Building with concrete involves many steps to achieve best results, including grading, forming, placing and finishing. One crucial step is placing reinforcing bars (rebar) correctly. An engineer should do technical design work and provide specific information regarding sizes, configuration and placement of rebar. Slabs-on-grade for post frame buildings do not usually carry building loads, these […]

Pole Barn Guru’s Ultimate Guide to Post Frame Building Insulation When it comes to insulating any building (not just post frame ones – like barndominiums) there is a certain point of diminishing returns – one can spend so much they will never, in their lifetimes, recoup their investment. Here my ultimate guide to post frame […]

Common questions we hear from barndominium, shouse (shop/house) and post frame home owners are, “Why are my new windows leaking?” or “Why do I have condensation inside of my windows?” In fact, many new barndominium owners think their windows are defective and need to be replaced in an effort to cure this problem. To answer […]

A Contractor for Your Barndominium (Part III) Miscellaneous Topics: Do Not Change Your Plan Once your plans have been permitted, do not make changes. This allows openings for expensive “Change Orders,” and will have an allowable timeline effect. In cases, this will require you to resubmit to your local jurisdiction and could involve months of […]

Today’s guest blogger is Alan Wood.  Alan Wood is the founder of Weekend Gardener. He has a strong passion for plants and gardens. Alan spent his life long to research and test new techniques in this field. With the aid of his son and three other associates who aren’t just fond of but are titled […]

Winch Boxes – Episode V Hey if George Lucas can have his second Star Wars movie be Episode V, why not me? Back on task, with winch boxes. Most of you have Googled them overnight. I can hear you nodding your heads. Thought you could Google anything and get an answer, didn’t you? Me too, […]

Properly Placing Post Frame Building Purlins Overhanging Lowered End Truss Even professional post frame building erectors have challenges with concepts like properly placing purlins when they overhang a lowered end truss.  What could be so difficult, one might ask, you just space them the same as all other purlins, right? Well, sort of. End trusses, […]

Overhead Door Header Problems (and More) Reader MITCH in NASHVILLE writes: “I recently purchased a property that the previous owner had just built a 30×50 pole barn on. It has foil faced double bubble on the roof and walls. I need to heat and possibly cool the space. What are the options for insulating the […]

Overhead Door Install Without a Concrete Floor Reader WILLIE in SHELBYVILLE writes: “ I am building a pole barn and I am not going to pour concrete on the floor just a rock base and I am going to install an overhead door. My question is what do I need to stop the door from […]

Hopefully no one wants to create a roof with leaks. Reader MIKE in HARBOR CREEK wants to make sure he is doing things correctly. He writes: “How much overlap do you have to have with roofing and ridge cap? Is 2.5″ enough and then you use metal to metal screw you do not have to […]

Reader JEREMY in STAFFORD SPRINGS is experiencing challenges with unknowledgeable post frame building suppliers. I will share his own words with you: “I am currently attempting to price out for a metal building, post frame or conventional stick built. The dimensions we are looking at is a 40×60 with a 12 foot roof. I am […]

Your First Tool to Construct Your Own Barndominium Whether you are contemplating constructing (or having constructed) a barndominium, shouse (shop/house) or just a post frame home – there is one essential tool you should invest in long before you consider breaking ground. Even if you have hired this world’s greatest General Contractor who will do […]

Not until reader DON wrote did I realize this information was missing from our Construction Manual (however not any more): “I’m building a 26×40 pole barn (girts will be nailed to the outside post) and need to finish squaring it up. My square root for the 26×40 is 47.707441767506 and the square root of 25.9×39.9(took3″ […]

Both of my post frame buildings outside of Spokane, WA have no windows on the garage/shop level. This means when inside, with doors closed, it is dark – one is forced to rely upon electricity or radar to navigate. Reader KRISTI is preparing to build her new pole barn and had some questions about how […]

