Category Archives: Pole Barn holes

San Diego County, Wind Speeds, and Wet Set Column Brackets

Posted by polebarnguru on 24/02/28 @ 8:00
San Diego County, Wind Speeds, and Wet Set Column Brackets

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about whether or not Hansen has sold a building in San Diego County, CA, a building with a design wind speed of 150mph, and a recommendation for use of PermaColumn wet set brackets. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Have you sold pole barns in  San Diego County, […]

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Rain Country, A High Water Table, and Door Options

Posted by polebarnguru on 24/02/07 @ 8:00
Rain Country, A High Water Table, and Door Options

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about any added features for “rain country” like western Washington, use of UC-4B pressure preservative treated columns in a high water table area, and the options of a sliding door vs a sectional overhead door in an RV storage building. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do many […]

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Post Footing and Site Leveling

Posted by polebarnguru on 24/01/18 @ 8:00
Post Footing and Site Leveling

Post Footing and Site Leveling Reader KEVIN in PAOLA writes: “I’ve been working with Cory on my building design and had a question regarding leveling my site and setting my posts. The plan is a 40′ x 60′ building with a 17′ eave height. On the south side, there will be a 12′ attached shed […]

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Full Foundation, Hurricane Proof, and Drill-Set Brackets on Slab

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about a village or township requiring you to put a full foundation in for a pole building, whether a pole building is “hurricane proof,” and the potential use of drill-set brackets to set 6×6 columns on an existing slab with thickened edge. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: […]

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Post Too Deep, Termite Treatment, and Column Treatment

Posted by polebarnguru on 23/12/20 @ 8:00
Post Too Deep, Termite Treatment, and Column Treatment

This week Mike the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about adding length to endwall post set too deep into ground in order to attach to end trusses, how to best prevent termites after slab and skirt have been poured, and if a UC-4B treatment would suffice on a “half wall” RV storage unit. DEAR […]

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Why Are You Stuck on Bookshelf Girts?

Posted by polebarnguru on 23/11/21 @ 8:00
Why Are You Stuck on Bookshelf Girts?

Why in World are you Stuck on Bookshelf Girts? Reader JAMES writes: “Why in world are you stuck on bookshelf girts. For instance with ‘normal’ pole barns one could SPF the walls and roof and have almost no heat loss through the lumber. One could argue your “bookshelf girts” and purlins between trusses makes the […]

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Post Frame Footings, Delivery Limitations, and Foundation Types

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru addresses reader questions about common gable post frame footings, weight limitations for a building delivery and the possible solutions, and what types of foundations Hansen Buildings can design for in Weld County Colorado. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What is a common gable post footing compared to a main truss […]

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How to Prevent Existing 6×6 Columns From Future Settling and Rotting

How to Prevent Existing 6×6 to Prevent Future Settling and Rotting Reader BARRY in FREDERICKTOWN writes: “I recently acquired some property with an existing pole barn “house” on it. It is an unfinished 20’x30′ room with corrugated steel siding, a trussed, steel covered roof and several doors and windows. It was built with a raised […]

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Repairing Rotted Lester Building Poles

Posted by polebarnguru on 23/08/01 @ 8:00
Repairing Rotted Lester Building Poles

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 […]

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Why Post Frame Columns Need Adequate Footings

Posted by polebarnguru on 23/06/06 @ 8:02
Why Post Frame Columns Need Adequate Footings

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. […]

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Answers About Post-Frame Interior Concrete

Posted by polebarnguru on 23/03/16 @ 8:00
Answers About Post-Frame Interior Concrete

 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 […]

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Does 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?

