Floor Trusses: Hansen Pole Buildings’ Floor Systems I admit to having become easily enamored, early in my prefabricated wood truss career, by floor trusses. To me, they were not only things of beauty, but also made framing a very quick process. But, I had been exposed to them even before then. My 16th summer, I […]

This Wednesday, the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about building a residential structure in Gainesville, Hall county, Georgia, the best cost saving method for building in stages, and the use of “barn door type” coverings for windows in a remote Colorado cabin. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Can I build a residential pole barn in […]

This week readers “ask the Guru” about the use of hurricane straps on flat purlins, installing sheetrock to metal girts, and a question about specific lumber for a home build. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am assembling my pole barn it is 20×28 with 8×8 purlins 16″ OC mounted on top of rafters sideways. Is […]

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about concerns that water might damage girts with use of spray foam, a replacement for A1V, and a request for “sold comps” in the state of Washington. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello, I am very early in the stages of considering self-building a post frame home. […]

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about a possible source of replacement sliding door parts, the shape of poles for pole buildings, and whether or not a 2/12 roof pitch can handle the Minnesota snow loads. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hi! I have a Cleary Pole Barn with concrete floor and main […]

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about code requirements for fire rated spray foam in enclosed parking structures, a request for assistance to set poles, and a question about the clear span of a riding arena. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Trying to find the NFPA code or Building code requirements for having […]

This week readers “Ask the Guru” about whether or not it is ok to drill thru poles to run wiring, the ability to build a post frame structure over a basement with a poured foundation, and how much space do I need for my pole building? DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have a post frame […]

How Is This Roof Truss Scenario Realistic? Reader STEPHEN in ONTARIO writes: “How is it possible realistic for roof trusses every eight feet apart in the post slot and tied together with 2×4 perlins 2′ apart to hold the Snow load here they say is 45 pounds per square foot. I totaled the weight to […]

This week readers “Ask the Guru” about the possibility of designing an asymmetrical truss configuration, how to frame the exterior wall to the upstairs floor, and what the snow load of “these pole barns” is. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Can I design an asymmetrical truss configuration? We need a small stand on one side with […]

You Too Can Successfully DIY Your Pole Building Loyal reader STEVE in DULUTH writes: “Just note to say I’m appreciative of the knowledge here at Hansen Pole Buildings and a shout out to the Pole Barn Guru! I’ve gleaned a ton of information and tips to assist in constructing my 40X60X16 DIY post frame after […]

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about building a Barndominium on a crawlspace, the ability to install columns on concrete or a pylon, and the use of rafters for an open ceiling. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am in the planning stages for a 30×48 Barndominium. I would like to put the […]

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about insulating a metal post frame garage in Florida with vented soffits and peak, replacing nails with EPDM gasketed screws on an existing structure, and ideas to replace rusted steel on the lower 3′ of a structure. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have a metal post […]

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about the ability to replace posts damaged by termites, DIY truss winches, and adding OSB to a metal roof. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: We purchased property about 24 years ago with an existing Morton Barn. About 10 years ago we had an invasion of termites that […]

Today’s blog is a bonus “ask the Guru” that answers reader questions about a design for an open gable endwall and how to address load transfer, “level” columns and NFBA tolerances for post frame construction, and how to measure for purlin spacing. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I want to build a 24′ wide by 48″ […]

Today’s blog is a Bonus “ask the Guru” answering reader questions about repair of knee bracing to existing truss system, notching a double truss into a 3 ply glulaminated column for full bearing, and rebuilding the floor structure of an almost 100-year-old bank barn. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Greetings All-Omnipotent Pole Barn One! We humbly […]

Loyal reader GREG in KENTWOOD writes: “We plan to build a house next summer with basically (2) – 40’x60’ units connected at 90°, wife is still in the planning stage, 2 story.  I feel that me and my sons should be able to erect a kit with directions from the supplier and tips.   I like […]

Today’s blog is a bonus Ask the Guru, where the PBG answers reader questions from a repeat client about converting a stick frame plan to post and beam, a multiple tenant building built on a ledge site using wet-set brackets, and the need for knee braces on a “stick built pole barn.” DEAR POLE BARN […]

