Framing an office in a pole barn

[AA7483]

Having a pole barn built. 24 x 40 x 10. I plan on framing up an office in the back corner 12 x 10 x 8. The pole barn is being built with r19 in the walls and metal liner panel. What's the best way to tie this room in? I can remove the panels in those areas if need be.

 

[The Cobbler]

frame 3 walls with 2x4 , screw a 3-5/8 steel stud track to the siding where you want the walls and set 2x4's into that . remove the siding if you don't want it as a finish

 

[AA7483]

So I don't necessarily need to remove the interior siding then unless I don't want it as a finish. So the 2 x 4 walls will carry the ceiling joists on the new room. Any consideration with tieing that into the existing structure? I basically just want to be able to use the top for storage. Since there will be about 2 feet of height remaining.

 

[astroracer]

So I don't necessarily need to remove the interior siding then unless I don't want it as a finish. So the 2 x 4 walls will carry the ceiling joists on the new room. Any consideration with tieing that into the existing structure? I basically just want to be able to use the top for storage. Since there will be about 2 feet of height remaining.

You need to do some math.
10' side walls? A true 10'? Inside height of office, 8' to the finish side?
Make sure your side walls are 120" then subtract the finish ceiling material from what you measure. I'll use 120.
The office ceiling will eat up a lot of that 24". Lets say 1/2" for drywall plus the joist thickness (3 1/2" for a 2x4) plus 1/2" for the flooring material for the "attic".
120 - 96 - 1/2"- 3 1/2" - 1/2"= 18 1/2" (at the most) between the office ceiling and the bottom cord of the roof trusses.
What do you plan to store up there? If anything substantial you will probably want to go 2 x6's which will reduce the space to 16 1/2" (about...)
Just want you to be aware that you will not end up with 24" of space.
You need to make the decision if that "space" is worth the extra cost.
Mark

 

[AA7483]

I hear ya. Thanks for the advice. I'm really just spitballing at this point. The building is being built as we speak. As far as storage I was thinking maybe boxes with paperwork or extra lenghs of pipe. Etc. If I had the space I considered putting a furnace up there horizontally and ducting off of that but it would be tight. I suppose I could drop the ceiling height in the office a bit as well to gain space. It would definitely be easier and cheaper just to use the full height of the barn.

 

[larry_g]

When the building is going up I would put in a ledger board where the ceiling/floor is going and then just have the interior finish go around it. If you look at my build below you can see what I did for mine. I have a machine shop in the area, not an office but the idea is the same.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[AA7483]

I'm just not 100 percent on which corner I want to put iit in yet so I'm waiting til it's donle and I start setting up the shop to make the decision

 

[AA7483]

I think I'm going to go with astroracers advice. It's hardly worth the extra work to have a 16 or 17 inch storage space. I'm probably going to just run the entire office to the ceiling. What are everyone's thoughts on steel liner panels as a finish wall and ceiling inside the room. If I go full height, all I have to do is build and finish 2 walls. The exterior walls and ceiling will already be insulated and covered with metal.

 

[climb.on]

I debated this a bit with my shop too. Mine is just a bathroom and small utility room and I have 12' 4-1/2" sidewalls. I'm glad I have the storage up there.

 

[astroracer]

Just to be clear, I didn't say yay or nay to your storage space, I just wanted you to think about the cost vs. what you "thought" you would have...
One thing to think about though, is it worth it for lumber or sheet stock storage? You would have to go at least 2 x 6's to get a usable load rating but, for storing stick lumber it may be worth it. Sheet stock would fit, standing on edge between the trusses, up to the point it hits the roof sheathing.
Mark

 

[AA7483]

I hear ya but what you say makes sense. I would use the space for leftover lumber and pipe storage or milk crate or Tupperware type storage. But with such a small room the extra height in the office would make it feel bigger

 

[AA7483]

I'm getting ready to frame this up as soon as I cost my floor. I decided to run the walls up to the full height of the ceiling and use the existing 2 walls as a finish. I'll also be finishing the 2 walls I add with the same corrugated metal I have on the existing walls. One wall will run perpendicular to the trusses so I can nail the top plate in the trusses. The other will run paralell. This wall will not be below a truss so I won't be able to nail the top plate into anything. I can't get up there and put in blocking I'm the attic since it is full of blown in insulation now. Does it have to be nailed in or is the bottom plate and 2 ends of the wall being secured sufficient? This will be a 12 foot long wall.

