New pole barn build-question about slope

[buckeyenut]

Hello all! i am new to the board but have reading quite a bit for a while now and hope to get some good advice from the group on my current project. I am in the process of building a 30x40x10 pole barn. Nothing fancy, just something to store my tractor and other toys in so that the wife can start parking in the garage again. (at least thats what I am telling her) I have my poles set and am starting to work on the framing. as it turns out my build site has a slope of about 6" from one end to the other. my questions is, should i set the first girt board flush on the ground on the low end and then dig down as i run towards the high side so that the bottom of the high end is in the soil. I am not planning on Concrete anytime soon so it will just be a gravel floor for at least a few years. Any help is GREATLY appreciated!!

Thanks,
Bill.

 

[wrigh003]

I guess it depends on how much dirt you'll have to move, either way. The way I have seen it done most is to kind of split the difference. Cut the high side into the slope a little and use the excavated dirt to bring up the low side. Dump some gravel in and park vehicles in it for a few years, and when you get ready for concrete you'll be about ready to go.

While you've got the dirt moving equipment out, see if you can get a french drain/ drain tile set up. My parents' barn (built long ago, not by any of us, mostly used for a couple horses and tractor storage) is at the bottom of a hill, and way less useful that it could be because it's built slap in the middle of where all the water from their land drains to. Something to think about.

 

[pinebarkauto]

Splitting the difference will save buying fill dirt but, if I understand correctly, one end of your floor will be below grade. Unless you do some sloping on the outside around that end, your sheeting will be in the dirt and you will have water problems inside.

 

[kbs2244]

Don't dig anything out.
Keep it high.
After the posts are set you can wall between them with landscaping timbers and then fill in up to the natural high level.

 

[rodnok1]

I agree with keeping it higher otherwise that end will let water in, I have mine so the high end is about 1 inch above grade(sloped away from building) and filled in about 6 inches on the low end just for the above reasons.