Pole Barn Insulation, Oh So Confusing How to best insulate any building can be confusing – with pole barns being right there with any other structural system. “Best” also has to include a balance between the upfront investment and the long term savings, throwing in the wild guess as to what future costs of heating […]

Plastic Under Roof Steel? Reader Loren is persistent, he wanted to ask a question in regards to placing plastic under roof steel to prevent condensation, however the wonderful world of technology was making it a challenge. Thinking – Loren emailed me directly. Here are Loren’s own words: “I’ve been trying to submit a question to […]

Please Let Me Engineer Your Post Frame Building For Free Because I am not a Registered Design Professional, I can’t engineer your new post frame building for you. And, if I was, I most certainly would not be doing it for free. Typically an engineer should be compensated somewhere in the area of 8 to […]

How to Install a Steel Roof Over Shingles Absolutely true story, with me as part of it! My lovely bride bought a raw weed covered property along the South Dakota shore of Lake Traverse in the early 1990’s. For a home, she had a double wide manufactured home set up on the property. A few […]

Insulation is the hot (pun, intended) topic. Everyone seems focused on energy efficiency in their post frame buildings. Reader CHRIS in TRAVERSE CITY got my head spinning on it once again: “I recently purchased a property with a 24×30 pole building (metal siding, wood trusses and 3 tab shingle roof). I would like to insulate […]

Hopefully most, if not all, of my loyal readers are those who have concerns when it comes to investing in a new post frame building (I do know some of you just enjoy my slightly skewed sense of humor, or find my writings otherwise entertaining). For those of you who are avid kit shoppers, I […]

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 […]

I had a question posed of me recently which included: “Where will the water go when the screws back out of my steel roofing”? While I answered the question at hand, I didn’t actually get into the why this might happen, or the solutions. How to avoid the potential problem completely……use the right part, properly […]

3M™ VHB™ Tape Reader WILLIAM in DYER writes: “I’ve been researching pole buildings, and the weak point for putting one up seems to be the screws and washers.  Have you looked into using 3M™ VHB™ tape instead of screws and fasteners for attaching the metal exterior sheeting? What are the pros/cons of tape only? Thanks.” […]

Reader JIM in HOODSPORT writes about condensation issues: “New Completed 40’ x 60’ pole barn with 16’ side walls and 24’ peak. Walls and ceiling insulated, 60’ long ridge roof vent. Full cement Pad with plastic vapor barrier under it. Cement was 60 days old when barn was completed.. rained just about every day. No […]

The Effects of Temperature Upon Concrete and Lumber Every time I begin to think I could never possibly hear something new, I have to be corrected as something new crops up. In this particular instance it was a reasoning to not embed properly pressure treated columns in the ground surrounded by concrete. Rot? Nope – […]

The Dual Splash Plank Dilemma I’ve never been a fan of stacking splash planks. Even when they are center matched (think tongue and grooved) the two boards never seem to want to bend, twist, warp and/or cup the same direction leading to gaps. Gaps which lead to water getting through and spoiling an otherwise fun place […]

Hangar Doors in Eave Side of Buildings Reader KEN in ZEPHYRHILLS writes: “To facilitate use as an aircraft hangar can the sliding doors be located on the side rather than the end walls?” I have been involved in more than a fair number of airplane hangars, starting way before my days in the post frame […]

Hansen Pole Buildings’ client BRENT in WASHOUGAL writes: “We have your 40×80 pole barn built sept. 2014, and it’s having problems with mold forming over the purlins. I’m wanting to know my options to prevent a future problem. Thanks.” Mike the Pole Barn Guru responds: First – get rid of the mold. Mix in the […]

How Not to Do a Post Frame Shear Wall Reader DAVID in MIDDLETON writes: “Hi we are currently building a 40/72 pole barn. We are wrapping the bottom 4 feet in OSB for sheer strength along with sheeting the roof with osb. We want to insulate the walls and put a drop ceiling in the […]

Is a Double Truss System Stable for the Midwest? Reader SHARON in NORTH DAKOTA writes: “Dear Pole Barn Guru, I have attached some pictures of a 62×96 pole barn with 12ft sidewalls. I am rather ignorant about truss systems, but this one looks atypical to others I have seen. What type of truss system is […]

No Leak Overhead Door Dog Ears The key to cutting trims for no leak overhead door dog ears for post frame buildings comes from careful cutting and installation of pieces to water flows in front of, rather than getting behind, each piece as it works down the building. It also helps to utilize a trim […]

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 […]