I Want to Use Steel Trusses and Glulam Columns Reader TOM in KNOXVILLE writes: “I am planning on using steel 50ft trusses. All the kits I found recommend 6×6 or 8×8 but I wanted to use glulam columns. Do you know if or why they wouldn’t be recommended. 3 ply 2×8 was my plan but […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about interior framing for residential homes, costs for the design of a 3-4 bedroom home, and building a pole barn carport for vehicles and equipment. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you provide interior framing for a residential home? SYDNEY in MILES CITY DEAR SYDNEY: Our mission […]

Today’s “Ask the Guru” blog answers reader questions about a pole barn being built on a “walk out type” foundation, use of a conventional pier foundation for high clay soils, and if we are able to please build a residential single story “patio room.” DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Can a pole barn be built on […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about the addition of a small post frame building to a 1936 stick framed house, adding a mezzanine and lean-to, and a debate between radiant floor and forced air heating of a home. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I had a question from someone asking about a […]

Barn Screws Rotting Wood Reader (and Contractor) JOHN in BIG RAPIDS writes: “In a pole building constructed with trusses 2′ o.c 1/2″ OSB synthetic underlayment. We are finding out that the screw is riding the OSB around the screw. I have seen the same problem in standard pole barn construction with 2 x 4. Purlins. […]

Why Post Frame Construction is So Efficient vs. Stick-Built I recently had this comment from a client, “In normal construction projects I would order at least 5% overage and it looks like closer to 1% here, I have like 20 extra screws total, a foot of extra eave trim, two whole extra pieces of vinyl soffit.” […]

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about the chance shelves in a storage space could hurt the integrity of the building, his opinion on the effects of spray foam on steel panels, and placement of glulams on endwalls for load transfer. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I’m creating storage space in post framed […]

Easier to Ask Permission, Than Beg for Forgiveness Our actual client writes: “I need you to please help me. I need a letter from engineering that states that the ceiling can withstand tongue and groove plywood being hung on it. We decided to keep part of the ceiling vaulted and open and are going to […]

Today’s Ask the Guru answers reader questions about insulating a shed used for vehicle storage and a “workshop to piddle in,” the addition of eave light panels to a structure, and if it is possible to build a small building to house a well. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Thank you in advance for your time […]

Effects of Snow and Wind Loading on Building Cost My premise, with clients, has always been I wanted their building (in an event of a catastrophic event) to be last one standing. This resulted in my clients often ordering above minimum code requirements for snow and wind loading. My curiosity taking advantage of my available […]

NEW Hansen Pole Buildings’ Floor Systems I admit to having become easily enamored, early in my prefabricated wood truss career, by floor trusses. To me, they were not only things of beauty, but also made framing a very quick process. But, I had been exposed to them even before then. My 16th summer, I spent […]

NEW Hansen Pole Buildings’ Shed and Wing Rafters For most people, provided their main building eave height is adequate, placing an attached shed roof on one or both sides seems to be a simple task. With monitor (also known as raised center) style rooflines, shed (wing) roofs are placed on each sidewall, with high end […]

NEW Hansen Pole Buildings’ Ceiling Joists Because Hansen Pole Buildings provides true double trusses to eliminate possibilities of a single truss failing due to loads beyond design (read more about double trusses here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2018/09/true-double-trusses/), for ceiling applications, joists must be placed between roof truss bottom chords. For those of you who question reliability of widely […]

NEW Hansen Pole Buildings’ Prefabricated Roof Trusses Until now, Hansen Pole Buildings has always outsourced roof trusses. When America’s great housing crunch hit in 2007-2008 roughly 2/3rds of all prefabricated wood truss manufacturing plants closed permanently – there just was not business for them. As building recovered, capacity was not increased as quickly as needs. […]

NEW Hansen Pole Buildings’ Wall Girts Clients (actually usually their choice of building erectors), have voiced concerns about our use of bookshelf wall girts. These concerns are from one or more of these areas: Too time consuming, spacing, too hard to hit with a screw, girts sag, too much thermal transfer. I have previously addressed […]

NEW Hansen Pole Building Splash Planks and Bottom Sills Call it what you want – Splash Plank, Bottom Girt, Grade Girt or Skirt Board, this decay resistant (or at least we sure hope so) resistant member is in contact with or located near soil’s surface. Portions of it remain visible from building exterior upon completion […]

