Tag Archives: Barn Doors

Garage Idea, Barn Doors, and Another Eave Height Question

Today’s blog discusses a Garage Idea, Barn Doors, and Another Eave Height Question.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: 30’ wide x32’ deep garage 6×6 posts spaced 10’ apart except one side 16’ span. 2×8 headers doubled 2×6 side walls supporters on slab. 2×6 rafters with on 2’ centers with 2×6 connectors between rafters also on 2’ centers 1’ fall to read. Metal roof & sides. Does this sound thanks. JIM in PORT O’CONNOR

DEAR JIM: My expert opinion is you are setting yourself up for a failure – hopefully one which will not injury anyone in the collapse.

The right thing to do is to contact a post frame building kit package supplier who can provide you with not only the materials, but also the engineer sealed plans specific to your structure.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Can I order just steel door barn doors and tack systems from you versus an entire building? And how would I do that? And for a split door system to accommodate an opening of 10ftX5ft, what would be a rough cost estimate. Thank you. ROCKNE in PLACERVILLE

DEAR ROCKNE: Due to issues with damage in shipping, we only supply doors with the investment into a complete post frame building kit package. We suggest you visit the Pro Desk at your local The Home Depot as they should be able to assist you.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Is the “height” considered the peak or total height? If so, what are the exterior wall heights on an 8′ high building (for example)? Thanks in advance for your time. SHAWN

 

 

 

DEAR SHAWN: Post frame buildings heights are “eave” heights. Here is some reading on eave height: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2015/02/eave-height-2/. An eight foot high building has an eave height of eight feet from the bottom of the pressure preservative treated splash plank to the underside of the roofing at the outside of a sidewall column.

 

 

 

 

 

Cross Bucks on Sliding Barn Doors

Many iconic traditional wooden barns feature sliding doors with wooden cross bucks.
Originally, the cross buck design had a utilitarian purpose, fortifying gates, fences, and large barn doors by providing structural support. However, the X-design on doors appeared in the mid-1800s as part of what was called “Stick Style.” This Gothic-inspired variation of Victorian architecture was a bit less fanciful and ornamental, highlighting instead the barn’s structure and construction through the application of “stick work” in the form of vertically and diagonally placed wood boards.

No one happens to manufacture a prefabricated cross buck for steel covered sliding doors. Over the years I have seen almost as many solutions for sliding door cross bucks as there are people who wanted them. Here are a few of them:

The simple way – use masking tape to mark off the width of cross buck desired, then spray paint them on. The downsides are this does not give a three dimensional look and there is a good chance of the paint peeling off over time.

Order flat steel trims with hems on both sides and screw onto each high rib with metal-to-metal stitch screws. Again this does not give the three dimensional look. Even with the hems, these are prone to “oil can” (look wavy) with changes in temperature. In most instances, these trims are limited to lengths of usually 10’6″ which can result in splices, which may not be desirable.

Dimensional lumber (I would recommend it be pressure preservative treated) can be attached to the face of the steel siding. U shaped steel trim, bent to fit the lumber, with hems on both of the short legs can be used to cover the lumber. This will give the three dimensional look, however will still present some of the same challenges as did the flat steel trims.

 

 

Barn Doors, Freight, and Barndomonium!

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I would like to see if there is a product out there for the back of my barn. My barn is set up with two stall doors. The back door allows the horses to go into their pastures 24/7. I currently have tin on wooden doors and this cuts them up occasionally. Is there anything I can put on there besides tin? Any recommendations would be appreciated. DEBBIE in WILLARDS
Animal Confinement BuildingDEAR DEBBIE: Your best solution for covering the doors is “tin” (actually it is steel), as it will be both the most affordable and most durable. If your horses are getting cut by it, it means the steel was improperly installed. Any edges of the steel should be tucked neatly into J Channel trims, which will protect your horses from snagging an edge. Take a color photo of the door(s) along with the measurements of the door to the Pro Desk at your local The Home Depot® and they should be able to assist you in getting the needed parts.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: How much is shipping for a building to Michigan? DON in RICHMOND

