This Monday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about pole barn homes, help with finding a lender for a post frame home, and an insulation solution for a gambrel style building. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello, do you have any information on your pole barn homes? Looking to build in lower Michigan. HOLLY in […]

This Friday’s daily blog will feature three questions and answers from the Pole Barn Guru. First is a question about financing, followed by a question about a vapor barrier for an add-on lean-to, and then building a quite lengthy boat storage facility. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hi there. I’m looking to utilize a VA loan […]

Reader GEOFF in MILFORD has an often found potential challenge, he writes: “I am looking to build a 30×40 pole barn and want to also have a covered lean to for my camper that will run the length of the barn. In order to have the lean to tall enough for the camper how tall […]

Thoughts When Considering Building a Barndominium If you are reading this, you are probably somewhere between, “Living in a barndominium would be really cool” and “I wish I would have done…..” This is not meant to be a 100% comprehensive list, but may give some food for thought. The Importance of Location When it comes […]

Reader MICHAEL in EAGLE POINT writes: “I want to span 18 feet on a shed roof with any pitch necessary should I nail two 2x 6 rafters together and place this in the center and use 9 foot 2×6 purlins. The shed will be 18 X 18. Do I need to nail two 2×6 together […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about blog searches for weather proofing in rainy states, what shapes of buildings are out there– such as an “L” shaped building, and one that stumped the Guru- A term he hadn’t heard and can’t find on google. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What are some words […]

Post Frame Barndominium Building on Expansive Soils. When I was a 1990’s post frame building contractor we trained our sales team to be diligent in looking at soil cuts near where our potential clients were considering erecting new post frame buildings. These cuts could tell us much about what was happening below the surface and […]

Wide Clearspan Barndominium Floors Multi-story post frame barndominiums are embracing a great feature found in better stick framed homes – engineered prefabricated wood floor trusses. Loyal reader RICK in MONTICELLO writes: “First off, thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience in the blog and answering questions regarding post frame construction with us laymen! It is […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about “ceiling insulation” for a roof rebuild, the capabilities of our drafting and proprietary pricing program, and “what percentage of pole buildings are 24″ on center?” DEAR POLE BARN GURU: The birds have destroyed the front half of the ceiling insulation in our 40 x 60 […]

Kicking off 2021 Mike answers reader questions about standard dimensions of a shouse, pole barn plans in the UK, and the chances a building official will force buyer of a converted building to remove non-permitted work. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Was wondering if there are standard lengths/widths, such as 30 x 40 vs 36 x […]

Reader (and Realtor) JIM in NEW PALISTINE writes: “How can I participate in the post-frame industry as a Realtor?   How do people develop their custom residential interior designs?   How are residential pole barn projects coordinated A-Z? Okay, that was three.  Can you help me, please?” Mike the Pole Barn Guru responds: Post frame […]

This Monday the Guru answers questions about post rot due to pouring quickcrete below the posts, adapting post frame to floor plans, and running plumbing and electrical a super insulated post frame house. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I just got done building a pole barn. A task that’s a lot harder than I thought. My […]

How Much is the White Gambrel Barn? Reader ALLISON in SALIDA writes: “I’m wondering what it would cost to build the large white gambrel style barn that’s on your website.  Thanks!” This building has been featured in places like covers of NFBA’s post frame building design manual and Rural Builder magazine. It is truly a […]

Today’s Pole Barn Guru tackles reader questions about a “way to put a pitch on a flat carport roof,” when building is is cheaper to go “up or out,” and “extra” costs associated with poor site prep. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What is the fastest, least expensive way to put a pitch on a flat […]

How To Best Use Metal Building Insulation Loyal reader ANDY in SOUTH CAROLINA writes: “ I read with interest the article “What house wrap is good for” on your website and would like to include house wrap on a pole building I’m currently planning to build in the upstate of South Carolina.  Typically builders in […]

Minimum Steel Substrate Coating for Residential Steel Roof Panels When it comes to residential buildings – whether your barndominium or shouse (shop/house) is stick frame (stud walls), post frame, PEMB (pre-engineered metal building) or some other structural system with a steel roof, there is one import aspect of this roofing material frequently overlooked. Substrates Most […]