The Possibility of 18 Foot Span Roof Purlins? Reader CHRIS writes: “I have a building I want to build but I am not able to add the height I need on the side walls.  My plans are 24 deep by 30 wide with 8 foot walls.  Roof trusses would be 24 ft.  My problem comes […]

Mike address “headroom” needs for overhead garage doors. Reader JEFF in ROSEBURG writes: “If my roll up door opening is less than 2′ from wall height, 18″ is what I have, is there a roll up door that would work? Or is 2′ below wall height the absolute minimum?” Mike the Pole Barn Guru writes: […]

Insulating a Semi Trailer The beauty of being available to answer questions on the ‘net is one hears just about everything – even challenges which do not involve buildings! Here is a recent one asked by reader BOB in NORTH CAROLINA: “PolebarnGuru, Purchased a 53foot x 8.5ft dry van all metal trailer (like tractor trailer) […]

Proper Foundation and Slab, Two-Story Buildings, and Door Parts DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Dear Sir, I read the details of pouring a concrete slab after building the barn. I live in Montana with some pretty cold winters. If I were laying a slab for a conventional stick built structure i would be required to dig […]

Reader REBECCA in PEYTON posed this question: “What is minimum size you would recommend for two cars?” Mike the Pole Barn Guru writes: As my lovely bride tells people, “the cost of putting up a new building is deciding to build at all. Once one has decided to build, put those four corners as far […]

Indiana Class 1 Building Must Have Posts on 4’ Centers? Reader GARY in CONNERSVILLE writes: “I am going to build a 60 x 160 , 18′ ceiling height for a sawing operation at our plant. I am told being a class 1 building, employee occupied, that the side posts need to be on 4′ centers, […]

When the Pole Building Insulation Problem is Larger Than Imagined From questions I have received from loyal readers over the past year, post frame (pole) building insulation is right there at the top of the list for priorities. Sadly, it seems the same concern is not often put forward by those who are designing, providing […]

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 […]

Soil Bearing Pressures Challenge Fast and Loose With Numbers and Terms DAN from MOUNDS VIEW is the first reader who admits they are an addict to my blogs – for this, I love you man!! Luckily there is no 12 step program to cure you, so you are just going to have to keep feeding […]

Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer Rachel recently had an interesting discussion with a client. The gist of the discussion was the client had heard spray foam insulation will corrode the steel and void the warranty of the steel. Rachel did some research and found this article: https://www.greenhomeguide.com/askapro/question/can-i-apply-spray-foam-insulation-directly-to-the-underside-of-a-metal-roof. When I added the external elevator shaft to the […]

Loyal reader SCOTT writes: “Good Morning, First, thank you for the amount of information you post through the Pole Barn Guru section.  There have been a wide variety of questions, and thoughtful responses posted. One of the points my father had was, why do a post frame if you have to go back and stud […]

Considering a Retrofit to a Mezzanine in a Converted Racquetball Court Reader JOHN writes: “…… is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization rooted in Bayfield, WI (population 500). We provide and support affordable access to facilities, programs, classes, and events that promote health, activity, and fun. We have a racquetball court that has been converted to a […]

Reader JEREMY writes: “Good Morning and Happy New Year! We are currently in the process of building a house inside a pole barn, and have noticed condensation on the inside walls and roof when we heat it.  We do not have any vents installed yet, and would like to know if the condensation will stop […]

Concrete Floor Thickness for Heavy Equipment Reader KRIS writes: “Dear Guru, My husband and I are getting ready to construct a pole barn 40 x 80. He wants 2 x 14′ doors, 1 x 10′ and a service door. It will be used for heavy equipment storage and workshop/florist shop to keep critters out. We […]

One of our clients has been erecting a post frame home in Colorado Springs, which is over a crawl space. Here is our discussion in regards to insulating the crawl space. “While I have your ear, I had asked you a question earlier about getting the code required R30 in the 2×6 floor joists of […]

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 […]

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: […]

Minimizing Condensation When Building Over an Existing Foundation Reader ROSS writes: “Hello, I have a question about venting of my building. I currently am in the process of building a shop myself. I had an existing foundation of 75 x 42 that had 8ft concrete walls all the way around. I’m building my building on […]

Builders Who Make No Upgrades in Twenty-Five Years. Why? We’ve Been Building This Way for 25 Years In the event you happen to hear this from a pole builder – run away from them as quickly as possible. Why? Because every three years there is a new version of the Building Codes and often those […]

Converting a Barn to a Residence Reader MARK in PORTLAND writes: “I have a pole barn structure that was converted to a residence without a permit. The slab is 4″ thick with a 4×4 skirt edge around the perimeter. Since the foundation is a pole (pier) system, does the slab edge (non-load bearing) need a […]

