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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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): […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

One Foot And it isn’t the left or the right one! Actually the one foot I have in mind is the difference in width between a standard 36 inch width entry door and a 48 inch wide one. Oh what a difference the extra foot makes! And most of the difference is not in cost. […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello, I have a steel shop (30×50) that I need to have the existing roll up door (10×12) removed and a rolling steel barn door to replace it so that I can get 13.8ft of clearance to get my 5th wheel in to it. It appears you sell these doors (picture […]

History of the Development of a National Standard of Practice for Wood Design From time-to-time you might see the term NDS® (National Design Specification® for Wood Construction appear in my blogs, and it is referenced on every set of Hansen Pole Buildings plans, as well as within the International Building Codes. Me, being the curious […]

Don’t Cut Trusses! In regards to cutting trusses, an excerpt from the NDS® (National Design Specification for Lumber®) is quoted in the Hansen Pole Buildings’ Construction Manual: “Cutting and altering of trusses is not permitted. If any truss should become broken, damaged, or altered, written concurrence and approval by a licensed design professional is required.” […]

I Want to Add a Steel Ceiling This must be my week for receipt of good questions which require lengthy answers in order to do justice to the subject. Here is another one: DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have a 42 x 60 with insulation in walls and roof, 26 gauge metal, wood trusses, 10 […]

Double Bi-parting Sliding Doors for an Airplane Hangar Every once in a while I get asked a Dear Pole Barn Guru question which just demands its own space in order to do the subject topic true justice. This happens to be one of them. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I want to build a 50x40x16 for […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What is the minimum height of a RV garage and which size overhead door is needed to store a 5th wheel travel trailer or class A motor-home? JOHN IN COUPEVILLE DEAR JOHN: If you want to insure you do the job right and have the clear space you will need for […]