This week Mike the Pole Barn Guru discusses about insulation options, building plans for a back yard pavilion, and steel gauge for a “swing table.” DEAR POLE BARN GURU: We are well on our way toward breaking ground. Our biggest concerns that we seem to keep going back to are these. We want a tight, […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about the widest span a post frame building can be built, vapor barrier on a roof only structure, and the proper steps for planning a pole barn. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: How wide can you span? And approx cost per sq ft for an erected shell, […]

Continued from yesterday’s blog; Aside from code compliance or indoor air quality concerns, another reason to get a blower door test is to properly size your furnace or air conditioner. How leaky or tight your barndominium is can change how much heating/humidification or cooling/dehumidification you need. This then ties into how carefully your mechanical system […]

A trending garage accessory is an addition of a garage vehicle lift. Vehicle lifts provide many benefits for your post frame garage or shop than just being able to work on your vehicle. A vehicle lift for your garage is exactly what it sounds like, it will elevate your vehicle so you can either work on […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about column height for an eight foot one inch interior ceiling, what size bi-fold door for a hangar, and specific boards for a splash plank. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: New at this. If I am building a pole barn house and want 8 ft 1 inch […]

Thursday’s edition will tackle three more reader questions. First up is about how level a site must be before erecting a shop, second is about pole barn homes and the many options available, and third is a question about the best method to fix an issue left by a previous builder. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: […]

This Monday the Pole barn Guru answers questions about floor plan ideas for a monitor style building, plans for a “Zen Den” or “Party Barn” in an L shape, and whether or not it is worth adding reflective radian barrier under slab. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello, I am wondering if you have any floor […]

Post Frame Shouse Column Options – Risk vs. Reward Loyal readers will recall a recent post involving GREG in KENTWOOD (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2020/09/dont-want-pressure-treated-columns-in-the-ground/). Our discussion continues and I share below: “Mike, Thanks for the quick response.    If I was a sane man, not sure I am, if properly pressure treated lumber will last a few generations, why […]

Loading Gambrel Loft Space Loyal reader ANDY in OXFORD writes: “Mike, First, thanks for providing so much useful information to all of us. I’ve read about 1,200 of your blog entries so far, and I’ve learned so much. I have already priced a 30X36X11 Gambrel Roof building from Hansen for a woodworking shop. I’m committed […]

This Monday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about an ideal pole barn to convert into a house, the height of the exterior wall with an 11′ interior ceiling height, how clear span affects the costs of a horse arena. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Good Morning, We just put in an offer on land in […]

We’ll continue this week with a third day of Bonus PBG’s! Today Mike take care of reader questions about adding “double doors” to the high side of a lean to, insulation to building in Climate Zone 4A with R-49, and the feasibility of building in Alaska. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hi Mike, I am looking […]

Bonus Wednesday! The Pole Barn Guru has been inundated with questions. Let’s answer a few more. Move a hay barn? Building a Shouse, and the answer to “What all is in the pole barn kit?” DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I may move my 40 x 60 hay barn, wooden trusses, 6 x 6 poles. How […]

In our North American centric world we sometimes lose sight of post frame buildings being used all across our globe. Acquiring Building permits (consents in New Zealand) can be time consuming and expensive. New Zealand has made some policy changes to ease this process – especially for single story pole sheds (pole or post frame […]

With barndominiums, shouses and post frame homes rising in popularity, jurisdictions are struggling to define what a house should look like. To follow is an article by Arielle Breen in August 13, 2020’s Manistee, Michigan News Advocate detailing their city’s challenges. “Does the building plan look like a pole barn or a house? The answer […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers questions about financing a Shouse, a timeline for plans to build a large pole barn, advice for roofing with standing seam steel. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: We are in the process of selling our home and buying a piece of property to build on. We want to build […]

Today’s Pole Barn Guru answers questions about connecting structures, connections for a DIY project, and help with information to build a new home. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What is the easiest way to connect 30x50x16 to 30x50x16? JACK in CARDWELL DEAR JACK: Connected end-to-end will be easiest. Your overall “new building” will need to be […]

Good Morning! This is Mike the Pole Barn Guru’s wife filling in for him as he takes a couple of well deserved days off from writing. Not too long ago Mike wrote a blog discussing how to plan the interior of your new barndominium or shouse (shop/house). He had some good ideas but there are […]

Barndominium Building on Expansive Soils Expansive soils in many United States areas pose a significant hazard to foundations for barndominiums. Swelling clays derived from residual soils can exert uplift pressures of as much as 5,500 PSF (pounds per square foot) and can do considerable damage to barndominiums, shouses and post frame homes. Insurance companies pay […]