NEW Hansen Pole Building Columns in Brackets Even though our glu-laminated columns are pressure preservative treated entirely through, there are some people who are just not convinced of longevity of properly pressure preservative treated wood in ground. We have a solution for you. There is only one commercially available with any significant moment (bending) resisting […]

NEW Hansen Pole Building Roof Supporting COLUMNS Since Hansen Pole Buildings’ inception we have primarily provided solid-sawn timbers for roof supporting columns. Due to cost and availability challenges, we have only included true glu-laminated columns, when required by structural necessity or as a request from our clients. Now solid-sawn columns have not come without their […]

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about the design of a small living space with everything together in one room, whether or not one can use existing posts that are still standing in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, and a reader asks why we don’t post prices of past projects on our […]

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about the location of ceiling ties for roof tension, if a person needs to double columns when switching building heights, and a clarification about the dimensions of commercial girts to building columns when used for finishing the interior walls. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hi. I just […]

Adding a Lean-to aka Side Shed Reader PATRICK in REDMOND writes: “I have an existing pole barn that was built in 1999 that I would like to add a lean-to onto. I read your previous blogs about verifying the footing that supports the existing poles – but how do you verify that? Is there a […]

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about use of which fasteners are best to use in to ACQ treated columns, the need for a vapor barrier in Washington State, and Hansen Buildings in North Carolina. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Potential new customer here. Doing a small job on my own right now. […]

Interpreting the Mark on Pressure Preservative Treated Lumber Pressure preservative treated lumber is a mystery to most consumers, builders and even building officials. Certainly all of the above parties understand the need for pressure preservative treated lumber when it is embedded in or in contact with the ground or concrete, or in locations where there […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Where can I find barn doors, sliding steel style? They have no internet presence, or else there is a secret name for them. Thank you! BONNY in FRANKFORT DEAR BONNY: If you are in search of a steel covered, metal framed sliding door (which is what the huge majority of sliding […]

Can Trees Cause Uneven Floors in My Post Frame Building? Tree roots can extend to soil beneath your post frame building and cause shifting leading to uneven flooring. A tree is far larger than what you can see. There is an entire extensive root system below grade, one extending for yards. Though roots are out […]

Today’s Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about inclusions of a Hansen Building Kit, some guidance with the renovation of an old barn, and how many sq inches of NFVA do foam enclosures have? DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What does it include? Just the shell or interior also? ASHLEY in MONROE DEAR ASHLEY: We typically […]

This Wednesday answers reader questions about a barndominium checklist to follow, if one should set piers on virgin ground when adjusting for grade changes, and to plumb, level, and square a building before adding roof sheathing. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I remember you had a checklist to follow when building a barndominium or pole barn […]

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about the required footing diameter for a 20’x24′ pole barn garage, use of non-ground contact columns on a concrete stem wall or thickened edge, and Insulating a cathedral ceiling in a barndominium. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am looking to build a 20ft x 24ft pole […]

Today’s blog is the 7th is a series of videos from Mike the Pole Barn Guru’s tour of our glulam provider, Richland Laminated Columns. Glulams receiving a precision finish. Tune in Tuesday the 20th for the 8th in a series of Mike’s tour of Richland Laminated Columns.

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about LVL beam procurement, a question about slab in a flood prone area, and reflective radiant barrier in a non vented attic. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I need a 3 1/4″ x 7 1/4″ x 12′ beam. Is this something you can help me with? JAMES […]

Today’s blog is the 6th in a series of videos about Richland Laminated Columns, provider of glulams for Hansen Buildings, Shear testing of columns. Tune in Thursday the 15th for the 7th video in the series.

Today’s blog is video #4 in a series featuring our glulam provider, Richland Laminated Columns, about loading glulams to be cured. Tune is Thursday the 8th for video #5

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about securing a sliding door, some advice on a ceiling mounted crane, and a challenge finding an auger with a 30″ diameter for concrete collars. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: How to keep my steel sliding door half open but secured? BRUCE in ROCKFORD DEAR BRUCE: Your […]

Today’s blog is video #2 in the series from our Glulam vendor, Richland Laminated Columns, about pulling apart two pieces of glued wood. Tune in on August 1st for the next video in the series.

