Pole Barn Pole Depth

[Tscott]

I plan to set 16' PT poles for the pole barn I am going to build. To get max height can I set these 16' poles 2' deep pour concrete around them and tie them into the pad with re-bar run through them? Is this too shallow to set these posts?

I figure they will be susceptible to tipping until they are all tied together at the tops with a doubled up 2x10" but then they should be as structurally stiff as they need to be. And as long as they are tied to the pad when it is poured, there should be no problem with uplift.

What do you all think?

Tom

 

[Kevin54]

And as long as they are tied to the pad when it is poured, there should be no problem with uplift.

I would go more than 2'. I have seen 3-4' on the average in our location. You would want to have your pole depth set below frost line if you are in a n area that see frost. Our area is 36" for frost line so all post are set below that so frost heave will not bother them.

 

[nonhog]

Just guessing the dept I saw on mine was close to 4' ? there has got to be codes in your area . Check your county should have online guides.

 

[Bib Overalls]

3-4 feed is typical here. And our frost line is no where near that deep. All the pole builders here trim the posts to a uniform height after they are set, squared up and the purlins are in place. Be difficult to do it any other way. With a little care, a 16' pole should be good for a 12' wall.

 

[Palmetto]

My post hole digger with a 12" auger & extension will dig 5'-0" deep. My corner poles are 5"dia. well casing, and my intermediate poles 4" dia. sch. 40 line pipe. We where off on my corners holes some, so I had to hand dig them out to be able to get the corners square. I ended up putting 10 bags in each corner hole! Sheesh....that was allot of mixing.

 

[rodnok1]

2 foot isn't deep enough for tip over or uplift. Ever set a 8" fence post only 2 feet deep, they tip over fairly easily. I wouldn't drill through them either. I set mine 48" deep set on 18"x 8" footers. Some plans call for nails into sides of posts to aid in uplift. Make sure to use diagonal bracing on walls or they can rack even with headers on.

 

[Wardster]

I drilled holes ~42" deep and installed a bracket made by Samson Strong-Tie that is cast into the concrete. The benefit of this connector is that it allows you to install the posts without burying them. I went this route because there were a number of pole barns in the area whose poles had rotted requiring replacement.

This also allowed me to install a 20' post for a 20' outside wall.

I used the CB66, which you can see at their website:

http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/LCB-CB.asp

-Wardster

 

[Tscott]

The hope was that I could use a 16' pole and still get a 12' clearance door. But what I realized was that the top of the header for that door would be at 12' making the door about 11' 2" tall. So my thought was that if I could set the pole shallow and tie it into the floor slab then I would get my 12' without sacrificing any structural strength.

It sounds like I need to go with longer poles to accomodate my higher doors. I do like the idea of the simpson strong ties, but i was planning to build in sections with the pole barn section of the structure going in first, but using those I would need to come up with all the cash for the foundation first thing. If I go this rout then I might as well stick build the structure on the slab.

I live in north Florida, so there is no suuch thing as a frost line here.

Tom

 

[Palmetto]

A few pics of setting the poles.

 

[kbs2244]

A pole gets most of it's load bearing ability from the friction with the dirt along the sides of the hole.
That is why you see the powerline guys do so much tamping when they set a pole.
Even without frost you should be going 4 foot deep.

 

[Wardster]

A pole gets most of it's load bearing ability from the friction with the dirt along the sides of the hole.
That is why you see the powerline guys do so much tamping when they set a pole.
Even without frost you should be going 4 foot deep.

x2. You need to prevent the uplift, especially in Florida.

-Wardster

 

[Bevis]

x2. You need to prevent the uplift, especially in Florida.

-Wardster

let's just up that x 1000