Barndominium Features Worth Having? New barndominium owners often assume any upgraded features will make their place more valuable. While it is true upgraded kitchen features, a carriage style garage door, or real wood floors may add value and make your home more desirable for resale, there are other projects providing very little return. Here are […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers questions about building with concrete piers, design of storage for an RV, and how wide a venue for weddings can be built. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I will start with the biggest question I have. Can you design a Pole Barn building 40x60x14 Gable roof 5/12 to be […]

How to Avoid Your Barndominium Being Kicked to the Curb Welcome back from last Thursday! When it comes to resale value, you want your barndominium’s curb appeal to add to value, not kick you to the curb. There are things you can do during design and build phases to improve appeal and good news is, […]

I have had people try to convince me curb appeal for their new barndominium is not important. Their reason has ranged from, “I am never going to sell this house” to “It is far into a forest no one will ever see it”. A shocking reality – some day, someone will be selling your barndominium. […]

A Wednesday Edition of PBG! Bonus Round! Home finishes, Color Samples, and Cupola Framing. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you also finish out the home, not just the shell? DONNA in LEXINGTON DEAR DONNA: Hansen Pole Buildings are designed to be constructed DIY by average physically capable folks who will read directions. Many of our clients […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru tackles the subjects of building a shouse with RV storage, how to add tin to block siding, and truss carriers vs notched posts. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Good morning! My wife and are currently going to market with our home in Lakeville and are considering our next steps.  We […]

Not Your Average Kitchen in a Barndominium When my lovely bride Judy first came up with an idea to construct our now shouse (shop/house) gambrel building 15 years ago, it was not with a thought as to it becoming a barndominium. Indeed, it was to be a place to have offices along one side and […]

Do You Own the Land Your Barndominium Will Be Built On? Barndominiums, shouses and post frame homes are not only a current rage, they may be America’s future home of choice. Pinterest has literally hundreds of photos of barndominiums. DIY network’s “Texas Flip-n-Move” feature a rusty old barn made into a beautiful home in Episode […]

Is This Floor Plan Doable as a Post Frame Barndominium Kit? This question was posed by Reader TIFFANY in HOPKINSVILLE. My answer is yes. Whether an existing floor plan or a custom design – virtually anything you can imagine, can be converted to a post frame barndominium kit, provided it is possible to do structurally […]

Today’s Pole Barn Guru answers questions about building a garage apartment aka a “Shouse,” how to address a moisture problem, and the best way to add insulation to a ceiling. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Can I design a garage apartment pole barn? JAY in HINTSVILLE DEAR JAY: You may not have this ability however we […]

Hi, I Should Be an Engineer. Can You Tell Me What I Left Out? Seemingly every Spring I receive an email similar to this one from JOHN in UNION DALE, who it sadly appears has not done much (if any) homework in reading my articles. JOHN writes: “ Hi, I have been doing a couple […]

This ended up being an interesting exercise and it yielded results pretty much as I had expected. Reader RON in MONROE writes: “Can you tell me the approximate percentage difference in pricing or cost of the different building styles? I know this will vary according to the size of the building, etc., so let’s pick […]

There is a Right Way and This Way When it comes to building construction, there are a plethora of both right and wrong ways to do assembly. Pictured below is a wrong way (does not happen to be post frame construction). Roughly 20,000 post frame buildings of experience has taught us virtually anyone who can […]

This Monday the Pole Barn Guru answers questions about the required height of an overhead door opening for an Airstream Trailer, options for a boat storage barn, and plans for a previous project transferred without consent of EOR. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Airstream trailer – 2020 Globetrotter https://www.usadventurerv.com/product/new-2020-airstream-rv-globetrotter-23fb-954672-29 Width – 8 ft Height – 9 […]

This Monday the Pole Barn Guru answers questions about the possibility of an open floor plan Monitor style building, what the costs of building s specific floor plan might be, as well advice on adding overhead door operators to a building. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Can you design a truss system for a monitor style […]

With the proliferation of barndominiums, shouses and post frame homes there is always someone looking for a cheaper answer. I have found cheaper generally gets me exactly what I paid for – cheap. Well for some, cheap may be living in a Quonset hut. Considering a Quonset building for your new home? Consider resale value […]

