True horse riding arenas are big buildings. Even a relatively small one at 60 foot wide by 120 feet long is a big building – 7200 square feet. Add on a decent width (12 foot as a minimum) aisleway and (10) 12 foot square spaces for stalls, wash racks, tack and/or feed rooms and we […]

While post frame construction (in my humble opinion) gives the most value for construction dollars invested, there are just some cases where clients just are not aware. This reader wants to maximize the height of a sliding door opening on a stick frame building. HOWARD in COEUR d’ALENE writes: “Greetings, I am stick-building my own […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have four skylights with old fiberglass panels that are in need of being replaced. I doubt the design of the panel can be matched easily but am wondering if I send you a piece of it if it can be. I understand the way to go is with a polycarbonate, […]

Some things in life amaze me – magicians are one of them. I have no idea how the do what they do, but I am totally fascinated by them (you can read about my college experience with a magician here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2014/08/lumber-bending/). One of the other things which amaze me are how clients will invest tens […]

One of the great things about being the Pole Barn Guru is helping people who have construction challenges of all sorts – even those who do not have post frame buildings. Here is a recent one: Hi Pole Barn Guru, and thanks for your informative website and blog. I’m using email rather than the website […]

In the land where I first became acquainted with pole barn (post frame) building construction, was used a term known as commercial girts. These are actually what is more appropriately named “bookshelf girts” designed so as to create an insulation cavity which would extend 1-1/2 inches outside of the columns. The commercial girt is sized […]

Many believe the term “shotgun house” was due to a bullet could be fired through the front door and go right out the rear door without hitting any walls! More appropriately evidence has it the name shotgun house came from a corruption of the West African term “shogun” which means God’s House. Reader Sheree from […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: For a span of 84 feet, which is cheaper, a single slope roof or a gabled roof? ANTHONY in NEW ORLEANS DEAR ANTHONY: At almost any span a gabled roof is going to be less expensive. At an 84 foot span, without question it will be significantly so. DEAR POLE BARN […]

Here is a case where investing in a post frame building kit from people who have actually constructed buildings is a huge asset (am surmising this is not the case, since this person sent the Hansen Pole Buildings Technical Support email address a plea for help). Reader James writes: “I have a 24 x 60 […]

Well, maybe not exactly the same building. Yesterday I ran a beginning list of comparison’s between a Hansen Building quote and a quote by one of our competitors espoused to be “exactly the same” by a client of ours. The saga continues: Powder coated diaphragm screws vs. #10 diameter painted screws . Those who are […]

Well, maybe not exactly the same building. In April of this year we had a client invest in a brand new 36 foot wide by 60 foot long post frame building kit package with a 16 foot eave height. Three months later, the building has been delivered, and one of the group which ordered the […]

Best Agricultural Building Supply Company – Midwest USA The awards just keep rolling in as Hansen Pole Buildings has been named the Best Agricultural Building Supply Company in the Midwest USA by Build-News! Now we would like to believe we do a pretty fair job at providing “The Ultimate Post Frame Building Experience™” to our […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hi, my husband and I are looking I to purchasing a small piece of land and want to build a pole barn home on it. I’m envisioning 4 bed upstairs with 2 bath and a loft area and on the main floor a master bed with bath , kitchen/dining, great room […]

No, I did not hit my head, there are some legitimate reasons not to invest in a new Hansen Pole building. 1. Land For some it is they do not own “the dirt” and in a few cases never will. For those who do not yet own the dirt, or don’t have it picked out, […]

Progress in Technology: Dirt Late Model Auto Racing I am not as mechanically challenged as my lovely bride would have people believe. Modern technology has taken some things to the point where the average person just cannot do the work. Personal case in point, here is the story: I have been riding motorcycles since not […]

Should I Hire a Local Engineer and Work With a Lumber Yard? Let’s hope not. Here is the email which triggered this article: “Hello,  I am building a 50×60 pole building with 22′ eaves. I’m shopping right now to either hire a local PE to design the structure and work with my local lumber yard to […]

Solutions! The Key to a Successful Post Frame Building When one considers the tremendous number of individual components and the thousands of people who touch these pieces from concept to jobsite, it is amazing anything ever gets built! I ran some numbers once – tracked the rough path of all of the parts for a […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I would like to see if there is a product out there for the back of my barn. My barn is set up with two stall doors. The back door allows the horses to go into their pastures 24/7. I currently have tin on wooden doors and this cuts them up […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Will I have problem with moisture in the wall if I nail drywall to the gerts and leave the 6×6 poles exposed? I may put a stove for heat in it while I am in it occasionally. I have insulted the roof. Concrete floor. JAMES in NEW ALBANY DEAR JAMES: Provided […]

Hansen Pole Buildings’ Managing Partner Eric had messaged me this morning to ask if I had ever heard of FRT lumber for roof trusses.  While I had never (in my days in the truss industry) manufactured any trusses using Dricon® Fire Retardant Treated (FRT) wood, I am familiar with it. Whether you’re using plywood or lumber, […]

More and more consumers are seeing the practicality, unique architectural and energy savings advantages as well as cost savings from a post frame home. This includes loyal reader Brian who writes: Hello, my wife and I are considering building a post frame home. We contacted a designer who actually had plans for a home that […]

Reader JUSTIN in MONROE writes: “Hello. Hopefully an easily answered question? I have built a 52×30 post frame, steel siding and roof. Walls have Tyvek between steel and girts. Roof is steel directly on purlins with no barrier of any kind. It has a concrete slab and I plan to periodically heat it during winter […]

This is construction, things happen. The true mark of how any particular project goes is not everything going perfectly without a hitch, it is the ability to solve challenges when they arise. The scenario below is one which I have never had a DIY person do (shout out to all of you who are putting […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hey Guru! I’m getting ready to build a pole barn and I will have to remove a tree. The tree is basically right in the middle of what the floor will be. I will be putting a concrete floor in and was wondering do I have to completely remove the stump […]

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. […]