 

[astroracer]

The wall should be tied into the trusses. What's the spacing on your trusses and how far would you have to move the wall so it runs directly under a truss. Adjust your room size to do that and not have to worry about it. It's that or add some blocking between trusses...
Mark

 

[AA7483]

I have to measure it but I think I'd have to bump it out 18 inches or so which I'd hate to do. Don't want to cut my shop space more than I have to. Plus it makes things tighter if I want to pull a vehicle or trailer in there.

 

[meboatermike]

Can you go the opposite way instead of bumping it out the 18" and still have the office be adequate? That way you would gain a little more for the shop and vehicles you bring in.

 

[AA7483]

I have to remeasure tomorrow. The shop is 24 x 40. I want to divide the 24 wall in half to give me 12 ft (plus the wall material and come out 10 ft. The garage door is on the Gable end so when I pull a vehicle in (which I won't do often) ill still have 30 ft ( slighty less since the exterior measures at 24 x 40). I figure 10 x 12 is about as small as I should make the office. Don't want it to feel like a shoebox. The 10 foot height should help though.

 

[astroracer]

I asked before what your truss spacing is... If they're 2' O.C. then you'll lose 6" on the office width if you back it up to be under the next closest truss. 6" is not going to be a show stopper on the office space. If the trusses are 4' O.C. then you need to get up in the attic and add some blocking. Two or three blocks would be plenty. Use 2 x 6 or 2 x 8's to give you some extra fasteners up there.
Mark

 

[ishiboo]

IMO if you are already having liner panel installed everywhere, don't bother removing it. Build the office inside and essentially free-standing with almost no gap on the liner panel sides. You'll thank yourself if you someday decide you need to move it or use it as shop space.

For electrical, remove an existing outlet and replace the cover with a blank steel cover with a hole for conduit connector and connect your office like that.

 

[AA7483]

Yea no plans to remove liner panel. Just going to frame 2 walls up and put liner panels on both sides. Trusses are 4' oc

Sent from my Pixel XL using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[sberry]

I debated this a bit with my shop too. Mine is just a bathroom and small utility room and I have 12' 4-1/2" sidewalls. I'm glad I have the storage up there.

I like this, the relationship of it and doors, wash up sink, etc. Roomy enuf to make it work. My layout is a lot like this. Office in front corner of building.

 

[AA7483]

One would think that if the wall was tied into the existing exterior wall on the right, to the corrugated metal in the ceiling which is tied to the trusses close by and to the perpendicular partition wall on the left which is tied into the trusses and the other exterior wall as well as the floor then it should have plenty of support. I hate to tear into that newly blown in insulation to install blocking if I can get away with not doing it.

 

[bugnut]

I did just this on my 10 foot sidewall building. I'll post pictures as soon as I get on the other computer. The closer to the roof peak the more head space you have, I have an aluminum pull down staircase which provides access. The area has a walkway I built using 2x8s, great storage space for items used annually, ie Christmas, etc.

 

[bugnut]

Sorry to say but between computers I have yet to locate any images, while try to find some, ugh!

 

[AA7483]

I don't really have that luxury since my celing is finished with corrugated metal.

 

[That1Guy]

Just a thought here -
I disagree about the 10 - 14" of storage not being worth the effort.
Keep in mind that we're talking about a 10' and/or 12' length of that "little bit" of storage.
It adds up quickly.

Since you plan to build the walls all the way up to the 10' ceiling, what if, instead of a "loft" or "mezzanine" type of storage on top of the office, instead you build 2 shelves inside the office, running the length of the office on each of the 12' walls and maybe 24" out from the walls. That could give you 24' of 2' shelf (12' on each wall), easily accessible with a ladder from the 6' gap down the middle of the office ceiling inside your office. If 24" isn't quite deep enough, you could go 36" and still have a 4' gap down the middle. But I've been very happy with the 24" deep shelves and bench-tops I've had in my shops over the years.