In my last article I discussed limiting deflection for barndominium floors. Today I will take this one step further with a floor truss design solution. Most of us don’t think too much about floors we walk upon – unless they are not level, squeak when we walk on them, or are too bouncy. Traditionally wood […]

Putting Everything Under One Post Frame Roof I have been an advocate of one larger roof, rather than an enclosed building with a roof only side shed for years. This allows for greater headroom in ‘shed’ area without having to deal with pitch breaks (transition from a steeper slope main roof to a flatter shed […]

In an attempt to preserve “pristineness” of neighborhoods, Planning Departments can come up with some interesting requirements. Amongst these are often restrictions upon building heights. Sometimes restrictions for detached accessory buildings (garages or shops) are related to primary dwelling heights, sometimes they appear entirely arbitrary. In the case of our “shouse” (shop/house) in South Dakota, […]

A Contractor for Your Barndominium (Part II) Liquidated Damages For most people, you are financing your barndominium and have logistical issues prior to being able to occupy. Negotiate a hard date for project completion, using a start date based upon Building Permit approval. After this completion date, you will assess builder a monetary penalty for […]

Like a bunch of little kids exploring differences in body parts – “You show me yours, I will show you mine.” Barndominium, shouse (shop/house), post frame home want to be owners are not far removed from here when it comes to floor plans. In numerous Facebook groups I see this request over and over! Each […]

Hansen Pole Buildings’ Instant Pricing Program™ Back in 1980, when I was first exposed to pole barns, in order to give a potential client a price quote, I had to do a manual breakdown of all of the components necessary to assemble their building. Luckily, most buildings were fairly simple rectangular boxes, but it was […]

This Monday’s Pole Barn Guru answers questions about plans for buildings, the flat portion of a scissor truss bottom chord, and a possible new building for a “local.” DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Wondering if you sell plans only. I already have a building designed and wonder what it would cost to make sure it is […]

11 Ways Post Frame Commercial Girted Walls are Best for Drywall Call it what you want, drywall, gypsum wallboard even Sheetrock® (registered brand of www.usg.com) and most English speaking adults know what you are talking about. In post frame (pole) building construction, wall girts (horizontal version of studs) are placed in bookshelf fashion, resisting wind […]

Room In A Barndominium I read plenty of chatter in Facebook barndominium groups where people want to see other’s floor plans. In my humble opinion – this is a mistake. Building your own barndominium, shouse (shop/house) or post frame home from scratch gives you probably a once in a lifetime opportunity to craft a home […]

Today’s PBG discusses “how tall a pole barn” can be, opening on a monitor style building, and planning a buildings for and shop and car storage. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: How tall can pole barn be in Cape May County? BUD in CAPE MAY DEAR BUD: This will depend upon how your property is zoned, […]

Registered Design Professionals and Building Officials please weigh in on this one. Is hiring an engineer terrible advice? In a Facebook ‘Barndominium Living’ discussion group this was posted: “Curious as to how many of you consulted an engineer before building (for concrete and steel framing) or simply went with your welder’s design?” First response, from […]

What I Would Have Done Differently With Our Gambrel Barndominium When we built our gambrel roof style barndominium 15 years ago we were in a position financially where we could have done most anything we wanted to. Our property was over two acres in size, so available space was not a determining factor. After having […]

Maximizing Post Frame Gambrel Usable Space With Trusses Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer Rachel and I recently had some discussions in regards to maximizing post frame gambrel truss useable space.  Most often gambrel roofs are supported by one piece clearspan gambrel trusses. Largest downside to this type of truss system is lack of bonus room width. […]

This week Mike the Pole Barn Guru gives some advice regarding the use of brackets with sonotubes, installation of housewrap, and the possibility of replacing a gable style roof with a gambrel. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Guru, I am looking at building a pole barn home. I like the idea of doing wetset brackets in […]

General Material Storage I have recently signed up to join several barndominium groups on Facebook. If you are unfamiliar with this term, here is a detailed explanation: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2016/04/the-rise-of-the-barndominium/. Overnight I have had an ‘ah-ha’ moment where a light bulb turned on and I decided to take a plunge. I am going to write at least […]

Today the Pole Barn Guru discusses eave height, the size of a gambrel building and advice how to tie new building to existing structure. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: When you refer to height are you measuring to the peak or sidewall? This pole barn will be used as an indoor (uninsulated) riding arena with some […]