How to Hang Things on Post Frame Steel Siding Reader LORI in WISCONSIN writes: “We would like to hang a large Christmas wreath on the street face of our farm’s pole shed, above the sliding door (photo provided)…what do you recommend we use for the hanger? We’re in SW Wisconsin, so not excited about any […]

In my past life I lived with my family in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Hot summer days filled with sunshine were about as rare as access to nearby lakes – close to zero. Having grown up spending summers at my maternal grandparents’ lake cabin, swimming has always been part of my life. A frequently told fable […]

Seeing as it’s Friday, I’ll give you a “shorty” today.  At the beginning of this year my bride and I visited a horse barn facility in Florida we sold fall of 2010.  This was a huge building and although our programs calculate just over a 5% overage cushion for screws, we really went heavy on […]

There is nothing much more frustrating than a leaking brand new steel roof. In my humble opinion, most (if not all) steel roof leaks caused by errant screws could be avoided by simply following instructions and pre-drilling roof panels. Loyal reader MONTE in FRANKTOWN writes: “I’m asking for your opinion on the need for a […]

 I am an advocate of avoiding stairs in post frame buildings. They both take up space and reduce accessibility to upper level(s) of your building. It is less expensive to construct a post frame building on one level, rather than multi-levels.    I happen to live in a barndominium (actually more technically speaking a shouse […]

While Alaska is America’s last great frontier, it doesn’t mean when we go North, we throw proper structural design out of a window. Reader CRAIG in WILLOW has more challenges going on than he has dreamed. He writes: “Hello, I’m building a 42Wx50D pole barn. I have 6×6 columns spaced 10’ apart on more than […]

Loyal, long time readers have gotten to know a little bit about our eldest daughter and professional horse trainer – Bailey. Her horse showing season reaches an apex with the historic Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration (www.twhnc.com/content/celebration-information/ ) held annually in Shelbyville, TN over 11 days each year, ending on Saturday night before Labor Day. […]

Client and reader SCOTT in BOULDER posed this question recently: “Is there a specific reason why the girts have an over hang to the outside an 1 ½ (inches). Can they be set inside flush with the posts?” Mike the Pole Barn Guru responds: There actually are a plethora of reasons why your (and all […]

Condensation and moisture issues in any building can be problematic. No one purposely designs a building with an idea to have dripping from under roof condensation, or mold and mildew from trapped moisture. Hansen Pole Buildings’ client and loyal reader KURT in SAINT HELENS writes: “Hello, Question about roof insulation. Plan on insulating 2″ double-laminated […]

Proper insulation provisions seem to be one of the least considered items when it comes to post frame (pole building) planning. Here is a case in point from reader JOHN in BEND: “We have just built a 32’ x 48’ pole building with commercial GIRT construction, metal siding, 4/12 pitch metal roof, concrete floor, 12 […]

Cupolas are often an afterthought when it comes to a new post frame (pole barn) building or barndominium. In a previous article, I discussed how to determine proper size, spacing and quantity of cupolas (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2015/09/cupola/). Cupolas as a kit can be easily assembled – without a requirement for specialized skills. My lovely bride put one […]

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

Storage of Steel Roofing and Siding at the Job site  All steel roofing and siding panel bundles are inspected and approved by manufacturer’s quality control inspectors before shipment. Inspect panels for any moisture content or shipping damage upon delivery and advise the materials carrier immediately. Bare (non-painted) Galvalume sheet, like galvanized, is subject to wet […]

Proper storage of trusses at the job site. Long time readers (or those with time on their hands to have read my previous nearly 1700 articles) will recall in a past life I worked in or owned prefabricated light gauge steel connector plated wood truss manufacturing facilities. In my first long-term position as Sales Manager […]

Storing Lumber for Your New Post Frame Building Ideally, use lumber promptly. Otherwise store in a cool, dry location, avoiding direct sunlight and preferably indoors where humidity variations will be minimal. Dry lumber Unlike green lumber, keep kiln or air-dried lumber away from moisture, otherwise product may lose value added by careful seasoning. Dry lumber […]

