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Pole Barns; help me do some homework on them

8K views 61 replies 31 participants last post by  mtnbikinbryno 
#1 ·
I'm thinking of putting up a pole barn building to store all my shit.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of building it 12' or 14' high instead of 10'?

Metal or shingle roof? I don't understand why metal roof on barns are cheaper than shingles, but the opposite is true for a house roof. Do they use thinner/cheaper metal on barns? Is it true that insurance companies give discounts for metal roofs?

What size? I know, the bigger the better, but what configuration works best? Narrow or wide? 24'x50' or 30x40 for example?

T1-11 or vinyl siding? Is it just difference in looks?

Can a pole barn be put over existing concrete pad (with footing outside the pad)?

Anything else I should be asking about?

Finally, anyone use Chelsea Lumber for their pole barns?

thanks:thumb:
 
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#2 ·
I'm thinking of putting up a pole barn building to store all my shit.

What are the advantages/disadvantages of building it 12' or 14' high instead of 10'? It would be taller inside, more room for taller doors and a hoist.

Metal or shingle roof? I don't understand why metal roof on barns are cheaper than shingles, but the opposite is true for a house roof. Do they use thinner/cheaper metal on barns? Is it true that insurance companies give discounts for metal roofs?In many cases a steel roof on a pole barn gets you trusses on 4' centers and a shingle roof gets you 2' center.

What size? I know, the bigger the better, but what configuration works best? Narrow or wide? 24'x50' or 30x40 for example?

T1-11 or vinyl siding? Is it just difference in looks?

Can a pole barn be put over existing concrete pad (with footing outside the pad)?

Anything else I should be asking about?

Finally, anyone use Chelsea Lumber for their pole barns?

thanks:thumb:
If your building a barn build the ground up, nobody like a barn with water running though it.
Roll up doors work way fucking better then sliders in the winter.
 
#6 ·
I used Chelsea Lumber the experience was great. I also used I&I one of their contractors. mine is 30x48x10, my biggest mistake was not to go at least 12' tall, no chance for a hoist inside to fully lift a car. The best thing about using Chelsea Lumbers builder with their package is when there is some bad pieces of lumber or metal he was on the phone with them and they had new pieces out there the same day. I have a shingle roof looks great but I'm on my second one. My next barn will probably be a metal roof, and taller, and way bigger. I had two gravel trains of sand put down before the concrete was poured and have yet to have a crack in my floor. It ( the sand ) is at least 24" in the front and 36" in back. it also raised my barn so there is no leakage of water into it. Hope this helps you.
 
#7 ·
A metal roof done cheaply is 4 Ft OC trusses and some 2x4s. A shingle roof needs 2 Ft centers and a plywood deck. FWIW I did metal roof over a plywood deck with 2 Ft on center trusses.

I wanted 30 * 40 but ended up with 30 * 48. My thought is build the biggest building you can, then worry about interior finishing.

12 Ft ceilings work well for me. The taller it is the more industrial/agricultural it looks. May or may not be an issue with you. I built a loft at 8 Ft over my office and tool area which gives a ton of space.

In theory I think you could build around an existing pad, but I wouldn't want to unless its just a storage barn.

If its just storage, then I would not insulate, just basic wiring and as many roll up doors as possible on the long wall.
 
#8 ·
Here is mine. The office and tool area is on the left, then some free space, the two vehicle bays and the part storage on the right side. Works well, I keep my Jimmy, CJ7, and Kubota out there and have lots of room to work.
 

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#10 ·
Just remember there are only 2 sizes of barn

1- too fawking small
2- not fawking big enough.

I put mine up a couple years ago and went with shingled roof and vinel siding. At te time it was the cheapest way to go. I'm 40x60 with 17.6' walls (supposed to be 16' but the builder maxed out my poles) if you go with a 16 foot tall wall you can put a loft in it and have 7' top and bottom of the loft. That way you don't have to duck wile in the loft or under it.

Also with a taller wall like said above the concrete truck can drive in when pouring the floor and you can store anything that is legal to go down the road (camper, motorhome, boat........)
 
#19 ·
Also with a taller wall like said above the concrete truck can drive in when pouring the floor
^^ I like your thinking! I hate renting buggies!

