Today the Pole barn Guru answers reader questions about available financing for a pole building, a required beam size for 20′ post spacing, and a small connection for 3 ply trusses.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you offer financing? Thanks. DERRICK in DETROIT

DEAR DERRICK: Yes, we offer a variety of financing options. Please visit www.HansenPoleBuildings.com/financing for details and to apply.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What size wooden beams would be required if I want to space the poles 20′ apart. 60′ trusses. 14′ to the bottom of the trusses. And would 10×10 columns be enough or do I have to go larger? Location is in southern, VA. Thanks, JAMES

DEAR JAMES: Column and/or truss carriers (wooden beams) sizes should be determined by the Registered Professional Engineer who is sealing your engineered structural building plans. Size and grade will be determined based upon a plethora of factors – design wind speed and exposure, roof slope, roof live and dead loads, roofing and siding materials, lateral soil bearing pressure, if there will be proper constrainment by a concrete slab on grade, etc.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: My truss designer has spec’d 3ply trusses on 8′ centers for a shingle roof with 2×6 hung purlins. I haven’t seen anyone describing the best way to attach these to a 6×6 post. If I notch them, there will only be 1 inch remaining at best and it seems bolting to the remaining 1 inch may not be worth it. What is best practice for this type of attachment to a post. PETER in CHAPEL HILL

DEAR PETER: Unless your building has a very wide clearspan, or some huge dead loads (or perhaps a bonus room) a three ply truss seems strangely unusual. You might want to reach out to other possible truss manufacturers to see if you can get a two ply design. While I have seen three ply trusses notched in 4-1/2 inches approved by engineers, if indeed this is your final truss design solution, you should confirm connection adequacy by reaching out to your building’s Engineer of Record.