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Radiant Floor Heat, UC-4B Post Treatment, and Button Staples

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about the use of radiant floor heat for a post frame building, post treatment that will not rot, and whether or not button staples can be used for housewrap on a post frame house.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am researching my build. I wanted to know since the flooring I want is concrete can heated flooring with the water system be installed in the ground for a pole barn? ERIKA in SHREVEPORT

DEAR ERIKA: Radiant in floor heat is a very popular and efficient method for heating concrete floors in post frame (pole barn) buildings. My own shouse (shop/house) has it (story here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/08/radiant-floor-heating/).

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I live in a part of Texas that has clay we call blackland prairie clay, black gumbo, and other names I care not mention. Is it possible to sink poles in the ground in this area given the fact that most posts out there are from fast grown lumber? I built a pole barn in 1983 with my father, but that was in sandy loam soil up near Oklahoma. I have 900′ of ranch fencing and poles are always rotting. DANIEL in ROYSE CITY

DEAR DANIEL: Your premature decay of fence posts has nothing to do with how fast lumber grows – it is them not being pressure preservative treated to UC-4B levels. All of our fully engineered post frame (pole barn) buildings utilize this level of pressure treating and it performs admirably. If you are yet concerned, there are options available such as plastic column sleeves, or pouring piers with wet set brackets to keep columns out of ground entirely.

Of greater concern would be your columns moving due to expansive soils (for extended reading: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2020/07/barndominium-on-expansive-soils/).

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Concerning fastening house wrap, can you use button staples as recommended by house wrap companies? I didn’t know if the button would show through the tin. I don’t want to lose house wrap before tin would be up as we live in a very unpredictable and windy area but also don’t want button to show through tin if that’s a possibility. Thanks! ADAM in COLBY

DEAR ADAM: Weather Resistant Barriers (aka WRB or house wrap) should be installed using flat staples, rather than button staples. Button staples, as you have surmised, may show through steel siding. You want to only install WRB directly ahead of where you are hanging steel, so as not to leave it exposed to winds any more than is necessary.

This entry was posted in Ventilation, tools, Columns, Fasteners, Pole Barn Homes, Insulation, Pole Barn Questions, Pole Barn Design, Roofing Materials, Pole Barn Planning, Shouse and tagged , , , , , on by .

Building in Japan, Raising a Building, and In-Ground Use Posts

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about the feasibility of building in northern Japan, the possibility of raising an existing post frame building, what the best treatment for in-ground use on columns would be, and if post protectors are needed.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I’m currently evaluating the feasibility of building a residential pole barn in northern Japan, and I was wondering if you have any resources, anecdotes, warnings, or recommendations as I begin my research – especially information that would be difficult to find on Youtube (I’m gobbling up everything I can find RE visas, land purchasing, etc). I’m a US citizen with a budget of $250,000 USD cash, familiar with the countryside but have never lived there. Thank you. MICK in ST. PAUL

DEAR MICK: If my Uncle Neil were still alive, we could pick his brain, as he built extensively in Japan (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2018/05/japan-and-hansen-pole-buildings/).

In reading through Japan’s importation requirements for lumber (https://apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/Report/DownloadReportByFileName?fileName=Import%20Regulations%20and%20Standards%20for%20Wood%20Products_Tokyo_Japan_12-23-2019), I believe what we typically provide will be acceptable as it is all dried and heat treated. For export, we would normally deliver to Port of Tacoma, to be loaded into a container for transport.

Japan’s building code has strict limitations on deflection due to seismic forces, however we are used to engineering for Seismic Zone E in California, so unless you will be building a very tall building, or multi stories, I do not see this as being an insurmountable hurdle.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Good afternoon. I have a 60′ x 120′ pole building with sand/gravel floors. The truss height is 12′. The barn was originally constructed for a riding arena and horse stable. The roof is shingled. I live in mid-Michigan.

The reason I am writing is I wondered if your company ever raises pole buildings…ideally I would like mine raised by 2′ so the ceiling height is 14′. If you don’t do that kind of work do you have anyone you recommend I contact?