DEAR DON: In the continental United States (a.k.a. the lower 48) shipping to your accessible site is always included in the basic price, other than if a toll ferry is involved. In those cases, the actual ferry charges will be added as incurred.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hi, my husband and I are looking I to purchasing a small piece of land and want to build a pole barn home on it. I’m envisioning 4 bed upstairs with 2 bath and a loft area and on the main floor a master bed with bath , kitchen/dining, great room at least 3 car garage . So you have anything that would be close to what I’m thinking? KELLI in NEW BADEN

Engineer sealed pole barnDEAR KELLI: All Hansen Pole Buildings’ post frame buildings are custom designed to best meet with the needs of our clients, so in answer to your question – yes. We do not include the design of your interior rooms, however. Our specialty is the design and provision of structural members, which would include the building shell, and raised wood floors (including over crawl spaces and basements, second or third floors, lofts and mezzanines), as well as stairs.

Browse on line and look for a room layout which would meet with your needs and chances are excellent we can design the structure which will fit it.

 

Propel Electric Door Openers

I’ve written in the past about our oldest daughter, Bailey. Bailey is a professional horse trainer (Tennessee Walkers) and is well respected within her industry at the now ripe old age of 27. She is a smart lady – she wanted overhead doors with electric openers on the sliding doors of her barn aisleways..

Why?

Because, she wants to be able to hit the remote……

To open and close the doors…..

From the back of her horse.

I do not blame her. Bailey mounts and dismounts from a untold number of horses every day. Those ups and downs can wear out anyone over time. So I don’t blame her for saving her body one bit.

In reality, if Bailey had electric openers for her sliding doors, she would probably be even happier! Sliding doors allow the user to have the door opened only partially. This provides for aisleway ventilation to be controlled, especially in conjunction with another sliding door at the opposite end of the aisle.

Now, I’ve previously waxed poetic about electronic openers for sliding doors, both are good reads in my humble opinion:

https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2013/10/sliding-door-opener/

https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/06/sliding-doors/

Don’t just take my word, listen to what the Propel  Sliding Door Automation spokesman has to say:

 

 

Considering a sliding door for your new post frame building? If the door is of any sort of significant size, or having an opener for it would be a total convenience, be sure to get a quote with your new post frame building kit package (openers not sold separately).

Barn Doors? Houses? Materials!

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 doors are) you are not finding them on the internet because they are components which are put together for the door frame and then the steel siding is added.

We provide literally thousands of these doors a year, however they are only available with the investment into a complete post frame (pole) building kit package, due to the logistics of avoiding shipping damage.

If you are looking for just the door, my recommendation would be to stop at the Pro Desk of your local The Home Depot®. They should be able to fix you up with everything you will need for successful completion of your sliding steel barn door.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Looking 1700 sq ft 2 bedroom pole barn house great room 1 bedroom 2 floor 2 full baths. DAVE in BELLVILLE

DEAR DAVE: Post frame (pole barn) buildings make for fabulous homes, as they are affordable, can easily be constructed by the home owner, go up quickly and offer a tremendous degree of flexibility.

In the case of Hansen Pole Buildings, we take care of the perimeter structural design, provide all of the engineered building plans for the shell (along with assembly instructions) and deliver the materials to your jobsite. Once the building shell has been completed, you are then free to place interior walls wherever will best meet your needs.

You can find out more about barndominiums here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2016/04/the-rise-of-the-barndominium/.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I recently started erecting the pole barn material you had supplied and found that the gable posts aren’t long enough for the design. The drawings call for the posts to be set in the ground at 40″ and then rise up to support the trusses 11 feet above grade. That would require a minimum of 14′-4″ posts. The posts that were delivered are 14′-0″. In order to proceed with the project I need 16′-0″ posts. How should I proceed? Ideally I will be reimbursed for the new posts that I purchase today since I need them to continue progress on the building. Please advise. PETER in RHINEBECK

Hansen Buildings Construction ManualDEAR PETER: Thank you for being on top of inventory. We so appreciate clients who inventory promptly and report any discrepancies immediately through their online login. Although 16 foot long columns were ordered, it appears whoever pulled the order in the lumberyard did not look very closely at their tape measure.

To aid in speeding replacement, please provide a photo showing the columns along with a tape measure which confirms the incorrect length. The lumberyard should be able to have the corrected materials pulled within hours and delivery and swap out done immediately following.