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Pole Barn / Post Frame Innovations

jives

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 4, 2013
Messages
2,804
Location
Central NY
What innovations have come to pole barns or post frame buildings?

i've got two pole barns on my property. The first is 22 x 22, 1.5 story mini-barn that I built myself. The next is a 32 x 42 x 14 structure housing my garage and shop, built by the Amish. Both are built relatively the same, except that the large building uses perma columns and trusses and bookcase girts, the small building had posts directly in the ground and uses rafters and tradition girts.

Pole barns (which may or may not be the same as a post-frame building), have graduated from crudely built ag building to sophisticated homes and commercial spaces. Without any discussion of post frame vs. pole barn, what are some of the innovations that any future builder should be looking at, particularly in building ease, building longevity, ability to finish with high grade materials. Here are some examples. . .
1. Most pole barns use a pressure treated skirt board, which may rot over time. There seems to exist galvanized steel skirts, composite board skirts, and concrete skirts, but they are not common. There are also sleeves for posts and skirt boards.
2. What about brick ledges?
3. Permacolumns and poured piers with brackets have made a huge inroad in any building designed for a long life. Squaring and leveling piers/brackets is always a pain. Anything better out there?
4. Interior finishing, e.g., bookcase girts vs. traditional vertical stick framed interior walls in-between the posts, can be problematic. Bookcase girts form a hanging wall that if tied to the concrete floor can be susceptible to heaving. Vertical stick framing is depending on the stability of a poured slab that is not tied to a stem wall.
5. Top girder and truss attachment. Some trusses are simply spaced 3-4' or so, with purlins generally nailed flat. Some trusses are doubled up and only placed on the posts. Purlins are then placed on hangers in-between the trusses. Any advantage to either? is there a better way?
6. What about the use of SIPs with pole barns? (structural insulated panels).

Thoughts, with links?
 
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sjvicker

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Joined
Aug 9, 2014
Messages
602
Location
SW Washington
Regarding #5 I think this is more regional than anything on what is dictating truss spacing and connection method.

You could also add a poured perimeter foundation with post brackets to your list of options. I've seen this a lot on the RR buildings builds on youtube and am currently waiting for my permit approval on a structure using this method.
 
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THETANK

Active member
Joined
Jan 24, 2018
Messages
42
Location
Maryland
What innovations have come to pole barns or post frame buildings?

i've got two pole barns on my property. The first is 22 x 22, 1.5 story mini-barn that I built myself. The next is a 32 x 42 x 14 structure housing my garage and shop, built by the Amish. Both are built relatively the same, except that the large building uses perma columns and trusses and bookcase girts, the small building had posts directly in the ground and uses rafters and tradition girts.

Pole barns (which may or may not be the same as a post-frame building), have graduated from crudely built ag building to sophisticated homes and commercial spaces. Without any discussion of post frame vs. pole barn, what are some of the innovations that any future builder should be looking at, particularly in building ease, building longevity, ability to finish with high grade materials. Here are some examples. . .
1. Most pole barns use a pressure treated skirt board, which may rot over time. There seems to exist galvanized steel skirts, composite board skirts, and concrete skirts, but they are not common. There are also sleeves for posts and skirt boards.
2. What about brick ledges?
3. Permacolumns and poured piers with brackets have made a huge inroad in any building designed for a long life. Squaring and leveling piers/brackets is always a pain. Anything better out there?
4. Interior finishing, e.g., bookcase girts vs. traditional vertical stick framed interior walls in-between the posts, can be problematic. Bookcase girts form a hanging wall that if tied to the concrete floor can be susceptible to heaving. Vertical stick framing is depending on the stability of a poured slab that is not tied to a stem wall.
5. Top girder and truss attachment. Some trusses are simply spaced 3-4' or so, with purlins generally nailed flat. Some trusses are doubled up and only placed on the posts. Purlins are then placed on hangers in-between the trusses. Any advantage to either? is there a better way?
6. What about the use of SIPs with pole barns? (structural insulated panels).

Thoughts, with links?
In reference to #3 you also have these posts as an option.
Green Post
Green Post Interview

Also, these screws might be worth looking at.
ZXL Screws

I used both on my building and I have no complaints.

In reference to # 1 there are also these Skirt Board Protector. I did not use them but looked at them.
 
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