Thanks! MICHAEL in MICHIGAN

DEAR MICHAEL: 12′ would have made for a very short riding arena. We are not contractors, so raising a building would be outside of our wheelhouse, and frankly – very few contractors would be willing to take on a risk such as this. You might reach out to firms specializing in building moving, as they have equipment allowing them to support entire buildings and lift them. In any case, we would strongly advise (as in definitely) any such repair to be done only to specifications designed by a Registered Professional Engineer.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What is the better treatment for 6×6 going into the ground or basically what is the best grade post for ground contact and should post protectors be used? BILL in CHESTER

DEAR BILL: Building Codes require any structural in ground wood to be treated to UC-4B specifications. Sadly, your big box stores and most lumberyards do not have adequately treated wood in stock and have to special order it. We would recommend using true glulaminated columns, rather than solid sawn, as they are straighter, stronger, lighter than 6×6 and each 2×6 ply has been treated completely through. Hansen Pole Buildings can provide these as part of your fully engineered building package. As for post protectors, even though properly pressure preservative treated wood should outlast anyone alive on our planet today, if it gives you a greater degree of comfort to utilize them, we can also provide them.

This entry was posted in Rebuilding Structures, Building Interior, Professional Engineer, Lumber, Columns, Pole Barn Questions, Pole Barn Homes, Pole Barn Design, Constructing a Pole Building, Pole Building How To Guides, Pole Barn Planning, Barndominium, Trusses, floorplans and tagged , , , , , , , on by .

Post Too Deep, Termite Treatment, and Column Treatment

This week Mike the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about adding length to endwall post set too deep into ground in order to attach to end trusses, how to best prevent termites after slab and skirt have been poured, and if a UC-4B treatment would suffice on a “half wall” RV storage unit.

glu laminated columns upside downDEAR POLE BARN GURU: If you put couple of the laminated post too deep on an end wall can they be added upon to make them work and still be strong enough? A stupid rookie mistake on me. ALAN in KELSO

DEAR ALAN: Provided they are not corner columns, it might be possible, however would require engineering approval in order to do so. Engineer will need to know how far below end truss top(s) of columns will be.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hi. I forgot to put termite treatment on the pad before building my 40×60 in Maryland. I now have 5″ concrete floor on inside and a 3 foot concrete skirt around the outside. My pad was crushed concrete aggregate and I have 2 foot round concrete footers around the poles. Would you recommend doing a typical treatment of drilling 6 inches from the wall and down 18 inches to fill w liquid or could i put the liquid on the outside of the 3 foot skirt? I’m assuming better to do this on the outside of building than on inside, agree? JAVO in PRINCE FREDERICK

lumber damageDEAR JAVO: I have, for better or worse, always lived in pretty much “The Great White North”, where termites are never a problem. In termite prone locales, pre-construction treatment is obviously a best case scenario (for extended reading: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2019/09/pre-construction-termite-treatment/). In your circumstance, it would be best for me to defer and direct you to your local pest control experts, as they will know what best will meet your needs.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am building a post frame pole barn with half walls to store an RV. I am planning on using 6×6 UC4B (CCA) posts suspended in a concrete footing/collar. They bottoms of the posts (gravel floor) will be exposed to weather (North Alabama) during blowing rain. My question is would a post protector or post sleeve be necessary or beneficial to protect against rot? And if so would a post protector need a weep hole with washed stone in this scenario? BENJAMIN in CHEROKEE

DEAR BENJAMIN: As long as you are using UC-4B rated treated timbers, and maintain proper termite treatments to your soil, rot should never be an issue. Half-walls can be problematic, as they do not allow for transfer of wind shear forces through siding to ground. You will want to make certain to build from engineer sealed site specific plans to ensure structural adequacy.

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Structure, Concrete, Footings, Professional Engineer, Columns, Pole Barn Questions, Pole Building How To Guides, Pole Barn holes, Pole Barn Planning and tagged , , , , , , , on by .

