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 […]

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Adaptive Snow Skiing Pole Barns

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/29/2016
Adaptive Snow Skiing Pole Barns

From 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 […]

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Powerlifting in Pole Barns

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/24/2016
Powerlifting in Pole Barns

Power 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 […]

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Sheetrocking Trusses Advice

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/23/2016
Sheetrocking Trusses Advice

How 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 […]

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Gymnasiums Perfect for Post Frame Truss Construction

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/18/2016
Gymnasiums Perfect for Post Frame Truss Construction

This 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 […]

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Trail Maintenance Buildings

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/17/2016
Trail Maintenance Buildings

Trail 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) […]

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Poured Foundation or Block: Neither!

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/15/2016
Poured Foundation or Block: Neither!

What’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. […]

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Free Engineered Pole Building Plans

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/08/2016
Free Engineered Pole Building Plans

FREE 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 […]

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Things to Know When Adding onto an Existing Pole Building

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/02/2016
Things to Know When Adding onto an Existing Pole Building

Things 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 […]

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4 Tips for Using a Pole Barn as Bulk Storage

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 11/01/2016
4 Tips for Using a Pole Barn as Bulk Storage

Of 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 […]

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4 Things to Love about Gambrel Roofs

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/27/2016
4 Things to Love about Gambrel Roofs

The 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 […]

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What Does It Mean When a Pole Building is ‘Engineer-Sealed’?

If 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 […]

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5 Reasons to Add a Loft to Your Pole Building

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/25/2016
5 Reasons to Add a Loft to Your Pole Building

It’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 […]

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Not a building Under Construction

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/14/2016
Not a building Under Construction

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 […]

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Pole Barn Event Center

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/06/2016
Pole Barn Event Center

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 […]

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Misguided Stick Frame Builder

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 10/05/2016
Misguided Stick Frame Builder

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: […]

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Pole Barn Design for Free

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 09/30/2016
Pole Barn Design for Free

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. […]

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Horse Barn on a Budget

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 09/27/2016
Horse Barn on a Budget

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 […]

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Get Your Own Prefab Cabin in the Woods

Posted by The Pole Barn Guru on 09/23/2016
Get Your Own Prefab Cabin in the Woods

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 […]

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Should You Choose Sliding or Overhead Doors for Your Pole Barn?

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 […]

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