Category Archives: Pole Barn holes
Repairing Rotted Lester Building Poles
Posted by polebarnguru on 23/08/01 @ 8:00
Repairing Rotted Lester Building Poles Reader KEVIN in OELWEIN writes: “I own a Lester’s (Company name) pole barn machine storage shed on my farm that was built in the late 1970’s. It needs new metal put on the roof. It is 50′ x 80′ with a concrete floor. Some of the poles are rotting just […]
Read moreWhy Post Frame Columns Need Adequate Footings
Posted by polebarnguru on 23/06/06 @ 8:02
Why Post-Frame Columns Need Adequate Footings Reader STEVE in GRANTS PASS writes: “Dear Pole Barn Guru, height of the post for my RV pole barn have moved. What is the best way to raise and support the header so that I can replace and or place concrete footings with Simpsons? Hopefully these are better pics. […]
Read moreAnswers About Post-Frame Interior Concrete
Posted by polebarnguru on 23/03/16 @ 8:00
Answers About Post-Frame Interior Concrete Slabs American Concrete Institute (ACI) lists factors playing a role in how thick covering concrete must be to support rebar. Cast-in-place concrete requires placement of wet concrete around rebar, then holding it in place as it sets and dries around it. This is usually done with rebar supports helping hold […]
Read moreDoes Wind Exposure C Apply to Wall Framing in Any Way?
Posted by polebarnguru on 22/12/08 @ 8:00
Does Wind Exposure C Apply to Wall Framing in Any Way? Reader JAVO in PRINCE FREDERICK writes: “I’m getting C trusses because I’m in a windy area around Chesapeake Bay, but I don’t see Exposure C applying to building frame or footers. For footers I’m being quoted 3’6″ depth, 1’8″ diameter, 5″x16″ pill, & Quikrete/sakrete, […]
Read moreHow to Square a Building
Posted by polebarnguru on 22/10/27 @ 8:00
How to Square a Building This question was recently posted in a social media group and when I went to search the over 2000 articles I have written – I found there was not one! Here are excerpts from the Hansen Pole Buildings’ Construction Manual: Building Layout The building layout establishes exact reference lines and […]
Read morePost Frame on a Rock Pile
Posted by polebarnguru on 22/09/08 @ 8:00
Post Frame on a Rock Pile? Reader MIKE in MAINE writes: “Hello , I am looking to purchase a Post and Beam Barn kit, but I have been advised by my excavator guy that I won’t be able to set the sonotubes in the ground due to the mixture of rocks sizes at my location A […]
Read moreMy Drill Stem Pipe Barn Sways in Light Winds
Posted by polebarnguru on 22/02/15 @ 8:00
My Drill Stem Pipe Barn Sways in Light Winds “Recently my husband and I decided we would try building a pole shed row barn for our horses out of structural drill stem pipe. We used 2 7/8 pipe columns on 12’ centers with 2 3/8 pipe columns supporting the (over hang, non-stall) side of the […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Structure, Columns, Pole Barn holes, Pole Barn Questions, Pole Barn Design
- Tags: Purlins, Rafters, Drill Stem Pipe, Stem Pipe, 2 7/8 Pipe, Hex Bolts, Red Clay, Building Racking
- No comments
Mounting Door Tracks, A Post Frame Inquiry, and Floor Options
Posted by polebarnguru on 21/08/23 @ 8:00
This Monday the Pole Barn Guru answers questions about where to mount the vertical tracks for his overhead garage door, a batch of questions for a possible DIY’er, and a question about flooring options. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do my tracks for garage door mount directly to the 6×6 posts, or is there a 2×6 […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn holes, Overhead Doors, Pole Barn Questions, Pole Barn Design, Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Building How To Guides, Concrete, Footings, Budget, Lofts
- Tags: DIY, Door Jambs, Existing Slab, Raised Floor, Overhead Door Tracks, Overhead Door Track Mount, Flooring Options
- No comments
Raised Floor in Flood Area, Drywall Framing, and Water in Holes
Posted by polebarnguru on 21/08/16 @ 8:00
This Monday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about post frame with a raised floor use in a flood area, framing for drywall in a post frame house, and post holes full of water could be bigger soil issue. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you have a kit that can be used in a […]
Read more- Categories: Building Drainage, Building Interior, Professional Engineer, Pole Barn Homes, Insulation, Pole Barn Questions, Pole Barn Design, Pole Barn holes, Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Building How To Guides, Post Frame Home, Footings
- Tags: Raised Floor, Stilt House, Concrete Collars, Post Frame Home, Post Holes, Drywall Ready, Commercial Bookshelf Girts
- 2 comments
You Have to Get It In
Posted by polebarnguru on 21/07/21 @ 8:00
Disclaimer – this and subsequent articles on this subject are not intended to be legal advice, merely an example for discussions between you and your legal advisor. Please keep in mind, many of these terms are applicable towards post frame building kits and would require edits for cases where a builder is providing erection services […]
Read more- Categories: Building Department, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure, Building Contractor, Pole Barn holes
- Tags: Water Table, Soil Studies, Asbestos, Hazardous Waste Removal, Purchase Money Security Interest, Change Orders, Soil Bearing Capacity, Freight Charges, Uniform Commercial Code, Personal Injury
- No comments
Concrete Slabs on Grade for Cold Climates