Today’s blog kicks off a series of videos Mike the Pole Barn Guru captured with our glulam provider, Richland Laminated Columns. Tune in Tuesday July 30th for installment #2.

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about subterranean termites eating the posts, the best resource to acquire commodity items like OSB, and providing a kit sized 16′ x 32′ x 10 height. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What do you do about subterranean termites eating the posts.? Where I’m at they eat treated […]

This week’s Ask The Guru addresses how a single truss is used at endwalls instead of a double truss, use of valley flashing on roof applications, and the need for sheathing on a roof. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: On a double truss system with 12′ o/c how do you do the gable ends? MICHAEL in […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about adding tin sheets to the underside of trusses with insulation added, the use of glulaminated columns over rough sawn 6×6’s, and pros and cons of wood on grade vs concrete. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am looking at installing metal sheeting on the ceiling in […]

Beyond Code: Preventing Floor Vibration by Frank Woeste, P. E., and Dan Dolan, P. E Floor vibration, or bounce, is not a safety issue — it’s a performance issue, and one that’s likely to be impor- tant to homeowners. No one likes to hear the china rattling in the cabinet when they walk across the room. […]

This Thursday is another bonus ” ask the Guru” answering questions about proper air intake with no overhangs, replacing sliding door trolleys, and most cost effective footing solution. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am in preliminary stages of designing a post-frame building, that will serve a multitude of functions such as a home gym, work-shop, […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about the possibility of a kit in Canada where the client would have columns potentially reaching the water table, if a permit is needed for a barn structure in a AG Zoned area in area of Lafayette County, Missouri, and any know where-a-bouts of skylight panels […]

This Tuesday is another bonus “ask the Guru” discussing questions about engineer sealed drawings, a materials list for a post frame garage with sideshed, and footing size questions. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Does it come with engineered Seal drawings as part of the cost? RON in OMAHA DEAR RON: Every building we provide comes with […]

This Thursday’s blog is another bonus “Ask the Guru” answering reader questions about Hansen Kits framing and materials, if a readers structural plans are viable, and whether the Guru thinks an old pole barn can be converted into a Barndo. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do your home kits come as a frame tight to the […]

This Wednesday the Pole barn Guru answers reader questions about adding OSB sheathing under new roof steel, as well as more trusses and carriers to support the new loads, a concern about the need for plywood under roof steel to make a building stronger, and if Hansen has a bracket to use with a helical […]

This Tuesday’s blog is a Bonus Ask the Guru discussing some mixed use ideas for a gallery and apartment, attaching a deck, and a flat roof design. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I’m looking for a mixed used building, Large open plan space ground floor for an art gallery and two two bedroom apartments on second […]

a BONUS PBG for Friday, May 31st — Column Spacing, Raised Floors, and a Self-Build DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have spoken to my architect and he is saying to do my column spacing 8′ with truss every 4′. I have looked at your videos and several other videos. I noticed 10′ or 12′ Columns […]

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about the feasibility of building in northern Japan, the possibility of raising an existing post frame building, what the best treatment for in-ground use on columns would be, and if post protectors are needed. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I’m currently evaluating the feasibility of building a […]

A BONUS PBG for Friday May, 24th — Alternative Siding, Basements, and Purlin Size DEAR POLE BARN GURU: In towns that disapprove of houses with rib steel siding, can traditional OSB sheathing on the bookshelf girts w/ vinyl cladding be substituted? Material prices seem similar and no huge difference in labor seems probable. But, will […]

a BONUS PBG for Monday May, 20th — A DIY solution, a Clear Span, and a Crawl Space. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hi we are looking for something to live in that we can put together ourselves possibly convert to a living space unless you have something that is affordable that is already residential use. […]

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about the possibility of raising a ceiling 4′ – 6′ for pickleball, the advice of whether or not to attempt to add a post frame building on top of an 8″ foundation wall– don’t, and the maximum clear span of an indoor riding barn. DEAR POLE […]

MSR Lumber Producers Council  Today I am a MSR Lumber Producers Council presenter in Charlotte, North Carolina. Lumber grades take into account natural characteristics, including knots, splits, checks, shake, and wane. Lumber design values are assigned to lumber grades to provide a means for using this material in structural applications. These values are published in […]