Finishing a 15 Year Old Pole Barn Reader BOB in WASHOUGAL writes: “I have a 30’x60′ pole building. It was constructed in 2003. I would like to finish the inside with a concrete floor, Insulation, and sheet rock. My question is…How long do the posts last before they rot off at ground level? (I have […]

When is it time to bring in a Geotechnical Engineer? Reader WES in RAVENNA writes: “I am building a 36×48 pole barn w/ attic trusses on a piece of property were the water table is quite high. The wettest hole contained about 3 feet of water and caved in to about 5 or 6 feet […]

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 […]

Building on Existing Concrete Which is Below Grade Trying to utilize existing concrete slabs on grade in new post frame building can bring with it some unique challenges. Reader DARREN has one of these situations which most people do not face. Please read on: “I want to build a pole building on an existing cement […]

Condensation Even With Radiant Barrier Installed Under Roof Steel It seems every winter I get a few messages similar to this, So far, this winter, I have gotten two, both from newly constructed post frame buildings and from the same area of the United States (which is known for high humidity). Reader SAM in GREENBANK […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hi. I am an architect with a flood victim client in Houston whose 1500 sf house must be rebuilt 5′ above grade. C panel, aluminum sliding windows/doors, low budget. Is it crazy to think they could buy a custom kit from you and have a crew from MN install it in […]

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 […]

I so enjoy clients who truly care about the outcomes of their post frame buildings. In this case, I’ve been back and forth with reader Eric and today we are discussing how insulation in walls works. Eric writes: “Mike, Thanks again for the input. I read those articles you mentioned on the BIBs and the […]

Moving a Pole Barn Most of us American adults have, at some time in our lives, visited a county or state fair. Adjunct to these events is the inevitable midway – where carnies (those wonderful and frequently interesting folks) hock their wares and try to interest one and all in a game of chance. Amongst […]

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 […]

How to Insulate I fear “how to insulate my post frame (fill in the blank)” is going to be my most answered topic for the next decade. Energy efficiency is the “hot” topic right now and sadly there are more folks trying to solve what they already have, than there were those who planned for […]

Do the poles start to rot out after so many years? That depends on whether or not they are pressure treated. This question was recently posed to me by reader MARK in WOLCOTT. Typically my answer would include some snarky comment such as: “Most certainly, however it might not be during your grandchildren’s grandchildren’s lives!” […]

The Insulation Shows at the Edge of My Roof- Inside Closure Fix  Reader LARRY in SPRINGTOWN writes: “We bought a Mueller building and hired their recommended installer. The roof went on yesterday. They did not use closure strips at the eaves so the insulation is visible on the outside of the building under the panel […]

I’ll take Structural Engineering for $XXX Alex Proper Engineering in post frame construction can not be overlooked. Alex Trebek has hosted Jeopardy!, the iconic daily syndicated game show, since 1984. With over 7,000 episodes aired, Jeopardy! has won a record 33 Daytime Emmy Awards. Some of you may even have tuned in for an episode […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you do business with zip code 33478? I like to explore Pole Barn homes but with the strict hurricane code, I was not sure if you are allowed to do business with South Florida. PATTY in JUPITER FARM DEAR PATTY: Hansen Pole Buildings has provided post frame buildings in every […]

Problems in Steel Truss Building Land Disclaimer – Hansen Pole Buildings does not provide steel truss post frame buildings and I have never personally been involved in the structural design of one, however there are a plethora of readily evident challenges with this building which should be properly addressed. Reader JAMES in TALLAHASSEE writes: “I […]

My Building Inspector Made Me….. An all to familiar tale from those who go by the premise, “penny wise and pound foolish”…. in the misguided attempt to shave a few dollars off the investment in a new building, the price of the engineer sealed plans has been deducted from the budget. Very rarely is this […]

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”. […]

Spray Foam and a Post Frame Cabin Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer Rick Carr is a delight to work with. Other than his fondness for the Green Bay Packers, he is a great guy! Rick not only subscribes to my daily blogs, he reads them. A recent article peaked Rick’s inquisitive mind (view the culprit here: […]

“My Guy Says….. Materials… Design…” Title inspired by our Wizardress of all things materials – Justine! I’ve now been in the post frame industry for nearly 38 years, the majority of them spent providing complete building kit packages, most often to do-it-yourselfers. Some new building owners happen to hire contractors to erect some or all […]

Variances in Surface of Pole Building Concrete Slabs Reader RON in MARYSVILLE writes:  “What is an acceptable variance in the finished level of the concrete floor in a new 24×36 pole building? It is 1/4 inch out of level, 1 1/8 inch slope, 3/4 inch hump all acceptable numbers? My floor has all of these […]