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

Canadians frequently ask about shipping our post frame building kit packages. This should be of assistance: YRC Freight is the only transportation provider to maintain a dedicated full-time staff at primary border crossings between United States and Canada. YRC Freight takes complexity out of cross-border shipping. They make sure your post frame building shipment moves […]

Recently I read a thread in a discussion group where a person posting was not going to use closed cell spray foam insulation in their pole barn due to safety precautions needed when installing. This got me wondering just how safe or unsafe installing fiberglass insulation is, so I started doing research. Fiberglass insulation, also […]

I have written previously about post frame design involving concrete slabs on grade in areas of permafrost: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2018/04/post-frame-permafrost/. Today we will venture into a land where “stilts” are a design solution. Permafrost is loosely defined as soil and/or rock remaining frozen for more than two years. Big trees do not guarantee an absence of permafrost; […]

Today the Pole barn Guru answers a question about use of a sliding “barn style door” as an exterior door. As long time readers of this column know, every once in a while I get thrown a question having little to do with post frame construction. However I get a euphus pitch thrown at me […]

Auntie Em, Auntie Em My Garage Has Lifted  Well, it wasn’t from a twister and this article has nothing actually to do with Auntie Em or actress Clara Blandick who played Auntie Em in 1939’s film classic The Wizard of Oz. For trivia buffs, Blandick also played a part in 1937’s original A Star Is […]

PEX-AL-PEX Tubing For Post Frame Concrete Slabs Long time readers will recall my prior article on PEX tubing for post frame concrete slabs: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2016/08/pex-tubing/. I caught up with my friend Les Graham of Radiant Outfitters at the recent NFBA (National Frame Building Association) Expo in Louisville, who I volunteered to do a nice video in […]

I realize this may come as a surprise, but there are more than a few times I have discovered building contractors have made errors in building assembly due to failure to examine the provided building plans. Shocking. Our client STEVE in HINES writes: “Good morning, my building is framed, sided and roofed. However, yesterday we […]

R Panel Gable Vents “R” steel roofing and siding panels are typically used on all steel buildings where larger spans occur between wall girts and roof purlins. With a three foot width net coverage, these panels have a 1-1/4 inch tall high rib every 12 inches with two low stiffener ribs between. R panels do […]

Where post frame buildings are constructed in a flood plane, two choices exist to deal with flood conditions. Personally I would opt for bringing in fill to raise building above flood level. For those willing to deal with consequences of flood waters going through their building, an option is to provide flood vents. National Flood […]

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

The following article will appear in April 2019’s Component Manufacturing Advertiser magazine (www.componentadvertiser.com). Early every year NFBA (National Frame Building Association) holds its annual Frame Building Expo – where thousands of post-frame builders, design professionals and vendors meet for three days filled with break-out sessions, guest presenters and of course a trade show. In 2019’s […]

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 […]

Today the Pole Barn Guru assists reader with wiring a winch, vapor barriers for a floor, and floor sealant. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you know how to wire ATV warn winch to make electric winch boxes? MAX in SPOKANE DEAR MAX: Thanks to magical miracles of internet and Google here is where you can […]

Another true confession, while I carried plenty of roof shingle bundles up ladders and onto roofs when I was young and dumb – I have never installed any other than cedar. One of our clients was requesting a “how to”, so downing my best sleuthing clothes, it was learning time for me. This article took […]

Like a good novelist, I am going to torture you by forcing you to read this story prior to revealing a super- secret answer. One of our clients will be constructing a Hansen Pole Building in Colorado soon. This particular building is very typical post frame construction as it has steel roofing over open purlins. […]

Long time readers should be thoroughly drenched with solutions to condensation issues by now. As post frame construction has moved off farms and into suburbia, climate control has brought with it a plethora of condensation challenges. Reader KRYSTA in SPOKANE writes: “Hello!  I have a pre-existing pole building that I am having a ton of […]

