How to Avoid a Disastrous DIY Pole Barn Project

Posted by polebarnguru on 09/07/2016
How to Avoid a Disastrous DIY Pole Barn Project

How to Avoid a Disastrous DIY Pole Barn Project I’d like to thank Bret Buelo of Wick Buildings for the basis of this article, which appeared on the Wick Buildings website (www.wickbuildings.com) August 12, 2016. Information from Bret’s article appears here in italics along with my own input as well. Wick Buildings is highly rated […]

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Pole Barn Vetting

Posted by polebarnguru on 09/06/2016
Pole Barn Vetting

Colorado Springs, Colorado Post Frame Buildings “It’s all about the building”, one of my favorite quotes from my favorite writer – me. In all seriousness, the quote is one of my favorite sayings, and I have lots of favorite writers with far better literary skills than I. Part of what, “It’s all about the building”, […]

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Dear Pole Barn Guru: Does steel come precut?

Posted by polebarnguru on 09/05/2016
Dear Pole Barn Guru: Does steel come precut?

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am looking for a price on double sliding doors that have an opening of 15’ wide x 12’ tall.  I have attached some pictures for clarification.  I also need to know if these doors can be mechanically opened as well as manually opened.  Can someone give me a call to […]

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Nature Center Post Frame Buildings

Posted by polebarnguru on 09/02/2016
Nature Center Post Frame Buildings

Nestled in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State is Cayuga County, the home of the Sterling Nature Center (https://www.facebook.com/sterlingnaturecenter/). This spectacular 1400 acre site, with nearly two miles of Lake Ontario shoreline, has been granted a conservation easement by the State of New York. This unique park features glacially-formed bluffs, with scenic vistas […]

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All Columns Are Not Created Equal

Posted by polebarnguru on 09/01/2016
All Columns Are Not Created Equal

Back in 2000, I had the pleasure of working with Dale Schiferl when we were both with Gruenwald Engineered Laminates, Inc.™ (https://gruen-wald.com/) , manufacturers of (among other things) glu-laminated columns for post frame (pole) buildings. Dale and I both moved on, Dale to open Timber Technologies, LLC, the manufacturer of Titan Timbers™. Dale and his […]

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Termites and Pole Barns

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/31/2016
Termites and Pole Barns

A Buggy Situation A client writes to Justine (the Hansen Pole Buildings’ Order Fulfillment goddess) this week: “I was hoping to get some advice.  I’m still working on the building having just completed rafter placement and was starting to pull apart the two bundles of lumber for the purlins.  When I started pulling boards out […]

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Pole Barn Classrooms

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/30/2016
Pole Barn Classrooms

When I attended Bowdish Junior High School in the early 1970s it was located in a rapidly growing area of the Spokane Valley of Washington. When the classrooms were filled beyond capacity, the school district opted to throw their resources into the rental of temporary classrooms (also known as portables). As an adult, and knowing […]

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Dear Pole Barn Guru: Clearspan Monitor Buildings

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/29/2016
Dear Pole Barn Guru: Clearspan Monitor Buildings

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I’m looking into building a 32 x 72 pole structure as a residence on our property in the Colorado Springs area. We would like a raised floor instead of a concrete pad. I’ve been assuming that we could attach the flooring system to the foundation poles. Are there any structural issues […]

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Just Say No!

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/26/2016
Just Say No!

You Want It When? A week from Tuesday is going to find a life milestone has been passed – it will be after Labor Day. Or as we know it in the pole barn industry, the Panic Point. When I was a post frame (pole) building contractor in the 1990’s based in Northeast Washington state, […]

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Andy Rooney’s Words on Barns

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/24/2016
Andy Rooney’s Words on Barns

The late American radio and television writer Andy Rooney joined CBS television in 1949, however is probably best known for his end of the show segment on the CBS News program 60 Minutes, “A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney”, which appeared from 1978 to 2011. Andy had a few words on barns, which I will […]

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Just Another Reason to Love Builders

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/23/2016
Just Another Reason to Love Builders

Please keep in mind, I was a post frame (pole) building contractor in a past life. With as many as 35 crews erecting buildings in six states – if something could possibly go awry, one of my crews would find a way to achieve it! Seriously. Some of them were creative in methods which I […]

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Dear Pole Barn Guru: Average Building Cost

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/22/2016
Dear Pole Barn Guru: Average Building Cost

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: LVL beams, 24 ft bay width, telephone/power poles as verticals. Should I sit the LVL on top of the poles, or bolt them to the sides? GEORGE IN WAKE FOREST DEAR GEORGE: You asked for my advice, so here it comes. I have to tell you this is wrong in so […]

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An Engineer Didn’t Design This Building

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/19/2016
An Engineer Didn’t Design This Building

