Comparing Pole barn floor/stick built floor

[Old Gas Nut]

I have a question about pouring the slab. When you stick build a building, you dig a footer and lay a block foundation or pour it, and then pour the slab. After looking at pole barns, it looks like the floor is poured after the building is built and there is no foundation? Or is there other options with pole barns? I'm looking to build a garage later this summer and trying to decide whether to stick build it or let someone come in and throw a pole barn up. I'm just crurious how the flooring is done on a pole barn and how well it would hold up if there is no foundation. So....enlighten me

 

[tncatadjuster]

I just installed a floor in a pole barn this weekend. I was very impressed with the design and construction. The floor was poured after the building was erected. The surface was a little wavy, but still a good job. As always I'm sure it depends on the contractor.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I've seen floors poured after the posts were set and the grade boards were added. This allow the concrete guys plenty of access with a bull float.

I've seen the floor also poured after the roof and walls are up. It'll be more forgiving if the weather is not the best.

 

[Old Gas Nut]

I guess what I'm asking about is comparing the structural part ot the two different styles of building. With a pole barn there is no footer or foundation, so would that make the floor more susceptible to cracking and possible floor shifting? Seems like a stick built garage built on a good foundation would be the stronger way to go, but apparently pole barns with poured floors must hold up well over time or do they? If a poured floor holds up well with a pole barn structure, why do a footer and foundation for a stick built garage? I have some knowledge of home building, but none with pole barns, so that's why I'm asking. Thanks for the replies.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

I can't speak to a pole barn because basically they don't exist in Southern California. Maybe they're uncommon in the entire West, I don't know. But for stick construction; particularly a garage out here, the footing is typically poured in place not concrete block. Block is used as the footing when you are trying to cope with sloped terrain and for some reason don't want to use cast in place walls. Also out here, the floor is typically cast into the perimeter curb the footing provides so it floats (unless you tie it with dowels from the footing). In the case of my 80+ year old garage floor, there was no footing, simply a slab. SO when the slab cracked over the years due to being undermined by water runoff, there was/is no way to replace the floor short of lifting the building.

With a pole barn I'd be concerned how long the direct contact wood is going to last, albeit it treated lumber lasts a long, long time. I'd be tempted to use metal poles but they pose other kinds of problems and are not "forever" materials either.

 

[Will S.]

I just built a 36 x 48 pole barn. The poles are 6x6, and set in 16" dia holes, bored 4.4' in the ground, and set on 4" of concrete in the bottom of the holes. Once aligned and braced, the concrete is poured into each hole. 2x4 perlins wrap around the outside of the building, spaced every 2' vertically, then sheathed with 5/8 plywood (bottom 4' is pressure-treated).

Roof trusses set on 2' centers, and the interior of the building is framed with 2x6 on 2' centers. 2x6 top and bottom plates, and top of walls have 2x12 band boards on both inside and outside of wall.

Then we drilled the bottom plates every 3' around the perimeter, and hung J-bolts. Prepped the floor with poly, 2" blue-board insulation inside the perimeter, welded steel wire mesh, and metal control joints, 2 length-ways and 2 across, forming a grid of 9 areas. I used 4000 psi fiber-mesh reinforced concrete, and it is poured to a minimum of 6", right up to the bottom of the bottom plate. The concrete pad actually was poured over and sets on the inner half of the previously poured concrete that the poles are set in. It isn't going anywhere.

I may be able up post some pics if you need them.

 

[darkk]

my son in law just built a pole barn on columns. ran a leader board around the bottom, attached "J" bolts to the base then poured a concrete floor after. most people build pole barns because they are cheaper to construct and go up quicker. the "floating" slab shouldn't be any more susceptible to cracking or other issues than a slab with a stick built structure on it.