Tag Archives: Hurricane straps

Straps on Flat Purlins, Sheetrock to Metal Girts, and Structural Design Lumber

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 there any issues with adding hurricane straps to better secure the purlins to the rafters? It is being built in a high wind area. Thanks, JOSH in APPLETON

NFBA Design Manual Second Addition

DEAR JOSH: While adding hurricane straps will not hurt anything, they may not be adequate to resist uplift loads. Purlins on top of rafters do require solid blocking between (on top of rafter) to prevent rotation, as well. You should reach out to engineer who sealed your building’s structural plans for recommendations.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What would I need to do to hang sheetrock on the metal girts? Do windows need to be added in between the girts or can they be cut and framed for windows? Thanks! JORDAN in GARWIN

DEAR JORDAN: Provided metal girts are properly detailed to limit deflection and are no more than 24 inches on center, you can attach sheetrock with 1-1/2″ long fine thread drywall screws. You should never cut a girt, without it being shown on your engineer sealed plans, or reach out to your engineer directly for approval (and get a written confirmation). Adding openings to walls can compromise shear integrity of your wall and should always be done after, and only with, engineer’s approval.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello, We are designing a pole barn for our home. Our builder is using #1 kiln dried treated lumber and 6×6 posts every 10′, 3′ in the ground with post protectors. Questions: 1. Is this sufficient for a home? 2. Questions we should ask related to structural integrity? PS- the info you provide on your website is so helpful. Thank you very much!! KIM & JEFF in LAKE CHARLES

DEAR KIM & JEFF: Thank you very much for your kind words. Question #1 Depending upon your home’s footprint and height, as well as design wind speed and Exposure, these may or may not be adequate. Solid sawn posts (6×6) are generally an archaic design solution, as glulaminated columns are far superior in strength and performance. Question #2 Require your home to be constructed from fully engineered, site specific plans with verifying calculations. If it does not match up to Hansen Pole Buildings’ standards, something may be lacking. When it comes to YOUR building, will anything less than America’s STRONGEST design solution suffice?

Hansen Pole Buildings has provided hundreds of fully engineered, custom designed post frame buildings and barndominiums to our clients in Louisiana. Order direct 1.866.200.9657 and hire an erector or DIY and save tens of thousands of dollars https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2024/04/things-hansen-pole-buildings-does-better-than-any-other-post-frame-building-provider/

Hurricane Straps, a Loft Floor Truss, and Site Specific Engineering

This Wednesday, the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about use of hurricane straps to anchor 8×8 posts to sill plate, the possibility of adding a beam to old a loft for open concept, and if we do site specific engineering for Panama City Florida- yes.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hey I’m on the starting process of building a barn and wanted to ask your opinion on something. The barn I’m building is a 40x60x16 on a 2ft block wall. My question is what is the strongest way to attach my 8×8 post to my sill plate? I’ve looked at many others and it looks like they just “toenailed” the post into the sill plate but I had thought about using these hurricane straps instead…. What do you think?

DEAR RICKY: Pour wet set brackets into the top of your block walls, like these: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2019/05/sturdi-wall-plus-concrete-brackets/

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: How can I have a 26 foot span 12 feet off the wall with no poles underneath for an open kitchen areas like this? DOUG in TERRE HAUTE

 

DEAR DOUG: You can run an LVL beam from wall-to-wall or use prefabricated wood floor trusses. Your building’s engineer will need to adjust diameter and depth of footings under columns appropriately. For extended reading on floor trusses: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2020/01/floor-trusses-for-barndominiums/

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Do you do site-specific engineered plans for Panama City Florida? I’m trying to find someone to do our plans, quote them, and erect the building so that we can GC the rest ourselves. Can you help? Do I just tell you what I’m looking for to get a quote or how does it work? BRITTANY in PANAMA CITY

 

DEAR BRITTANY: Every building Hansen Pole Buildings provides comes with site specific engineered structural plans and verifying calculations. We are not, however, contractors, so the great majority of our clients erect their own building shells following our detailed step-by-step instructions. We would appreciate the opportunity to participate in your new home. Please email your building floor plans and elevation drawings (even if rough or just photos), site address and best contact number to our Design Studio Manager Caleb@HansenPoleBuildings.com 1(866)200-9657 Thank you.