# Pole Barn Advice



## kyfarmin (Dec 23, 2012)

I hope this is the right place for this question. I'm making plans to build a barn. I never grew up on a farm so I don't have experience to fall back on. I think that 2000 ft under roof would be good to use the building as a garage/barn for goats. I was looking at 40x48x14 but I don't know that I need to o that tall. I was also thinking to put a lean to across one side to cover wood and attachments. I've had two quotes or materials between $13-16k

I'm thinking of 2 overhead doors, ridge vent and insulation on the underside of the roof. 


What's the right questions to be asking? What's a good company to go with?


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## ben70b (Aug 29, 2012)

Here is one we built for a costumer last June, 28x18x8. I think total cost was around $14k labor included. We just put up one 60x60x16 last month. I probably should take some pics of it. When you get the material quote look and see how thick your steel is, how far apart your post will be, 2x6 or 2x4 girts. Make sure your post will b set below frost line, I get 12 inch round 4" thick concrete cookies to put down in the hole under the post. Make sure all your green lumber that will be below sunk in the ground is made to be sunk in the ground. Just because the post are treated doesn't mean they are rated to be buried. All in all you get what you pay for, you can shop around and find the cheapest building package you can find. I have built several that the customer bought and hired me to build. The cheaper the building the higher the labor quote. Would you rather pay a buck for a hamburger or eat a free sh!t sandwich?


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## kyfarmin (Dec 23, 2012)

Thank you Ben. Let ask a follow up question. Will a 2x4 girt make a tremendous difference vs the 2x6? As I understand these don't have an impact on the rigidity of the structure (I may be wrong). 

Also, when it comes to preventing condensation, what is the best option?


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## ben70b (Aug 29, 2012)

How far apart will your post be, if the poles are 8 foot on center or less and girts are 2' on center 2x4s should be plenty enuf, nine or ten I like to use 2x6 girts. When comparing quotes on sheds be sure to look at the difference in building packages, one guy may be higher but he may be building it better. I haven't yet encountered condensation issues around here, if it is an issue where you live ask your builder about it.


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## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

Pole Barns by design are monocoque in construction. Meaning that each component is enhanced and strengthened by the following component. Two by four girts fastened to the poles with hardened ring shanked pole barn spikes provide more than adequate strength to the structure especially after they're knitted together by the steel fastened with hardened screws or ring shank nails. It's this type of construction that allows pole barns to standup to severe weather.


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## ben70b (Aug 29, 2012)

I wouldn't let anyone nail your tin on, make sure screws are used to fasten the steel, screws have been an industry standard for a long while now. If your shed will be built in a windy area you will understand why I like the heavier girts, the wind blows hard in my area in the winter and you can actually watch the walls flex between the posts.


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## ben70b (Aug 29, 2012)




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## Fredneck (May 25, 2012)

my pole barn is 30x40, and has a skylight running the length of the peak, about 2 feet to either side, with a ridge vent at the peak itself. i am a HUGE fan of the skylight.


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## kyfarmin (Dec 23, 2012)

I spent three hours today with the Morton building salesman. The product seems pretty good. I really like the laminated posts and the 26 gauge steel. He's going to work up a quote for me for a 42 x 60' x 14' building. I expect his price to be a little bit over my budget but it sure seems like there's a good reason why they charge what they do. Have any of you had experience with Morton building?


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## ben70b (Aug 29, 2012)

I don't think you can go wrong with a Morton, I would see if there is reps in your area from wick and FBI. All three of these outfits specialize in post frame construction.


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## Mickey (Aug 14, 2010)

kyfarmin said:


> Thank you Ben. Let ask a follow up question. Will a 2x4 girt make a tremendous difference vs the 2x6? As I understand these don't have an impact on the rigidity of the structure (I may be wrong).
> 
> Also, when it comes to preventing condensation, what is the best option?


A 2x6 will be 1.5 times as stiff as a 2x4 deflecting in the 2" direction. In deflecting in the width direction, the 2x6 will be 3.37 times as stiff as a 2x4.

Stiffness goes up by a cube function, i.e. Increasing a 2" thickness to 4", the stiffness will increase by 8X.

As for condensation, that are a lot of factors to consider. At least you'll want to insulate the roof underside with a plastic vapor barrier. This is how my shop is insulated but I've seen weather patterns where it was almost raining inside the shop. Long cold spell then a sudden warm, moist spell and the humidity condensed on everything. All my cast iron woodworking equip turned almost instantly to rust.


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## hamster (Sep 14, 2013)

Go with dalton joinery ltd hamster


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## ben70b (Aug 29, 2012)

Grandpa put up a Morton building in the early 70s, a couple years ago a few poles rotted off at the ground and Morton came back and fixed em, free


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

I heard someone on the t.v. the other day talking about some coating on the underside of their tin roofing that eliminated any condensation. Anyone else ever hear about this?


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## kyfarmin (Dec 23, 2012)

The Morton salesman told me that there really isn't a way to prevent the condensation issue. You more or less have to have a was to manage it. The condensation occurs on the inside of a building when it is cold outside. Think about a glass of cold sweet tea in the summer. The outside of the glass sweats because of the difference in temp. If you put up a vapor barrier you keep it from falling in the barn, but it's still there. The Morton man told me they work to manage where the water goes (out and into the gutters).


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## Tarp_man (Nov 4, 2010)

Hi Kyfarmin, Noticed that you are mostly considered a pole storage building. I'm guessing that you had to obtain a building permit for this unit. Another option to consider is fabric hoop building. This buildings can be mounted on the ground and are typically considered "temporary" in nature. Due to this, property taxes typically do not apply. The units typically cost much less than a pole building. Link is below.


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## ben70b (Aug 29, 2012)

You get what you pay for












A few weeks ago the big bad wind came along and blew down my neighbor Virginia's hoop building, her two pole barns made it thru unharmed and all the shingles are still on her house. My daugher's trampoline is half way between Virginia's house and mine, it looks similar to the hoop building


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

I've got one just like that ben70b! Except mine is a small single car garage type I used for storing some of my hay.


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## PeteNM (Sep 18, 2003)

There are several good building brands. I have helped build several and even some from scratch. You need to know how big you want and about how much you want to spend. Of the ones I've been around they are all still pretty good. You have to keep all of them tight. I'd never use nails for metal, only screws. 

The one we are using now is a light wt. cheaper one and it's been super for over ten years. It can be about any size you want and can be added on to later if necessary. We poured the cement and got the structure. It took only an hour to setup up the framework. Real easy to construct and we hardly know when the wind blows. I was kind of skeptical when we got it but have been real satisfied since it's lasted to well.

It's called Versa Tube and might be worth looking at. Here's a link if you want to look. Good luck with whatever one you decide on........

http://www.versatube.com


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## jdboy (Dec 3, 2013)

I would say not to put goats in any barn with Tim or metal as a roof and/or sides because it will get up to 120 on days when it's 80-100. We have one of the biggest 400x200x20 the only problem some of are equipment does not fit in the two doors so take measures on the size door that you need. It is best to keep your animals away from tracts in sheds because if you are attaching equipment in the barn the exuste has no where to go and m have had to leave the barn.


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