Help me decide, pole barn vs. stick!

[Splinter]

It's driving me nuts! I can think of ads/disads for each, but can't make up my mind.

2/3 of it will be a little garage/workshop, typical small power tools, maybe an eventual compressor, workbenches, etc. 1/3 of it will be storage of some sort.

It will have a few windows, metal siding/roof.

What are your preferences/opinions? Post up advantages and disadvantages of each.

edit: the possibility of a lift in the far future has crossed my mind...

 

[Lloydthumper]

I feel your pain It took me three years to decide on stick pole or metal and I finally built or am building a stick built but I am still not sure I made the right choice I am building it myself I started with a friend helping for a week If I would have built a pole building I would have finished everything in that one week. But a stick built building is much stronger in my opinion but unless you live where there is high wind Either is just as good.

 

[Splinter]

trust me, my wife isn't going to wait 3 years for me to make up my mind, me tossing it back and forth for a month is driving her crazy. I told her "See! That's what a man feels like!"

wind... typical midwest really, nothing really bad unless it storms

 

[rodnok1]

If you are going 8-10' max height or are planning to insulate everything stick buit is easier IMO, since you prob have to frame walls for insulation anyways. If you are not insulating pole style is cheaper and possibly easier. If going 12+ feet high it's expensive with stick built, plus lumber size goes up. Where you can go 12-14 easy with pole style. Overall size has a great deal to do with style also. For example 24x24x8 would be easier/cheaper stick built,40x60x10 would be pole style. Both styles would generally use trusses also. Metal siding on both would be a toss up on style since you would prob install girts on both.

Stick Pro's
cheaper when smaller building/shorter
easier to insulate walls
easier to construct overall since no post holes to dig
Pour slab first
Builder's have more experience doing this type of building(big plus if not doing work yourself)

Pole style Pros
Cheaper when going bigger/wider/taller
Can get barn packages pretty cheap from lumber places

Pole style Cons
Lots of holes to dig and pole to set.
Not alot of help available for framing questions/experiences on this type of building(quite a bit here, but the details will kill you if you haven't done on before)

 

[Splinter]

thanks rodnok!

I'm planning on going about 30x30 with it. The stick construction is favorable to me because I have experience from helping my uncle build our house, and feel that I can do most of it (with a helper) myself. Pole barn... I have no clue on the details. I was looking at a couple from the inside today and said "how did they come up with the measurements for that?"

But a pole can be so much cheaper....urrrgh.

 

[imported_banzaitoyota]

Build a "pole barn"

Use Stick building to fill in between the posts.

 

[Ruff]

Why not do the best of both worlds? I have a metal building with steel framing. Very easy to install and finish out.

 

[volvo]

.
Ruff, Nice looking building.** For a moment there it looked like you had installed a transparent blue tinted roofing material....H

 

[HabitatPro]

mines a pole barn and insulation was a breeze. Morton sells bats that are 7 feet wide to go inbetween the posts...no special framing

 

[PhantomEB]

If i was out of the city, it would be steel framed, if in the city it be stick and studs!