Tag Archives: nails

Covered Arena, Nail Numbers, and Clear Spans!

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: My daughter has taken up roping, and I would like to build a covered arena so she can practice year round. Note I said covered, not enclosed. I am not sure I can afford an enclosed arena, but can a covered arena. My question is, what size should this be? I have read that 120 x 240 is the smallest. Also, she does poles and barrels. We would use the arena for this also.
thanks GEORGE in HOPKINSVILLE

Arena InteriorDEAR GEORGE: Having raised a “horse” daughter, I can empathize – it is not a hobby for the faint of pocketbook. In post frame construction, it is often more economical to cover some or all of the sides, rather than constructing just a roof. For roping, even the professionals usually stick to 70 to 80 foot widths and 18 foot eave heights, in order to keep the investment down. For barrel racing, 120 foot does seem to be the most common competitive width, however when faced with erected costs which can run easily upwards of a quarter of a million dollars compromises are usually made to fit within a more comfortable budget amount (again, usually going with a narrower width).

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: How do you figure per SQ FT how many nails you will need. MIKE in SIOUX FALLS

DEAR MIKE: Square footage really has nothing to do with the number of nails needed. For 10d common framing nails, a general rule is five pounds for each 20 dimensional 2” lumber pieces. Nailing T1-11, wood or composite sheeting with 8d commons? Usually a pound will do about two 4’x8’ sheets. For joist hanger nails, conventional 2×6 hangers take a pound of 10d common x 1-1/2” nails for each eight hangers.

Keep in mind these are merely approximations. Actual usage may vary due to specific building design requirements or individual installation techniques.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I’m looking at your 60×120 pole barn kit.
Is that a clear span? I’m planning on making a riding arena and not wanting poles in the riding area.

Thanks MIKE in ARDMORE

Horse ArenaDEAR MIKE: Unless you for some reason wanted to have interior columns, the 60’ x 120’ pole barn (post frame building) kit package would indeed be a clearspan. We can also provide wider, longer or a combination of the two. For more reading on perfect riding arenas: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/07/the-perfect-indoor-riding-arena/.

 

 

Roof Trusses? Contractor Reviews, and Insulation Installation!

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I would like to rip off my current roof of trusses that are made of 2x4s 2 feet on center with new one of mono-pitched trusses that are every 4-ft or less on center. The roofing material on top of the new trusses would be a SIP panel of some sort. The unfinished ceiling would be the bottom of the SIP panel. The house would have exposed trusses to create a loftier feel as the ceilings are currently too low. (house is 28 ft wide by 30 feet long)

Is this something that you can help with — the design & manufacture of the trusses/roof?

Thanks! NATHAN in KIRKLAND

DEAR NATHAN: Your Building Department is going to require engineer sealed plans in order to issue a building permit for your project. As such, your best bet is to hire a local engineer who is experienced in wood frame construction to provide your plans. They should come out to your house and do a thorough investigation into the adequacy of the structure to support the loads.

Some thoughts to consider – SIPs are going to prove to be very expensive. You could create a more spacious feel by constructing a knee wall on top of one of the existing walls, then use I joists or parallel chord trusses – either of which can be insulated between to give an adequate R value.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: How can I find independent customer reviews in Washington state for Pride in Construction. GINGER in TACOMA

DEAR GINGER: Getting independent customer reviews on any building contractor anywhere is a challenge, as most builders do not construct enough buildings to develop much of a track record either good or bad.

Here are the seven steps to not getting yourself burned by any contractor, follow these: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2013/07/contractor-6/ and require a performance bond and you will greatly limit your risk of not getting the finished product you expected. Here is Performance Bond information: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/07/contractor-bonding/.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I will be installing insulation under the steel roof. Are staple guns the best choice for temporary stabilization until the roof is added? What length staples? Which gauge staples? Narrow? Electric, air or grip staple gun? Recommendations? I will be using metal tape to join each roll of insulation side-by-side.

Trying not to re-invent the wheel, that’s why I went Hansen of course. RALPH in KENNEWICK

DEAR RALPH: From Chapter 14 of the Hansen Pole Buildings’ Installation Guide: Using a minimum 5/16” galvanized staple, staple through insulation to eave purlin top. As an alternative to staples, 1” galvanized roofing nails (with the big plastic washers) also work well.

These fasteners are only going to be needed long enough to get a sheet of steel on top of them, so there is no occasion to get fancy at this juncture. I’ve found a tack hammer to be more than adequate.

Keep in mind, the one edge of each roll of A1V insulation has a pull strip on it, with adhesive under the pull strip. This eliminates the need to use rolls of tape to adjoin each piece of insulation.

 

Construction Tape, Instead of Nails to Build Pole Buildings

Building TapeI’m always on board (pun intended) for new, interesting and different ideas. This one certainly qualifies!

German researchers are working on a quick-setting construction tape which can bond lumber members together. They’ve developed an adhesive tape, which sets in under a minute to reliably and durably bond together individual components.

The construction tape doesn’t dry out, so it can be applied to one member, and does not have to be immediately sealed to other pieces.

The entire process is possible because the adhesive material actually envelops a metal strip which serves as a heating system. When the construction tape is stuck onto a piece of wood, the part contacting the wood warms, allowing it to seep into the wood grains. It then cools, creating a bond. Stick another piece of wood on the other side of the tape, the same process is repeated, and the two pieces are sealed together.

While the process currently takes about a minute, the aim is to speed it up.

Researchers feel they have found the perfect adhesive, but they still are working on finding the ideal metal for the heating strip. Besides brass, scientists are also testing stainless steel and aluminum.

“As the adhesive tape is designed to be used primarily for load-bearing bonding in buildings, it has to possess structural strength and durable adhesive qualities,” says Dr. Andreas Zillessen of WKI (Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut).

The time frame for real life testing of the product is about six months away.

Imagine – instead of whacking my thumb with a framing hammer, I will now be able to permanently tape my hands together!