Reader HEATH in NACOGDOCHES writes: “I am going to build a pole barn with shed roofs. I want to know what the best way to trim out under the sheds where the side wall meets the ledger board or bottom of rafters. Building will be sheeted with metal. There will not be any soffit under […]

We Put Up a Competitor’s Shed Sadly not everyone does adequate research to realize how outstanding of a value added a Hansen Pole Buildings’ post frame building kit package truly will be. Long time readers of these blog articles (nearly 1600) and questions answered in Monday’s “Ask the Pole Barn Guru™” column (around 1000) have […]

Avoiding Pulling a Building Permit? You have a densely treed rural location or have no neighbors, so you have made a decision to avoid pulling a building permit for your new post frame building. Think again – YOU. WILL. BE. CAUGHT. All too often we hear from clients who invested in Hansen Pole Building kits […]

Today the Pole Barn Guru answers questions about plans for a residential pole barn, lumber going missing, and to building an existing slab. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello, I’m looking to build a residential pole barn. I would need enough space for 3 bedroom 2 bath. How big of a pole barn would I need? […]

Gordon Miller photo Pole Barn Ignorance After spending pretty well my entire adult life in some facet of my industry, it becomes amazing to me to find pole barn ignorance. Other than recent immigrants to our country, and maybe those who have never traveled outside of urban areas most everyone should have some inkling as […]

Lean To, Or Not to Lean To? Over my post frame building career I have seen a plethora of buildings designed with an enclosed clearspan enclosed space plus a shed roof (or lean to) for one or both sides. Most often just a roof, a lean to provides shade and not much else for whatever […]

Planning a Building – guest blog by J.A.Hansen I am the principle owner and CEO of Hansen Buildings – offering to give Mike a day off from writing a blog. Over the years I’ve done just about everything at Hansen Buildings, including shipping (setting up the original shipping department), ordering materials, writing parts of the […]

Today the Pole barn Guru discusses questions about Gambrel buildings, a minimum ceiling height for a loft, and RV storage solutions. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you make plans for 18 x 20 gambrel roof pole barns? BEN in HOWELL DEAR BEN: Hansen Pole Buildings can provide materials, assembly instructions and engineer sealed plans for […]

Boat Storage Pole Barns Summertime growing up Newman Lake, Northeast of Spokane, Washington – nearly to Idaho was where my younger (and only) brother and I usually could be found. Our grandparent’s lake cabin was located there, as was our parent’s ski boat. Interstate 90 did not yet connect Coeur d’Alene, Idaho to Spokane, so […]

Why Your Church May Be Too Small Your church too small? Maybe you just don’t know it? More and more congregations are looking towards post frame (pole) buildings as a design solution to their growing membership. Post frame buildings offer more space for dollars invested and, let’s face it congregants like to see their contributions […]

Almost Round Pen Our eldest daughter Bailey, as a professional horse trainer, has spent a great deal of her life with horses in round pens. Generally round pens are unprotected in the great outdoors, leading to them not being able to be used in inclement weather. Personally, experience has shown it is far more economical […]

A Real Life Case for Pole Barn Bollards My long-time readers will remember my expounding upon why bollards should be strategically placed around post frame (pole barn) buildings where big things might hit them and go boom. In the event my earlier article did not thoroughly sink in, here is a real life example of […]

To continue from last Friday’s blog on adding a lean-to onto an existing pole building… Moving onto the design of the lean-to itself: The lean-to can be placed to either begin at the same height of the existing building eave, or the high side can be placed lower along the original building wall. If the […]

Adding a Lean-to on a Pole Barn In six years and nearly 1500 articles written it is hard for me to believe I have actually overlooked the topic of a lean-to being added to a pole barn! For the biblical readers amongst you, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find” […]

Gambrel style rooflines are often enticing, they offer the feeling (however not the reality) of getting added space for free. Building your own gambrel barn trusses might appear on the surface like a way to make this even a greater savings. This was prompted by an inquiry from reader DON in WAYNE. Don writes: “I […]

Manure Storage Pole Barns Here is a combination which seems doomed from the get go: young man, girl 60 miles away from said young man’s home, late night darkness, a crotch rocket, slow speed zones, Idaho Highway patrol and unfamiliar roads. After our youngest son had surgery to repair his broken hip, Dad had very […]

How to Clearspan the Juncture of L or T shaped Post Frame Buildings There are some instances where either an L or a T shaped building is the design solution of choice. In some cases it is due to the shape of the property being built upon. Other times it is a result of ideal […]