Things Hansen Pole Buildings Does Better Than Any Other Post-Frame Building Provider To those of you who have read my previous 13 articles, this will serve as a recap. For you who have not, please peruse when you have an opportunity. STRONGEST GLULAM COLUMNS While manufactured from lumber 157% as strong as what is typically […]

Why it’s Critical to Understand Lumber Species Groups Originally published in SBCA Magazine January 6, 2024 For consumers of structurally graded lumber the two key elements of the lumber’s grade stamp are the assigned grade and the species or species group. These two elements establish what published design values should be referenced for that piece […]

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about the need for a vapor barrier, the longevity of properly treated posts, and the better spray foam between open and closed cell. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello Sir, hoping you can help answer a question I cannot get a straight answer on. Currently building a […]

Wouldn’t Field Laminated Posts be Stronger and Possibly More Economical? Reader CHRIS in AIRVILLE writes: “Wouldn’t field laminated posts be stronger and possibly more economical? I have searched your previous blogs and found some information regarding this but they all seemed to refer to the laminated posts being ordered and pre-built. I would think that […]

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about sourcing 4pc of 4x6x18′ treated columns, truss bracing in a custom cabin, and insulating a roof on a metal pole barn. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Looking for 4pcs 4x6x18 treated ground contact. JERRY in COATESVILLE DEAR JERRY: This one is going to be tough. Very […]

Concerns About Truss Sizes and Overhangs When Designing a Floor Plan Reader ART in EADS writes: “Hello Mike, my wife and I are making floor plans for a future pole barn house. We see that numerous companies offer buildings in common L x W x H dimensions as well as some customized sizes. We want […]

How Grading Agencies Establish Lumber Design Values Originally published in SBCA Magazine January 16, 2024 Nearly all roof trusses and floor trusses are created using cutting-edge software. Embedded in that software are engineering principles outlined in the National Design Specification, Design Values for Wood Construction (NDS), as well as published design values for the sizes […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about cleaning up rough cut lumber that has greyed from exposure to the elements, advice on house wrap and insulation, and the ability of flat purlins over trusses to carry a load in Kentucky. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: My barn project has been a long drawn […]

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about use of 6 mil plastic vapor barrier in Michigan, if Hansen provides the option of a precast concrete pier to keep columns out of the ground, build heights, and “if anything needed between interior PVC panels, closed cell spray foam and the exterior metal siding.” […]

How to Read Truss Design Drawings This invaluable information is provided compliments of Structural Building Components Association (SBCA). Should you be considering purchasing trusses on your own, it will be to your benefit to familiarize yourself. Trusses are incredibly efficient structural framing solutions and, consequently, are used in most of today’s light-frame wood construction projects. […]

Section Modulus (Sm) for Lumber Nearly a decade ago I penned an article explaining lumber bending stress: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2014/08/lumber-bending/ After 10 years, a reader nicely told me I did not explain where some terms in this article come from. One of these is Section Modulus (S or Sm in calculations). Let us take a visit to […]

In this Wednesday’s Ask the Guru, Mike answers reader questions about the use of bituthene to wrap the bottom of posts in addition to the treatment, the possibility of a two-story post frame building, and if one can convert an existing Hansen Building into a “barndominium” (residential unit). DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hi Mike, getting […]

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: […]

Does Concrete in Contact With Treated Pine Cause Premature Wood Decay? Four decades plus of post-frame (pole) buildings (roughly 20,000 of them) with no premature decay of a single properly pressure preservative treated wood post has led me to be a staunch support of columns embedded in ground. Actual scientific studies do seem to back […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru tackles reader questions about termites that can destroy treated lumber in an area wind 80mph winds, if one can install a roof with hidden fasteners over trusses or if it needs an underlayment, and the possibility of modifying a truss chord in order to accommodate a overhead door operator. […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about insulating around outside of post piers, the hold-up distance of any non-treated lumber or wall sheathing, and if laying gravel prior to drilling and setting columns would be best order of building. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Kind of a 2 parter. I am trenching 4′ […]