Reader BILLY in WESTVILLE writes: “How do I get the f and I trim to meet from the end wall to the side wall together?” I am going to have to put my mind reading cap on for this one, as I have little idea what you are asking. By playing Sherlock Holmes, I will […]

How to Properly Insulate Between Roof Purlins Efficient climate control is becoming the buzz term for post frame construction. A challenge occurs when clients look to insulate between their roof purlins. Reader JOHN in COVINGTON writes: “I am building an all wood pole building. The purlins are 2x8s. I want to insulate the walls and […]

Leaking Steel Roofing Properly installed, there is truthfully no reason for a through screwed steel roof to leak. The key being “properly installed”. Here is a report from a less than totally satisfied with his builder’s installation client: “Sorry to report I have numerous leaks in the steel roof of my Hansen pole building.  In […]

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 […]

Trying to Buy Properly Pressure Preservative Treated Lumber Reader ZACH in BLACK CREEK has been challenged trying to buy properly pressure preservative treated lumber. He writes: “Hello, I would like to get your opinion on 2×6 grade board. I read the article you wrote about lumber pressure treatment. I have been looking around for .20pcf […]

What Thickness OSB to Use Under Shingles Reader JOSH in POST FALLS writes: “My pole building is going to have asphalt shingles. I know how much you dislike shingles vs a metal roof, but the garage needs to match the house. My question is what thickness of OSB should I use? I saw 7/16″ in […]

How Should I Backfill My Pole Building Holes This is a subject which is repeatedly brought up. Usually it is ones who are constructing a post frame building which was not designed by a registered design professional (RDP – architect or engineer). The wrong answer could easily lead to a catastrophic failure of the building! […]

International Residential Code and Tension Ties Reader DENNIS in TRAVERSE CITY writes: “ICC R602.10 is written to work with continuous foundations and vertical studs, not posts in holes and horizontal girts. How does a person translate bracing into post-frame language? An answer addressing tension ties would be helpful.” From the 2015 International Residential Code (IRC): […]

Raising Sections of Pole Barn Roofs Reader LONNIE in COLORADO SPRINGS has some ideas about how to raise sections of his new post frame (pole barn) building roof. For your reading pleasure, I will share: “My question is concerning the assembly of my Hansen kit. I’ve read your article about using winch boxes to raise […]

Building a Pole Barn Style Home Reader DAVID from NINE MILE FALLS writes: “I am building a pole barn style home. I am having a difficult time in finding what the requirements would be for post setting and post distance spacing in regards to a pole barn used for living spaces. I plan on using […]

Extreme Efforts to Match Post Frame to House Reader JOSH from POST FALLS and I have previously communicated. He is doing what I refer to a piecemealing – putting together his own building by making repeated trips to the local lumber yard (learn more about piecemealing here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2014/03/diy-pole-building/. Josh’s new post frame garage is adjacent […]

Roofing Before Siding If I am not mistaken, somewhere in the not too distant past I have expounded upon how I know a particular builder is or was a stick frame builder. How can I tell? The giveaway is they feel compelled to build the walls before the roof. I’ve listened to many experienced post […]

“How to Make a Post Frame Building Air Tighter” One of our clients who is currently constructing his building recently wrote:  “Chapter 21 Wall Steel page 142 indicates, “Install sidewall steel perpendicular to base trim (plumb), holding wall steel up 1/4” from level base trim surface.” With the ¼” gap there would be openings for […]

How to Frame a Roof Corner With a Dropped Top Chord End Truss Josh and I are becoming better acquainted with each other. Josh happened to not have invested in a Hansen Pole Buildings’ engineered post frame kit package and as such – didn’t have a source of Technical Support which could guide him through […]

Rehashing Eave Height Eave height on post frame buildings seems to be a challenge for some folks. At Hansen Pole Buildings, we do make some efforts to see to it our clients (or more often the builders some of them hire), actually build to the correct height. How important is it to get this correct? […]

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 […]

Can I Build a Pole Barn on My Concrete Slab? I dove off from the turnip truck a long time ago, so I have seen a lot of strange things constructed over my nearly 60 year lifetime. Sometimes strange is good, usually not so good. What is remarkable are the structures which are constructed directly […]

Can Wall Girts Be Installed Before The Trusses? In my travels over the years I have seen more than a few post frame buildings under construction. When I find one being constructed by a building contractor, if the wall girts are installed before the roof, it is an immediate giveaway to the builder having been […]

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 […]