3M™ All Weather Flashing Tape 8067 Like a bad novelist, in my last article I introduced a character in a final book chapter, who had not been previously mentioned. 3M™ All Weather Flashing Tape 8067 is a self-adhered, waterproof flashing membrane designed for sealing around openings and penetrations in exterior walls. This product has a […]

The Case of The Leaking Post Frame Building Window Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s hero – renowned sleuth Sherlock Holmes, was forever solving mysteries entitled “The Case of Something or Other”. To solve this particular mystery neither Holmes, nor Dr. John Watson’s skills will be required. Nor shall we need a call to Scotland Yard. Reader […]

Safety Information for Post-Frame Truss Installation The following article, written by Frank Woeste, P.E., appeared in the February 2018 edition of The Component Manufacturing Advertiser, and is reprinted here, in its entirety. The BCSI-B10 document referenced is included within the Hansen Pole Buildings’ Construction Manual as part of every building kit package provided by Hansen […]

Hansen Buildings Pictures Today’s blog courtesy of one of Hansen Buildings’ owners, J.A.Hansen. Pictures! I know I can speak for myself and the rest of the Hansen Pole Building staff when I say we love to get pictures emailed to us showing the completed kit, the new building in all its glory. We get tons […]

Minimizing Excavation In Combination With Post-Frame Frost Protected Shallow Foundations Part II In our last thrilling episode Snidely Whiplash had tied our fair damsel in distress, Nell Fenwick, to railroad tracks. Oops – railroad engineers are not what most of you were expecting! Continuing with a simplified solution response to reader DAVID’s ideas regarding site […]

Minimizing post frame ice dams November 1996 in Northern Idaho will probably forever be known as “Ice Storm”.  About six weeks prior to this event, my construction company had completed a post frame building just south of Sandpoint. When massive snow and ice storms hit, our client kept his new building warm by use of […]

How to Properly Apply Post Frame Building Concrete Sealant Condensation in post frame buildings can be problematic. In order to reduce condensation probabilities, minimizing water vapor sources proves to be paramount. Concrete slabs, especially if no vapor barrier was placed beneath them, are a prime source of water vapor. Proper application of sealant can greatly […]

How to Reduce Condensation in Post Frame Buildings Condensation occurs when excessive atmospheric water vapor comes into contact with a cold surface. Post frame building condensation will be particularly common in winter time, in regions where temperatures reach dramatic lows, and also in spring and early summer when ground temperatures are still cool but humidity […]

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

Help! My Cupola Leaks If you have a leaking cupola, I can understand why you would be looking for help. Only twice ever have I gotten feedback from a client with a leaking cupola. In first case client’s builder somehow neglected to read installation instructions in Hansen Pole Buildings’ Construction Manual. Aforementioned builder decided to […]

Building Has Metal Building Insulation Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer Rachel received an inquiry from a client whose existing post frame (pole) building has metal building insulation. Rachel sent this to me: “STEVE would like some advice on insulating.  He has a Cleary Building which has blanket insulation in the walls and roof and he would […]

Net Zero Post Frame Homes Energy efficiency has become a huge focus in every type of home construction. Post frame homes can be net zero, just as well as stick frame. Our environmental commitment allows us to design post frame homes to reduce environmental impact. High performance design and advanced engineering make it easier and […]

Insulating a Steel Truss Building Reader JONATHAN in MISSISSIPPI has been planning a building using steel trusses and has insulating questions. He writes: “I have recently found your blog and I have to say I am on good information overload.  I’ve read your posts on insulation and air barrier more than twice maybe more.  I […]

How to Obtain a Post Frame Home Mortgage Post frame (pole barn) buildings are becoming more and more popular as homes. Savvy home owners have realized benefits of post frame construction – they can build it themselves, post frame buildings are readily adaptable to a plethora of possible building sites, huge foundation cost savings, energy […]

