Building Materials: Inventory and Inspection Like many suppliers of pole buildings kits, whether “standard” or completely “custom” kits, such as ours, I’m sure I am barking up a familiar tree.  What does building materials inventory involve?  Let me tell you about one of my most frustrating stories first. The one which first comes to mind, […]

This week readers “ask the Guru” about “residential kits and how it comes to my site. Is it built or does it need to be assembled,” Designing for Snow Loads in northern Minnesota, and Finding a Builder in Wyoming. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hi. I’m interested in one of your residential kits and how it […]

How to Prep Your Site for a Pole Barn Deciding to add a pole barn to your property can be exciting, and you may already be envisioning how you’ll use this new space. However, before you get too carried away planning your pole barn’s layout and features, you’ll need to choose a building site and […]

Floor Plans vs. Structural Building Plans Floor (architectural) plans and structural building plans are two completely different animals and should not be confused with each other. Architectural plans show what your home will look like, structural plans detail skeletal aspects and structural stability. In jurisdictions requiring structural plan reviews and inspections floor plans only will […]

This week readers “Ask the Guru” about a remedy to eliminate a frost heave issue with post heave, advice for a “house/barn combo,” and shipping a building package to Prince of Wales Alaska. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have a question. I have a pole and half the posts are heaving up. The old owners […]

Barndominium Electrical Outlets No matter how many electrical outlets I plan for, it feels as if there were never enough where I really need them. There are some basic minimum rules, however when planning your barndominium or shop/house – think about places you might need more than these requirements. It is much easier to have […]

In a previous article, I gave credit to a post frame industry pioneer, Mr. Henry Getz, of Morton Buildings, for being innovative in the introduction of scissor trusses to post frame construction. Now I will tell you, gentle reader, of a scissor truss consideration which you have probably never considered – horizontal deflection. When sealed […]

This Wednesday readers “Ask the Guru” about issues such as how to best insulate a residence and garage in KY, the best method to resist uplift, and what the “optimal dimensions” might be for a 2 story, 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom home. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Insulation questions. Lexington KY Zone 4. Residential req. Roof […]

Flash-and-Batt Insulating Barndominium Walls We’re in a seemingly never ending cycle of racing towards net zero post frame homes, shouses (shop/houses) and barndominiums (read more on net zero post frame here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2019/01/net-zero-post-frame-homes/).  One possible design solution involves what is known as “flash-and-batt” where two inches of closed cell spray foam insulation is applied to steel […]

Spray Foam for Barndominiums – Is a Thermal or Ignition Barrier Required? Although it’s certainly not used in every green building project, spray foam insulation has become a popular way to build an air-tight (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2019/11/airtight-post-frame-homes-and-barndominiums/) barndominium, shouse (shop/house) or even just a well-insulated post frame building. Early on building codes hadn’t caught up with how […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about FEMA information about wind factors like hurricanes, tornado or earthquakes, Delivery to East Jordan, MI, and advice on a header beam for a porch. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I do not see any FEMA information per wind factors like hurricane or tornado or earthquake… Do […]

Minimum Design Loads and Risk Model Building Codes, such as IBC (International Building Code), offer minimum design loads for climactic forces such as snow and wind. As building permit issuing agencies adopt codes, within their scope they can establish minimum values for their particular jurisdiction. Key word here “minimum” – least values a building may […]

What is a Degree Day? In an article penned a year ago (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2021/11/insulated-ceiling-vapor-barrier/), I referenced building scientist and founding principal of Building Science Corporation Joe Lstiburek. Joe stated, “Plastic vapor barriers should only be installed in vented attics in climates with more than 8,000 heating degree days.” However my bad was, I did not define […]

This week readers “Ask the Guru” about a Hansen Building using a Horton Stack Door, or a FoldTite Door in an ag building in Florida, if Hansen can design a lean-to addition, and if all buildings are designed with “treated steel.” DEAR POLE BARN GURU: 50′ w x 50′ d x 12′ h (possibility of […]

Air Spaces in Walls Reader GARY in HAMILTON writes: “My building is metal. I beams, 6 inch purlins and R panel exterior. I am going to finish the interior with sheet rock. 1. If I put up 2×4 stud wall plus a radiant sheet plus R-13 rock wool insulation. Do I need to be concerned […]

Re-roofing a 1960’s Pole Barn Reader JEFF in GRESHAM writes: “I have an older (built in the 60’s?) pole building that needs a new roof. It is a typical metal over 2×6 purlins (Purlins 2′ on center, trusses 12′ apart). Current roof is corrugated metal attached with ring shank nails with rubber washers and it leaks […]

This Wednesday readers “Ask the Guru” about “flashing tape” for a wall to roof transition, if a person could build an indoor skateboard training facility, and if Hansen has a catalog available. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am having a steel pole barn built. Where a vertical wall meets the roof, the builder completed both […]

Stud Walls Between Post-Frame Columns for Alternative Sidings? Reader JAKE brings up an interesting question: “Hello! I was looking at the blog for a question I had about wall girts for post frame buildings… I was wondering that if a form of siding is installed on the building other than sheet metal, needing wall sheathing, […]

Closed Cell Spray Foam Adhesion to Dis-similar Materials Reader GREG in ASHEVILLE writes: “How long will closed cell foam maintain adhesion/air barrier function to dis-similar materials (sheet metal and lumber in the case of post frame)? I ask because my experience with foam is limited to what was sprayed beneath my floor/floor joists (estimating late […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello, I am going to tear down a 30x40x10 pole building to rebuild on my property. I noticed that the trusses are spaced 10 feet apart and are set on the 6×6 pole that has been notched. With no header board. This is an all metal building. Was wondering if this […]

Why Your New Barndominium Should Be Post Frame For those who follow me – you know I am all about people loving their end results. As long as one has a fully engineered building they love, I couldn’t be more pleased, regardless of the structural system. In My Humble Opinion – fully engineered post frame […]

Full Frost Wall Foundation? Reader AARON in ROSEVILLE writes: “Assuming (not yet verified) that I don’t need a full frost wall foundation for my barndo, wondering about the pros/cons for full frost wall vs pier footings in southern MN. Obviously there is the cost difference, but when it comes to building performance(in the winter), would […]

Following the severe weather of this morning (Monday June 29th) across the Dakotas, we thought a repost of the question about the safety of post frame in a tornado would be appropriate. This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about the safety of a pole barn in the event of a tornado, whether […]

Order of Construction Reader DANIEL in SAINT JOSEPH writes: “Hi Mike, I am looking to start building in the next year or two on my up north Minnesota cabin land. I was planning on doing my own general contracting to save. In what order would you recommend I schedule the subs to do their work […]

Rehashing Eave Height- It seems we can’t emphasize this enough, having recently been told by a builder that, “a buffer of up to 3-1/2″ is an acceptable height difference.” For those wondering, it is not (acceptable). Eave height on post frame buildings seems to be a challenge for some folks. At Hansen Pole Buildings, we […]