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 […]

Considering a Post Frame Building as a “Bus Barn.” In Underwood, MN, school district chairperson Frank Fee recently toured the district’s new bus garage (aka school bus barn) and noted, “You’d never know it’s a pole barn”. Indeed though it is, with internal parking for 14 buses, it is heated, has an office and a […]

From a February 1, 2018 article by Lois Swoboda at www.apalachtimes.com: “At the Jan. 9 county planning and zoning advisory board meeting, and the Jan. 16 county commission, County Attorney Michael Shuler performed the first public readings of a proposed ordinance governing the use of metal structures and pole barns as single family residences.. The […]

Top Plate (Truss Carrier) Size With Attic Trusses Question from reader JEFFREY in STAPLETON: “I’m building a gambrel pole barn 30ft x 50ft , these are attic trusses with a 16ft room sitting @ 2ft oc, will 10ft pole spacing with double 2×12 top plate be sufficient, any suggestions?”   Mike the Pole Barn responds: […]

For the uninitiated, here is the definition of ramada from the source of all human knowledge, Wikipedia: “In the southwestern United States, a ramada is a temporary or permanent shelter equipped with a roof but no walls, or only partially enclosed. Ramadas have traditionally been constructed with branches or bushes by aboriginal Americans living in the region […]

Reader JOY in PHILADELPHIA writes: “Can I build my pole house with crossed gable dormers? I want the center section of my house to have a second floor, but with the gable ends facing front and back, rather than running the length of the building as with the monitor roof design. (In case that isn’t […]

Designing a Single Slope Finished Pole Barn Reader JIM in ROCHESTER writes: “I am looking for an immediate response. I am building a 30×50 single pitch pole barn that I will eventually insulate and drywall. I plan to run a row of posts down the center of the barn to support the rafters. I will […]

Vista View Events at Open Heart Ranch Wedding Barn, Just outside of Rifle, Colorado (https://vistaviewevents.com/) Photo: Vista View Events Rather than being my usual verbose self today, for your viewing pleasure please join in this short video from the Vista View Event page and the Open Heart Wedding Barn: https://vimeo.com/245834338 And yes, the Open Heart […]

The Dust Bowl and Post Frame Buildings My lovely bride speaks of her mother telling stories of the “Dirty Thirties” in Minnesota and the Dakotas. The Dust Bowl, also known as the Dirty Thirties, was a period of severe dust storms which greatly damaged the ecology and agriculture of the American and Canadian prairies during the 1930s; […]

How to Keep the Water Out of a Pole Barn The post frame (pole barn) building has moved from the farm to suburbia. With the transition in building uses, having water flowing into a post frame business or residence is far less than desirable. Dear Pole Barn Guru: My parents lived in a pole barn “lodge”. […]

Post Frame Hotels Over the years my lovely bride and I have spent many a night in one hotel or another in nearly every state in the continental United States. We’ve been in small ones and large ones, nice ones and ones which were not quite so nice. One thing which I noticed early on […]

A reader writes: “Dear Guru.I have an all wood gambrel style pole barn that I’m converting to a shop.  I’ve installed forced air heat and am getting ready to insulate.  My exterior walls are Tyvek wrapped osb and vinyl sided.  I am wanting to use rigid board to help deter rodent nesting.   My questions […]

Dream Duck Hunting Lodge Post Frame Construction lends itself to a myriad of possibilities – only limited by your available space, your budget and your imagination. Now I will confess to not being a hunter. Some of us are hunters. I happen to be none of them, which is a rarity here in South Dakota. […]

Need a 13’ Tall Door With a 12’ Mean Height Restriction Planning Departments can be the bane of a property owner’s existence. They are the folks who are delegated enforcement of what some might feel are unrealistic expectations as to building heights and footprints. Many times there are solutions, and chances are if a solution […]

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: We live in Pacific county in Washington state and wondering what size of truss pole we would be looking at needing for a 60 ft truss. We are in a wind exposure “C” and trusses will be on 12′ centers. The building we are planning will be 60’w x 48’d with […]

BIBS or Cellulose Insulation? Loyal reader and Hansen Pole Buildings’ client Lonnie from Colorado Springs writes: “ I’ve purchased one of your kits as my new residence and am waiting on plans and materials. I’m looking into insulation and as I am planning on dry-walling the interior, I am primarily interested in wall insulation. I know […]