Maximizing Barn Door Width for your pole barn. No different than encouraging folks to construct the largest building which will fit on their property and be within budget, when planning your new post frame building, maximize the width of doors to achieve the greatest functionality for your barn. Here is a case in point….. Reader […]

Are My Columns Too Small or Too Short? We receive and answer lots of questions. Even with a Construction Guide which extends over 500 pages, covering a plethora of topics and how to’s, there is always an unanswered question (sometimes two). One of our good clients recently sent a query to the Hansen Pole Buildings’ […]

Rusted Roof on Old Pole Barn Reader DAVE in GRANDVILLE writes: “I have a technical question. I have a older Hansen pole barn that previous homeowners had built. Guessing 20yrs old +/-. Roof is showing approx 75% rusted with no paint left and all steel on bld. is 50% gone as well. I’m looking to […]

In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey nearly all Americans have seen video of the devastation across the coastal lowlands of Texas. Over and over photos of water logged drywall and carpets being torn out of homes which were flooded by epic rainfalls of biblical proportion were enough to churn my gut. Especially as so much […]

Post Frame Insulation in the Hot and Humid South Reader RICK in LUCEDALE writes: “Dear Pole Barn Guru, I am in the planning stage for designing a post frame house. I live in a “Hot and Humid” climate in the southern US. Joseph Lstiburek, a building science guru, suggests having an unvented roof for my […]

Post Frame Apartment Buildings I have thought about the possibilities of constructing apartments using post frame construction for years, however a recent query from reader DERRICK in CINCINNATI brought it to the forefront of my thoughts. Dave writes: “Can you build apartment buildings out of your products? Nothing fancy. Just affordable living in a rural […]

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have an upstairs (loft) exterior opening that is 50″ wide by 68″ tall. I want to build a door with the National Hardware tab-loc frame and cover it with r-panel siding. How much overhang on each side, and top and bottom do I need to make the door? What should […]

Reader BAILEE in LARAMIE writes: “Hi, I have a few questions about the structure of turning a pole barn to a residence in the Laramie, Wyoming area. The current project I am working on has pole spacing of about 10-12 feet. I wanted to know if this is still structurally stable with traditional framing with […]

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 […]

From reader Paul in Bismarck: “How do you deal with the requirement for a 4 foot frost wall on buildings that will have plumbing installed in them. Typically, the concrete footing on a stick built structures qualifies as the frost wall. How is this accomplished with a pole building that will be used as a […]

A loyal reader writes: “Hi. Good morning! As I read your post about a wood floor in a work shop, it reminded me of my research into a garage with a wood floor. I have often wondered, can this be done? So I ask you, can this be done? I am not a rich man, […]

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 […]

When building a pole barn, economy of scale can be your ally. Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer Doug passed along to me this message from a client of his: “The last quote was for a 45′ x 42′ building with 2 garage doors and one person door. The new quote was for a 18′ x 42′ […]

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 […]

Reader KEN in FORT COLLINS writes: “HI MIKE! We just bought an acreage with an existing 36 x 48 post frame farm storage building. In talking to the prior owner, we have learned that the builder did not use cookies, footing pads or a cement bottom collar. So nothing to prevent settling (He did nail […]

What to do About a Leaking Cupola Hansen Pole Buildings has always used prefabricated cupolas manufactured by MWI – I even have one on top of my own house, so they must be good stuff! Only once have I ever gotten feedback from a client to tell me their cupola was leaking. In their particular […]

Treated Lumber – Justine Schools a Major Lumberyard Chain When it comes to pressure preservative treated lumber, ignorance from the supply side seems to be bliss and there are way too many folks out there happily selling under treated product. For your entertainment pleasure I bring you a discourse between Hansen Pole Buildings Lumber Wizard […]

Reader Sally wants to know: “What can I use on my pole barn to remove chalky residue, so it looks like new?” Well Sally, ask and ye shall receive! Maintenance & Cleaning Methods for Metal Roofing & Siding Sunlight and extremes of the weather and atmosphere will cause colored painted surfaces to fade, chalk and […]

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 […]

Don’t Sink the Pole Barn Floor Reader Clay has contributed the beginnings of this article, with a concern his pole barn floor might sink. Thank you Clay. “I am about to construct a 24’x32′ building to be used as a woodworking shop. I am strongly considering a pole barn.  Now I do not want a […]

This is a sad story I hear all too often from pole (post frame) building owners who have buildings which were not properly designed for future uses, especially when it comes to insulation and ventilation. Reader JASON in TENINO writes: Hi Pole Barn Guru, I recently purchased a new house and it came with a […]