Tag Archives: foam closures

Continuous Foundations, Column Spacing, and Inside Closures

Let’s finish off the week with one more day of Ask the Pole Barn Guru. Today Mike takes on reader questions about connection with a continuous foundation, benefits of 10′ or 12′ column spacing, and replacing inside foam closures.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello. We are located in Ohio. We would like to build a 24×40 pole building. Zoning says it needs to be attached per their rules so we plan to attach with a simple fabric awning to meet zoning. The county says we need a continuous foundation if it is considered attached. Stupid right? The only thing touching both building will be a fabric awning. I have been told we can have an engineered foundation, or a 6″ by 38″ deep concrete wall poured, wood foundation or a traditional block foundation. Where would I begin to find details for an engineered foundation? I am struggling finding the info and where to start. RALPH in POLAND

DEAR RALPH: In a typical fully engineered post frame (pole) building isolated columns embedded into your ground would be complying and meet Building Code requirements. We would like to see your jurisdiction’s written requirement for mandating a continuous foundation, as often times these ‘requirements’ are just one person’s own feelings of how things should be done, rather than having an actual basis.

Should this indeed be an approved statute, we can have your new building engineered with your continuous foundation of choice. One of our Building Designers will be reaching out to you to discuss further, or dial 1.866.200.9657 for immediate service.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Are there any benefits going with 10′ centers over 12′ centers? I was thinking about going with 10′ centers because in my mind it seems like that would be a stronger building and would have less purlin sag over the years but rather go with 12′ centers to gain more parking space for a leanto? Any recommendations? Thanks BRIAN in PARRISH

DEAR BRIAN: Regardless of spacing of columns or trusses, a fully engineered post frame building will be designed to meet or exceed a specified set of wind design criteria – speed and exposure. You are better served to increase design wind sped, so your entire buildings is capable of supporting higher loads, than to merely move columns closer together. Provided Code required deflection limitations have been properly engineered for, any purlin sag, over time, should be relatively imperceptible.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Greetings, My metal roof is 15 years old and the inside foam closures have deteriorated.  1.  Are they necessary, and 2. if so, how does one replace them?

I hate to remove the screws along the eaves (or maybe even more screws farther up each panel), but see no other way to get replacement closures under the metal panels.

I’d appreciate any advice

Thanks SHERRY in RIO RANCHO

DEAR SHERRY: Properly manufactured inside closure strips are UV resistant and should outlive your building’s steel roofing. Personally, I find them essential, as without them small flying critters have a clear path to enter your building. In order to replace them, you will have to remove screws along your eave line. Once remains of old closures are removed, new ones can be put in place. Old screws should be replaced by both larger diameter and longer screws, to maintain integrity of connections and prevent leaks.

For extended reading on Inside Closures https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2015/12/the-lowly-inside-closure/

 

 

Pole Sizes, Adding On a Shed Roof, and Ridge Vents

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: We live in Pacific county in Washington state and wondering what size of truss pole we would be looking at needing for a 60 ft truss. We are in a wind exposure “C” and trusses will be on 12′ centers. The building we are planning will be 60’w x 48’d with 15′ eve height. Any help will be appreciated.

Thank you,CRAIG in RAYMOND

Concrete slab in a pole barnDEAR CRAIG: There are a plethora of factors which will go into determination of what size columns will work for your or anyone else’s new post frame
building. These include (but are not limited to):

Soil bearing capacity
Embedment depth
If columns will be tied into a concrete slab
Spacing of wall girts
Is building fully enclosed, partially enclosed or a roof only
Slope of roof
If building has a ceiling
Roofing material

When you order your new post frame building package, all of these variables will be factored into the design of not only the columns, but all of the components and your building plans as well as the supporting calculations will be sealed by the engineer of record.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I want to attach a shed roof along the side of my 40 foot pole barn. The span is 12 feet and I plan on the outside of the roof being on 10 ft. high 4×4’s and raising it to a height of 12 ft. on the pole barn. There are 5 6×6’s to line up the 4×4’s to. I was wondering the most cost effective way to attach the metal for the shed roof. I plan on enclosing the sides when funds permit, but for now help with what type of construction, be it wooden trusses or just 2×6 or 2×8 rafters.

Thanks in advance for all your assistance. BEN in TONEY

DEAR BEN: The most cost effective method (as well as structurally correct) will be to discuss your project with a Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer. With your investment in a new post frame building will come plans which correctly size and locate all members as well as detailing all of the connections.

With this said….

The 4×4 columns you propose using will not be adequate to carry even the most minimal of loads which will be imposed by Code.

Your shed will be designed with a single rafter on each end, and rafters on each side of the interior columns. Depending upon the load conditions at your site, expect to see 2×10 or more probably 2×12 rafters. Purlins on edge will be joist hung between the rafters and the roof steel will attach to the purlins with screws.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I paid for continuous roof venting and I got plain 14 in ridge cap can you look in to this? JOE in CLEARWATER

vented-closure-strip

 

DEAR JOE: The steel ridge cap itself does not change for a vented ridge – the foam closure strips beneath the ridge cap provide the ventilation. According to our records, you were shipped the correct vented closures. Please advise if by some chance you did not receive them.