This week the Pole barn Guru answers reader questions regarding a 6ft attic space over a 30×44 pole barn, the most “cost effective” method to build, and the point at which a post increased from a 6×6 to a 6×8. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: We want a decent-height (a bit over 6ft) attic space in […]

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru tackles reader questions about drawing up engineered plans to match some non-engineered plans reader currently has, if it is possible to run p-bex through columns, and whether of not a person can set a building on an existing slab with use of drill set brackets. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: […]

Pressure Treated Douglas-Fir Reader ERIC in SANTA CRUZ writes: “Hello, I am researching pressure treated pole and post treatments. I am looking at UC-4b treatment for long term. I need real life experience with Douglas fir using CCA-C . The other consideration is Douglas Fir using ACZA.” Mike the Pole Barn Guru says: Early in […]

Today the Pole barn Guru addresses reader questions about the use of 2″ Dow Styrofoam sheets to help insulate and above ground pool, advice for a structurally sound 20×40 room with a loft in a building, and if post can be set onto a cinderblock wall. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I live in Minnesota and […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers questions from a Project Architect about the structural framing of a Hansen building, the cost of building plans with engineering, and if the Pole Barn Guru has advice for “base supports” for a wood floor in a Tube Canopy. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am a Project Architect […]

Another Case for DIY Post Frame Reader BRIAN in CINCINNATI writes: “A construction company is putting the shell of my building up 60x80x16. Just finished steel siding and roof. A number of the 6×6 poles are visually not plumb. My garage doors were being installed today when he called me with concerns of the building […]

Would Sycamore Lumber be a Good Choice for Building a Pole Building? Reader TRACY in SMITHFIELD writes: “I’ve been given a lot of sycamore logs fairly newly cut. Would that be a good choice to use for building a pole building? I have read several different things and some say no because it has a […]

Allowable Variances in Prefabricated Wood Trusses Long time followers of mine will recall portions of my past life doing pretty well everything related to prefabricated wood trusses. It all began in April 1977 (before many of you were born) as a Sawyer cutting components at Spokane Truss (now a Builders First Source location). After a […]

Stucco For My Post Frame Home Reader SHAWN in WASHINGTON writes: “I’m about to build a 110’x 50′ pole frame house using sono tube piers and wet set brackets. I am wanting to use the 1 coat (lighter weight) stucco on full exterior my question/ concern is what options do Ii have for my grade […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about Hansen Buildings providing engineer sealed plans, use of Simpson Strong-Tie column brackets in post frame, and plans of a Hansen Building for use in an independent building project for an engineering student. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you sell just the plans for pole barns? […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about girt material choices for a 60’x120′ shed, Mike’s thoughts on a raised floor to compensate for a 7% grade change, and if some 4′ oc trusses can handle the load of a heater. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I plan on putting up a 60′ x […]

Why Pre-cut Studs are 92-5/8” Long Growing up with my Father and six framing contractor uncles (my Dad’s five brothers and Auntie Darlene’s husband Vern) all of us male Momb cousins (myself, brother Mark, Kim, Randy and Scott) eventually became M.E.I. (Momb Enterprises, Inc.) teenage slaves. My beloved Uncle Gil even has on his Facebook […]

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about the “least expensive” option for porches, the performance or ground contact poles when using a “Postsaver” and discussion of options for an airplane hangar. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Which is least expensive: house and porches under one roof or house under one roof and porches […]

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru discusses foundation for a uneven ground with 4-5′ “fall” in the back, granting three wishes, and recommendations for building/footing/slab. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hey thank you for time. I am wanting to build a 50×100′ shop. I have uneven ground and about a 4-5′ fall in the back. What […]

Installation Guidance on Truss-to-Post Connections Originally Published by Frame Building News May 24. 2022 This article series has been focused on installation best practices as it pertains to long-span metal-plate connected wood trusses in post-frame buildings. We’ve explored the reasoning behind why truss handling on the jobsite should be minimized, and how proper jobsite storage […]

The following article first appeared in JLC (jlconline.com) Q: Recently I needed structural design values (E, Fb, Fv) for treated southern yellow pine.  According to the Southern Pine Council’s (southernpine.com) latest design values, SYP’s E (modulus of elasticity) and Fv (allowable shear stress) remain constant, while F (bending strength) values grow smaller as the lumber […]