Posted by polebarnguru on 21/05/26 @ 8:00
Concrete Slabs on Grade for Cold Climates My lovely bride and I have a shouse (shop/house) in Northeast South Dakota, where it can tend to get chilly in Winter. Reader TERRI in DULUTH is in a similar situation and writes: “What type of slab for cold climates do you recommend?” Well Terri, thank you for […]
Read more- Categories: Professional Engineer, Pole Barn Homes, Pole Barn holes, Pole Barn Questions, Pole Barn Design, Post Frame Home, Pole Barn Planning, Shouse, Concrete, Footings
- Tags: Engineered Building Plans, Ask The Pole Barn Guru, Site Preparation, International Energy Conservation Code, IECC, Climate Zone, Building Site Preparation, Insulation Minimum R-Values
- No comments
Rock Letters
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/07/17 @ 8:00
Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer Doug recently sent this message to company owner Eric and me: “I’m getting the question regarding rock letters from Clients and builders in central and eastern Oregon. Have we, or do we ever send the building department a rock letter regarding buildings where optimum post hole depth is not achievable?” When […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Barn Planning, Footings, Professional Engineer, Pole Barn holes, Pole Barn Questions, Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Building How To Guides
- Tags: Skid Loader, Minimal Hydraulic Pressure Spike, Wet Set Brackets, Trapezoidal Shock Wave, Engineered Solution, Sonotube, Rock Letter, Steel Stake, Jackhammer, Ram Hoe
- 1 comments
Pole Building Layout for Drilling Holes
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/04/17 @ 8:00
Building Layout for Drilling Holes Reader ROGER in LISBON asks: “What is fastest way to layout a building for drilling holes?” From Hansen Pole Buildings’ Construction Manual: Building Layout The building layout establishes exact reference lines and elevations. Care in layout makes construction easier and helps keep building square. REMINDER: Building width and length are […]
Read moreHi, I Should be an Engineer
Posted by polebarnguru on 20/04/01 @ 8:00
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 […]
Read moreTipping Up Post Frame Walls
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/10/04 @ 8:00
Reader JIMMY in ROCK HILL writes: “I want to get your opinion on the pole barn building method seen in the linked video. (RR buildings) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVwUl4cm8fQ I am impressed at the built in efficiency of his process. Is there a benefit to his post ground connection, (i am aware that his method will use lots […]
Read moreMore Thoughts on Polyurethane Foam
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/07/25 @ 8:00
More Thoughts on High Density Polyurethane Foam for Column Backfill Reader STEPHEN contributes a question regarding high density polyurethane foam for column backfill: “Hello, I have this question I would like to pass along to the “pole barn Guru” to be answered, I doubt I will get the answer I need in the time frame, […]
Read morePost Frame Construction On Clay Soils
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/06/05 @ 8:00
Many years ago, when I first went to work at Lucas Plywood and Lumber in Salem, Oregon I was given a quick tour of some areas where new construction was prevalent. Having moved from sandy/gravel soils of Eastern Washington, I was totally unprepared for bright red clay soils in this Willamette Valley region. When wet […]
Read moreSelf-Designed Pole Buildings
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/05/17 @ 8:00
Spring, When a Young Man’s Heart Turns to Self-Designing Pole Buildings For some obscure reason a plethora of otherwise intelligent people have an idea. This idea being they can structurally design a building to be adequate to resist applied climactic loads, without any actually engineering background. Given an under designed building can lead to failure, […]
Read moreThe Case of the Frost Heave and a Pole Barn Porch
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/04/02 @ 8:00
Allow me to preface this post about a frost heaved porch with a reference to Sherlock Holmes. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Holmes and Watson solved fictional criminal dilemmas with deductive reasoning. In my cases, nearly 40 years of experience (plus knowing and relying upon input from many brilliant engineers) allows me to recommend solutions with […]
Read moreFree Post Frame Foundation Building Calculator
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/02/22 @ 8:00
Free Post-Frame Building Foundation Engineering Calculator No, such a thing as a free post-frame building foundation engineering calculator does not exist. However there always seems to be someone out there who is in search of “engineering for free”. Reader KELLY writes: “Guru, Do you have a link to a pole foundation engineering calculator? Looking for […]
Read moreSome Pole Barns Deserve a Proper Burial
Posted by polebarnguru on 19/01/11 @ 8:00
Some Pole Barns Deserve a Proper Burial Reader STEPHAN in OGDENSBURG writes: “Dear Pole Barn Guru, I have a 30ish year old 32 by 54 feet horse pole barn where half the poles heaved some for more than 1 foot over the years. I need to fix it this year because I am afraid that […]
Read more- Categories: Pole Building Comparisons, Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn holes, Pole Barn Structure, Concrete, Footings, Rebuilding Structures, Pole Barn Questions, Columns, Pole Barn Design