And since you don't "need" height in an office (certainly not as much as you'll need storage) you could set these shelves at 2' below the ceiling, which would still leave you with 8' (+/-) of head clearance in the office. A simple step ladder is all that would be needed to access the shelves or you could even get creative and suspend a section of ladder from an overhead door track and have a cool sliding ladder like in a library that you could just slide out of the way when you're not using it. Trust me when I tell you that storage space is everything once you start to fill your garage with "man-stuff"! Two shelves at 24" deep x 24" wide and 12' long comes to (if my public school math serves...) 96 cubic feet of storage which, in my book, is nothing to sneeze at. Otherwise the space above you in the office is completely wasted.

Just something to consider. I'm not trying to tell you how to do your thing. I'm just throwing some ideas out there for you to consider. I can't begin to count how many suggestions, ideas, and assistance I've gotten from some of the awesome people on this site. I'm just trying to give a little bit back. I hope maybe some of this helps. I'm in the process of configuring my shop too and I keep getting overwhelmed by all the possibilities, options and decisions that need to be made BEFORE I begin each new phase. Best of luck and let us know what you end up doing and remember to post pictures! We DO like our pictures here...

 

[larry_g]

Just a thought here -
.

Since you plan to build the walls all the way up to the 10' ceiling, what if, instead of a "loft" or "mezzanine" type of storage on top of the office, instead you build 2 shelves inside the office, running the length of the office on each of the 12' walls and maybe 24" out from the walls. That could give you 24' of 2' shelf (12' on each wall), easily accessible with a ladder from the 6' gap down the middle of the office ceiling inside your office. If 24" isn't quite deep enough, you could go 36" and still have a 4' gap down the middle. But I've been very happy with the 24" deep shelves and bench-tops I've had in my shops over the years.

.

Pondered this thread a bit and was going yo jump in here and say the same thing as above. If you look in my build thread below you will see my 'storage wall' I used 2x10's for studs and made them shelving units. They store a lot of stuff and cost virtually nothing in floor space. Leave them open and store long skinny stuff like conduit or add shelves and store paints and cleaners and books. Close one side or the other to face the open area into the shop or into the office. You can see most of the wall in post #29

Worked for me

lg
no neat sig line

 

[bugnut]

I was unable to locate images but was in the outbuilding attic, took new pictures,

images are:

https://imgur.com/4bm96IC

 

[bugnut]

more images

https://imgur.com/YWQBsIU
https://imgur.com/ensRb2t
https://imgur.com/93IJL1p
https://imgur.com/4bm96IC

the pull down stairs are rated for 375 lbs so i can shove 100 lbs on them and still be safe!!

 

[4x4OnTheShore]

maybe I missed it, but I'm looking at doing the same thing too for my wife. She'll be getting (2) full height walls as well. I have to do metal ceiling since the trusses are 4' on center. We are going to attach the top plate to the trusses but how do you attach the 2x4's to the metal walls/ceiling, especially if there is a ridge there? Just trying to make it look as clean as possible.

 

[AA7483]

Can I just attached my 2 walls directly to the existing metal walls and the. Just insulate and cover with matching metal? I was debating steel studs but but I think I should stick with metal since I may put sheling and wood is stronger. Can I get away with 24" OC?

Sent from my Pixel XL using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[bugnut]

I found the files and this is the links to original framing images for the office in my outbuilding

https://imgur.com/g7WnYqZ
https://imgur.com/DydvwNd
https://imgur.com/MPamYaJ
https://imgur.com/h7uAAxd
https://imgur.com/GFk9rd4
https://imgur.com/8pF5wP3
https://imgur.com/AFO0U26

Please note, had help framing from a retired carpenter and I had a retired pal who is a structural engineer bless the construction.

 

[Dragfluid]

One thing I haven't seen anyone say is, unless you're Shaq or Michael, you don't need an 8' ceiling in the office. I'm 6-2, and my ceiling is 7' and it has a light fixture on it. The top of the door trim is right next to the ceiling.