Animal Control Shelter Pole Buildings Pole (post frame) buildings are ideal structures for animal control shelters. They can be constructed with a minimal financial outlay as compared to other building systems. They can be assembled by volunteers and ready for occupancy in a short time frame. Wide clearspans allow for total flexibility of interior spaces […]

Help! My Overhead Door Jambs Are Rotting! I am fairly certain this problem occurs more often than I hear about. Reader DAVID in ROLLING PRAIRIE writes: “Enclosed are two pictures showing my pole building’s overhead door. One picture is the inside door jamb that is decaying from water damage and the other one is a […]

Post Frame Roof Top Decks Question: Can decks be constructed upon a post frame roof top? Answer: Yes, and it may prove far simpler than one might expect. Our typical request from clients generally revolves around having a very slightly sloping roof and to use EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber as roofing over plywood. […]

Today the Pole Barn Guru answers questions about “rafter” spacing, how to best dispose of old posts, and where to run electrical wiring. DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Can I place rafters 48” apart on 24 x 40 pole barn with steel roof? DAVE in BAY CITY DEAR DAVE: I will interpret your “rafters” to be […]

How to Frame a Reverse Gable Porch Reverse gable porches are an excellent way to protect any door from effects of weather – specifically rain and snow. I personally feel they are an underutilized great feature. For more reading about reverse gable porches: http://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2015/07/reverse-gable-porch/. Today’s article has been sparked by reader DARRELL in ATLANTA who […]

Closing Top of Corner Trims I am so enjoying Hansen Pole Buildings’ client RYAN in ELLENSBURG. Ryan has been assembling his own new post frame building and really cares about his end result. He asks good questions, open to advice and doing a very nice assembly. Ryan recently wrote: “I’m working on putting all the […]

Making Framing Work With Bookshelf Girts for Insulation A most simple method to achieve a deep insulation cavity in post frame building walls is to use bookshelf girts, but how to make framing work? Some quick background reading on commercial girts: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2011/09/commercial-girts-what-are-they/. Reader BRANDON in ST. JOE got today’s discussion going when he wrote: “Hi […]

Brick Ledge on a Post Frame (Pole) Building Whilst it would not be my personal preference for finish on a post frame building, there are instances when either aesthetics (trying to match other existing structures), local Planning Departments or HOAs (Home Owner Associations) mandate use of brick or stone exteriors. Whether for a wainscot or […]

Vinyl Gable Vents for Pole Barns Attic venting for post frame (pole barn) buildings is a challenge which can be resolved by the use of vinyl gable vents. Reader KEN in BERRYTON writes: “I have a pole barn with the ribbed siding, 3/4″ high ribs at 9″ spacing, with two smaller ribs in-between at 3″ […]

My Pole Barn is a Sauna in Summer- and needs ventilation! “Hey there Pole Barn Guru, got a question about ventilation. Just bought a house with a pole barn on the property. I believe it’s only about a year old. 30 x 32.  It has no soffits or windows, only a standard garage door and […]

Why Should Air Barriers Be Incorporated into Post Frame Construction? Energy efficiency of post-frame buildings has become a huge topic of discussion. Rather than trying to impress you, gentle reader, with my limited degree of knowledge, here are the words of an expert. The general public does not get to read Frame Building News. Here […]

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

Cardboard (or Plastic, Foam, Metal) Eave Baffles The model building codes (IBC and IRC – International Building Code and International Residential Code) require enclosed attic spaces, in most cases, to have ventilation. The most efficient ventilation design solution is to have enclosed vented soffits at the eaves as an air intake, and a vented ridge […]

Continued from yesterday’s blog: (1) Storage – if you ever believe anyone might ever in the future desire to climate control then provision should be made for making it easiest to make future upgrades. At the very least a reflective radiant barrier (single cell rather than wasting the money for the extra approximately 0.5 R […]