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, […]

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How to Square a Building

Posted by polebarnguru on 22/10/27 @ 8:00
How to Square a Building

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 […]

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Post Frame on a Rock Pile

Posted by polebarnguru on 22/09/08 @ 8:00
Post Frame on a Rock Pile

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 […]

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My 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

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 […]

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Mounting Door Tracks, A Post Frame Inquiry, and Floor Options

Posted by polebarnguru on 21/08/23 @ 8:00
Mounting Door Tracks, A Post Frame Inquiry, and Floor Options

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 […]

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Raised Floor in Flood Area, Drywall Framing, and Water in Holes

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 […]

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You Have to Get It In

Posted by polebarnguru on 21/07/21 @ 8:00
You Have to Get It In

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 […]

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Concrete Slabs on Grade for Cold Climates

Posted by polebarnguru on 21/05/26 @ 8:00
Concrete Slabs on Grade for Cold Climates

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 […]

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Rock Letters

Posted by polebarnguru on 20/07/17 @ 8:00
Rock Letters

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 […]

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Pole Building Layout for Drilling Holes

Posted by polebarnguru on 20/04/17 @ 8:00
Pole Building Layout for Drilling Holes

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 […]

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Hi, I Should be an Engineer

Posted by polebarnguru on 20/04/01 @ 8:00
Hi, I Should be an Engineer

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 […]

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Tipping Up Post Frame Walls

Posted by polebarnguru on 19/10/04 @ 8:00
Tipping Up Post Frame Walls

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 […]

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More Thoughts on Polyurethane Foam

Posted by polebarnguru on 19/07/25 @ 8:00
More Thoughts on Polyurethane Foam

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, […]

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Post Frame Construction On Clay Soils

Posted by polebarnguru on 19/06/05 @ 8:00
Post Frame Construction On Clay Soils

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 […]

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Self-Designed Pole Buildings

Posted by polebarnguru on 19/05/17 @ 8:00
Self-Designed Pole Buildings

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, […]

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The Case of the Frost Heave and a Pole Barn Porch

Posted by polebarnguru on 19/04/02 @ 8:00
The Case of the Frost Heave and a Pole Barn Porch

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 […]

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Free Post Frame Foundation Building Calculator

Posted by polebarnguru on 19/02/22 @ 8:00
Free Post Frame Foundation Building Calculator

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 […]

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Some Pole Barns Deserve a Proper Burial

Posted by polebarnguru on 19/01/11 @ 8:00
Some Pole Barns Deserve a Proper Burial

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 […]

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Pole Building Columns Without Ups or Downs

Posted by polebarnguru on 18/12/14 @ 8:00
Pole Building Columns Without Ups or Downs

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 […]

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Foundations

Posted by polebarnguru on 18/11/09 @ 8:00
Foundations

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) […]

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Conditioned Post Frame Crawl Space

Posted by polebarnguru on 18/06/27 @ 8:00
Conditioned Post Frame Crawl Space

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 […]

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The Perma-Column Price Advantage?

Posted by polebarnguru on 18/04/06 @ 8:00
The Perma-Column Price Advantage?

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 […]

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Basements, Foundations, and OHD Back-Hangs!

Posted by polebarnguru on 18/03/05 @ 8:00
Basements, Foundations, and OHD Back-Hangs!

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 […]

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Formula for Calculating Wall Girts

Posted by polebarnguru on 18/02/15 @ 8:00
Formula for Calculating Wall Girts

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 […]

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PVC Pipe for Post Sleeves

Posted by polebarnguru on 18/01/31 @ 8:00
PVC Pipe for Post Sleeves

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 […]

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My Poles Are Further Apart than the Trusses Span

Posted by polebarnguru on 17/11/01 @ 8:00
My Poles Are Further Apart than the Trusses Span

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 […]

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Post Protector Surprise

Posted by polebarnguru on 17/10/04 @ 8:00
Post Protector Surprise

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 […]

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I 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

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 […]

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Help! My Pole Barn Has Frost Heave

Posted by polebarnguru on 17/09/14 @ 8:00
Help! My Pole Barn Has Frost Heave

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 […]

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Pole Building Holes in Caliche Soil

Posted by polebarnguru on 17/09/08 @ 8:00
Pole Building Holes in Caliche Soil

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 […]

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