- Tags: Lean-to Shed, Floating Posts, Bedrock, Permacolumns, Bond Beam, Sono Tubes, Building On Bedrock
- No comments
Pole Building Columns Without Ups or Downs
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/12/14 @ 8:00
Post Frame Columns Without Ups or Downs Once post frame building columns are placed into those holes in ground, there needs to be (or sure should be) a solid plan to keep them from being sucked out of ground, or sinking down into it. FEATURE: Pre-mix concrete bottom collars attached to columns with pounded in […]
Read moreFoundations
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/11/09 @ 8:00
Foundations – Post Frame Keeps It Simple Post frame (pole building) construction affords a plethora of savings for a new building owner, chief amongst these are foundation simplicity. I’ve previously expounded upon foundation savings in post frame construction as compared to stick frame buildings: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2011/10/buildings-why-not-stick-frame-construction/. Today I will add some graphics to reinforce (pun intended) […]
Read moreConditioned Post Frame Crawl Space
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/06/27 @ 8:00
Conditioned Post Frame Crawl Space Recently I had a reader ask about Conditioned Post-Frame Crawl Spaces, a subject I quickly did an internet search on, and found nothing. Dear gentle readers: In the event you should Google any post frame related information and cannot find the answer you are searching for, please drop me an […]
Read moreThe Perma-Column Price Advantage?
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/04/06 @ 8:00
My good friend John owns (among other things) Heartland Permacolumn. I’ve borrowed this from his website (https://www.heartlandpermacolumn.com/products/the-perma-column-price-advantage/): “Perma-Column products give you the ultimate price advantage. You simply cannot put up a building on a concrete foundation for less money. Yet some may say, “They’re too expensive…” HOWEVER, the only people who ever say this install buildings using […]
Read moreBasements, Foundations, and OHD Back-Hangs!
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/03/05 @ 8:00
DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Is it possible to have a full basement with a residential build? What would a basement do to overall cost percentage wise? NATHAN in OAK LAWN DEAR NATHAN: It is very possible to have a full basement beneath a post frame home. According to www.HomeAdvisor.com installing an unfinished basement will cost […]
Read moreFormula for Calculating Wall Girts
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/02/15 @ 8:00
An Excel Formula for Calculating Wall Girts, Post Size and Hole Depth John Minor and I have been friends for nearly 30 years – since his then father-in-law (and my business partner at the time) convinced me John could sell post frame buildings. Well Rod was correct, John could sell buildings – not only for […]
Read morePVC Pipe for Post Sleeves
Posted by polebarnguru on 18/01/31 @ 8:00
Reader TOM in PURVIS shares a concept I had neither seen before nor had I even contemplated – using PVC pipe to protect post frame (pole building) columns from decay. TOM writes: “ I know your posts are treated, but I live in the damp state of MS. In recent years 3 of my friends […]
Read moreMy Poles Are Further Apart than the Trusses Span
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/11/01 @ 8:00
My Poles are Placed Farther Apart Than the Trusses Span Reader ALURA in NORTH CAROLINA writes: “We recently purchased a 60 x40 pole barn kit from Florida and we are in North Carolina. We talked to them on the phone several times about the size the inner dimensions. They reassured us that yes the 40×60 was […]
Read morePost Protector Surprise
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/10/04 @ 8:00
Post Protector Surprise Reader CONNOR from INDIANAPOLIS and I recently had an exchange in regards to the holes of his new post frame building. Connor is proposing to use Post Protectors on the columns of his building. What he has yet to realize is there is going to be a hidden surprise with the use […]
Read moreI want the Bottom of my Poles at the Same Depth
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/09/28 @ 8:00
I Want The Bottom of My Poles At The Same Depth Reader CONNOR in CINCINNATI writes: “Dear Pole Barn Guru, I am putting up a 24’x32’x10′ pole barn to serve as a garage. Last weekend I augered my 24″ holes to accommodate 48″ post embedment plus a 10″ concrete footer. A ready-mix company is coming […]
Read moreHelp! My Pole Barn Has Frost Heave
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/09/14 @ 8:00
Help! My Pole Barn Has Frost Heave Reader DAVID in MINNESOTA writes: “I looked through many pages of your blog and found nothing yet that deals with my frost heave problem. Bought lake property 8 years ago that had a 24 X 24 pole shed that was 5 years old. It has concrete floor with […]
Read morePole Building Holes in Caliche Soil
Posted by polebarnguru on 17/09/08 @ 8:00
One of our clients is preparing his site in order to dig the holes for his new post frame building kit. He happens to live in an area of Washington State, east of the crest of the Cascade Mountains, which would be best classified as being high desert. He has encountered the bane of excavators […]
Read more