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 […]

Beware of Your Neighbors When Planning a New Post Frame Building Even though your new post frame building may be entirely legal within the parameters established by your permit issuing authority, sharing planning with your neighbors might avoid upset neighbors and legal costs. From a May 8, 2018 story by Mike McKnight at www.wowt.com: “A […]

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 […]

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 […]

Replacing and overhead garage door, instructions for a pole barn, and the use of “Strong Columns” in today’s Pole Barn Guru! DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Looking to perhaps replace my 10 wide by 8 tall overhead pole barn door with a 10′-10′. Along with chain pull down. What options do you have or suggest. It’s […]

Permafrost is soil, rock or sediment which is frozen for more than two consecutive years. In areas not overlain by ice, it exists beneath a layer of soil, rock or sediment, which freezes and thaws annually and is called the “active layer”. In practice, this means permafrost occurs at an average air temperature of 28°F or […]

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 […]

Bad Energy Efficient Pole Barn Advice from GreenBuildingAdvisor.com Long time readers of this blog have seen ample posts about energy efficient post frame (pole barn) buildings. As most are aware, there is as much bad information (maybe more) than good available on the internet. Whilst I’d like to believe Martin Holladay at www.greenbuildingadvisor.com is fairly […]

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 […]

Do not let this happen to you… not vetting contractors Long time readers of this column have heard me preach this sermon repeatedly – do not let yourself be scammed by nefarious pole builders. From the Danville (New York) Evening Tribune (dated February 21, 2018): “A Dansville man was sentenced in Allegany County Court and […]

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 […]

How to Install Fiberglass Batt Insulation in a Post Frame Building Attic There are times when I overlook things which seem obvious to me, but do not appear to be so to the innocent beginner doing their own construction work. This past week we were contacted by one of our new post frame building kit […]

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 […]

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 […]

Temporary bracing in post frame buildings come without a prescription – there is nowhere which spells out “do it this way and all will be good”. There are some things which can be done to minimize the potential of mishaps similar to the one in the photo. Buildings in their framing stages are the ones […]

From The Dalles (Oregon) Chronicle December 26, 2017: “A theft report was filed Wednesday morning concerning a theft by deception when a woman reported she paid a contractor $30,000 to build a pole barn on her property by the end of October and no work has been completed.” Most people assume when they hire a […]

Other than being pennywise and pound foolish there is absolutely no reason for those who are hiring a contractor to get bilked should the person they hire be unscrupulous. Here is a story from www.mlive.com by Cole Waterman which makes me cringe: “SAGINAW, MI — A Linwood contractor and his wife are charged with a combined […]

Post frame buildings have several benefits which make them the perfect choice for virtually any permanent structure like durability, cost-effectiveness, sustainability, quick assembly and versatility. They also serve multiple purposes. They are storage and machine sheds, horse-barns as well as pre-engineered for a plethora of uses. Woodwork can last for several centuries, but if pests […]

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 […]

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 […]

The Contractor Factor I hear too many stories where well-intentioned folks hire a contractor to erect a pole barn (post frame building) and end up with less than they bargained for. This is avoidable, with an ounce of prevention. Reader DONNA in REMSEN writes: “I had a pole barn put up in Sept this year, […]

Installing Cement Panel Siding on Post Frame Buildings Step 1 Install vertical cement siding over horizontal and vertical braced wood girts spaced a maximum of 24 inches on center. Alternatively, the panels can be installed over wood sheathing. Step 2 Begin first panel with edge even with outside of corner column. If panel has overlap/underlap. […]

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”. […]

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 […]

Purpose of a vapor barriers Vapor barriers are designed with one purpose: to halt the movement of water vapor and prevent it from getting into the wrong parts of your building assembly. Usually, this means protecting insulation or building materials from moisture damage. Any material with a U.S. perm rating of less than 0.1 perm […]