Building a Pole Barn Style Home
Reader DAVID from NINE MILE FALLS writes:
“I am building a pole barn style home. I am having a difficult time in finding what the requirements would be for post setting and post distance spacing in regards to a pole barn used for living spaces. I plan on using 8×8 PT posts into the ground.
The question is what would the requirements be as to setting (post foundation) and spacing of posts in respect to a living space?”
Mike the Pole Barn Guru advises:
You have the absolute right idea in considering a post frame building as your new home. Where you may onto a different set of tracks is in trying to work from a certain size or spacing of materials. The best way to get the results you are looking for is to share your ideas of the ideal perfect overall dimensions (width, length, height and roof slope) as well as the look you are trying to achieve with a post frame building kit provider who can design structurally to best meet your needs.
While 8×8 sounds like a big piece of wood, in the Pacific Northwest most of the pressure preservative treated post frame building timbers are one of several species of tree known collectively as Hem-Fir,. In order to adequately accept pressure treating Hem-Fir timbers must be incised, which reduces their strength and often causes the need for larger columns.
Check out more information of incising here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2014/08/incising/
Other factors which will influence the needed material for columns include climactic loads (wind, snow, rain, seismic), building dimensions (especially height), roofing and siding material choices and soil bearing capacities. Buildings with siding or roofing materials other than steel are typically required to have much more stringent structural specifications when it comes to the allowable deflection of members.
Here is some interesting reading about columns: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2014/06/poles-2/.
Give us a call on 866.200.9657 and any one of our Building Designers can help you design the pole building home to meet structural standards. Best of all, the plans are stamped by a Registered Engineer and come with the many pages of calculations to support your safe home.