If you plan on finishing it (drywall) then consider conventional build with rat walls and 3-5 courses of concrete block. Concrete block doesn't catch on fire from stray sparks. Running wire, insulating, and drywalling a pole building sucks.
^^ This is good too!

Think about in floor hot water heat!!! I wish that I had.
In floor heat is AWESOME when working on shit in the winter.. Unless you have a lift....
 
#11 ·
If you plan on finishing it (drywall) then consider conventional build with rat walls and 3-5 courses of concrete block. Concrete block doesn't catch on fire from stray sparks. Running wire, insulating, and drywalling a pole building sucks.

Consider scissor trusses. It helps prevent you from storing crap up there before you go to insulate and put up drywall.

2' overhangs and framing for high-mounted windows (at least 6' from the ground) is a must. You'd be surprised how much light crappy $80 Menards windows let in.
 
#13 ·
Thanks for all the great info, and keep it coming!

Mostly I need it for storage. I was thinking of maybe close off a portion of the barn for a work area where I could fit a car/truck to work on, and only insulate this place and have it heated and air conditioned.

Are you using windows mainly for the look or also for lighting? How many windows? Haggar, do you have only that one window in the front?

And thanks for the info on Chelsea Lumber, anyone else had experience with them?

How long does it take to put it up? Would someone be able to build it before this winter?
 
#17 ·
Yes, I just have the one window, since I have stuff along many of the walls, and I didn't want windows in the back inviting people to break in. But some high mounted ones might have been nice.

I paid to have mine built, which is rare for me but worth it. I preprepped the site got it close to level and removed all the topsoil. Had to backhoe out a couple giant stumps. The one day for sand and leveling. One day start to finish to build the entire building. Day two was concrete. Then day three did the siding and day four to do the doors. I did my own electrical later on, but I did run the conduit and run pipe stubs for gas, electric, water, sewer, and footings for a hoist.
 
#15 ·
X 100 on the taller walls/door.
The loft space is very valuable storage.........and too short for "whatever" in the future makes a short barn useless.
I went with 14' walls and scissors trusses giving me 18' clear height in the center 10 feet.
The time I erected a crane to pull the boat motors, I was using every inch of that 18' in order to lift the motors over the boats transom.

Think about in floor hot water heat!!! I wish that I had.
 
#18 ·
I have one 30x40 stick built with 12 foot walls and a 30x40 pole barn with 12 foot walls and need more room!
 
#21 · (Edited)
I went with a cheap 30x40x12 with no eave overhangs and trusses at 4' (Wish I would have went with eaves to keep the snow away from the building when it slides off the roof), it was only $500 more to go from 10' to 12' side walls so it was a no brainer. Built in 2010, I contracted out the shell and did the rest myself.

Shell: $11,000
Concrete with footings for a future lift: $2100 and a few friends.
Electrical with a 100' run from meter: $2000 with me helping the electrician.
Insulation on sidewalls, 7/16" OSB, and putting 2x6x8 studs between the posts: $1500 approx.
Paid amish to put steel on interior cieling and insulate roof: $1500-$2000?

I was quoted $30,000 from a major pole barn builder for the same project complete from start to finish, the finish work may have been a little nicer, but saved about $10,000 doing it myself.
 
#24 · (Edited)
4-5 inches for most 9000 lb lifts. I dug a 4*15 foot area to about 10 inches deep.

I am not putting in my hoist just yet, I want the floor space for a few other things. But will probably move my tractor to a different band and install a hoist in the next year or so. I was ready to buy it this summer but I have enjoyed the flexible floor space.
 
#28 ·
in floor heat still is awesome and well worth it even with a hoist. It also help control the moisture better, is more stable, etc
 
#32 ·
Well, I called the township today to find out any zoning regulations.

The regulations rule out some of the locations I had in mind. It will create more work for me but should look better in the end.
 
#37 ·
Propane, natural gas, wood burner/boiler are all options. It depends on what you have access to for fuel. I use a Takagi natural gas tankless water heater for mine. Works quietly, and efficiently. If you decide to go this route, I have alot of info to share.

Sent from my big ass Note2 via tapatalk
 
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