If an Engineer Didn’t Structurally Design This Building, Then Who Did? Many of you have been reading the ongoing and sad saga of Jimmy’s building…..here is the next installment: Jimmy: “You should go buy a lottery ticket, I asked the builder, he told me only on industrial buildings do they use engineering plans. There is […]

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Why Pole Barn Columns Settle

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/18/2016
Why Pole Barn Columns Settle

Don't be Like Jimmy's Parents A new post frame (pole) building or barn is an investment, a very permanent investment. Readers have been following a couple of articles involving Jimmy's new building, which is NOT a Hansen Pole Building and Jimmy is not very happy. This is how the building was purchased (in Jimmy's words): […]

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Pole Barns Make Poor Runways

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/17/2016
Pole Barns Make Poor Runways

From a recent The Associated Press article:  CARDINGTON, OHIO The state Highway Patrol says a pilot injured his arm when his single engine airplane struck a barn and crashed in a pasture. Sixty-year-old Joe Dreyer, of Cardington, was piloting a Cessna 180 aircraft when he lost power attempting to land at his farm. Authorities say […]

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When the Loft Design Seems Inadequate

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/16/2016
When the Loft Design Seems Inadequate

One of the great things about post frame (pole) building construction is the ability to add interior raised spaces (think lofts, mezzanines and second stories). One of the most overlooked things about adding such space is proper engineering design. In general I have found them to be inadequate to support the loads. This can result […]

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Dear Pole Barn Guru: Service Area

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/15/2016
Dear Pole Barn Guru: Service Area

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you folks do business in Canada? Thanks JOANN IN THE GREAT WHITE NORTH DEAR JOANN: We do not ship to Canada, however you and our other Canadian friends can pickup buildings at any of our distribution points along the southern side of the border. All of our buildings will be […]

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Pole Barn Gone Awry with Building Contractor

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/12/2016
Pole Barn Gone Awry with Building Contractor

When things appear to be going from bad to worse The original question was posed by the reader, Jimmy, as to the adequacy of materials supplied to construct his new pole barn (by a builder, not a Hansen Pole Building). His story first appeared in my column just a few days ago. Here is Round […]

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When Everything Doesn’t Go Perfect Part II

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/11/2016
When Everything Doesn’t Go Perfect Part II

When Everything Doesn’t Go Perfect (and the sky falls) Part II To refresh your memory a bit, we had a client recently email us a letter outlining some of his challenge in getting his building project going. Read yesterday’s blog for Part I of this client’s challenges with his building project. Nothing but problems seemingly […]

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When Everything Doesn’t Go Perfect Part I

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/10/2016
When Everything Doesn’t Go Perfect Part I

When Everything Doesn’t Go Perfect (and the sky falls) The key to any successful construction project is not necessarily how everything went perfect, but instead it is how the things which did not go perfect were resolved. When one considers the average post frame building kit package materials have been touched by in excess of […]

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Will 4×6 Columns Carry the Load?

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/09/2016
Will 4×6 Columns Carry the Load?

Another excellent question from a soon to be new post frame (pole building) owner. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: The materials just arrived for my pole barn and construction is to start on Monday. The building will be 30×40 with attic trusses with an 8/12 pitch, 24 inches on center with a 1ft overhang (there is […]

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Dear Pole Barn Guru: Pole Building Foundations

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/08/2016
Dear Pole Barn Guru: Pole Building Foundations

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Planning on building a 24′ x 48′ structure in central southern Pennsylvania What type of foundation would be required? MIKE IN ERIE DEAR MIKE: Thank you very much for your question.  Here is some background from the Hansen Buildings Learning Center: Pole Building Foundations   The most practical and cost effective […]

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PEX Tubing

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/05/2016
PEX Tubing

I’ve espoused previously on the joys of hydronic radiant floor heating (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/08/radiant-floor-heating/) and would encourage anyone who is going to install a concrete slab on grade in their new (or existing) post frame (pole) building to consider at least making a provision for it in the future. As we all realize, once a concrete floor […]

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F Channel and Enclosed Soffits

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/04/2016
F Channel and Enclosed Soffits

My early days of post frame (pole) buildings came in the Pacific Northwest. In the early years, rarely did buildings have any overhangs…at least not beyond a few inches of roof steel extending past the siding. When building did have overhangs, they were always “open”. Open, in this sense, did not mean birds and other […]

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16 Foot Eave Height and Lofts

Posted by polebarnguru on 08/03/2016
16 Foot Eave Height and Lofts

We get a few requests for quotes from clients every day – actually more like a few hundred. With this volume of inquiries, it goes to figure we see and hear a broad variety of ideas. One of the more popular ones is clients who want a 16 foot tall eave height and a loft […]

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