Radiant Floor Heat, UC-4B Post Treatment, and Button Staples

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about the use of radiant floor heat for a post frame building, post treatment that will not rot, and whether or not button staples can be used for housewrap on a post frame house.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am researching my build. I wanted to know since the flooring I want is concrete can heated flooring with the water system be installed in the ground for a pole barn? ERIKA in SHREVEPORT

DEAR ERIKA: Radiant in floor heat is a very popular and efficient method for heating concrete floors in post frame (pole barn) buildings. My own shouse (shop/house) has it (story here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/08/radiant-floor-heating/).

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I live in a part of Texas that has clay we call blackland prairie clay, black gumbo, and other names I care not mention. Is it possible to sink poles in the ground in this area given the fact that most posts out there are from fast grown lumber? I built a pole barn in 1983 with my father, but that was in sandy loam soil up near Oklahoma. I have 900′ of ranch fencing and poles are always rotting. DANIEL in ROYSE CITY

DEAR DANIEL: Your premature decay of fence posts has nothing to do with how fast lumber grows – it is them not being pressure preservative treated to UC-4B levels. All of our fully engineered post frame (pole barn) buildings utilize this level of pressure treating and it performs admirably. If you are yet concerned, there are options available such as plastic column sleeves, or pouring piers with wet set brackets to keep columns out of ground entirely.

Of greater concern would be your columns moving due to expansive soils (for extended reading: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2020/07/barndominium-on-expansive-soils/).

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Concerning fastening house wrap, can you use button staples as recommended by house wrap companies? I didn’t know if the button would show through the tin. I don’t want to lose house wrap before tin would be up as we live in a very unpredictable and windy area but also don’t want button to show through tin if that’s a possibility. Thanks! ADAM in COLBY

DEAR ADAM: Weather Resistant Barriers (aka WRB or house wrap) should be installed using flat staples, rather than button staples. Button staples, as you have surmised, may show through steel siding. You want to only install WRB directly ahead of where you are hanging steel, so as not to leave it exposed to winds any more than is necessary.

This entry was posted in Fasteners, Pole Barn Homes, Insulation, Pole Barn Questions, Pole Barn Design, Roofing Materials, Pole Barn Planning, Shouse, Ventilation, tools, Columns and tagged , , , , , on by .

Used Motor Oil for Treating Pole Barn Posts

Used Motor Oil for Treating Pole Barn Posts

There is far (in my humble opinion) too much bad information posted in social media. Among this bad information is pouring used motor oil on pole barn (post frame) building posts in an effort to extend their service life.

Throughout mid and late 1900’s, many farmers found a way to reuse what they had on their farms, including motor oil. During hard times, especially when it came to farming families, sometimes “making due with what you have” was all a farmer could do to stretch his or her resources.

They would up-cycle excess, old, or used oil into a wooden post treatment to prevent wood rot, as well as keep insects from eating and burrowing into this wood. This was before development of copper based pressure preservative treatments, now in common use.

Motor oil prevented water from penetrating wood, and deterred nature’s decomposers (such as bacteria and fungi, like mushrooms) from doing their jobs.

Many also used diesel fuel mixed with used motor oil, as they believed it assisted in preventing posts from rotting.

To farmer’s joy, it performed much like creosote did to preserve posts. Otherwise untreated wood could last 10 to 15 years, until gravity’s effect pulled oil to the post’s butt ends and when oil at grade became thin, rot would occur.

Back then many farmers weren’t overly environmentally conscious.

With controversial farming methods running rampant, including factory farming livestock and conventional farming with row crops, heavy chemical fertilizers and pesticides, dumping oil on posts didn’t seem like a big deal. 

However, used motor oil is dangerous. It is known to contain lots of pollutants, including heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, chromium, zinc and barium.

In addition to these heavy metals, there are also polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH); which can make up 30% of this used oil. These hydrocarbons can linger for several years in our environment, especially within sediment in streams and lake beds. While toxicity regarding humans is limited due to inconsistencies, there has been a link between these compounds and an increase in lung, skin, and bladder cancers. In animals, however, studies have proven certain polyaromatic hydrocarbons can cause a variety of problems. Reproductive systems, immune systems, and even nervous systems have been affected in various ways, even leading to significant developmental differences. As for cancerous effects on animals, one PAH in particular has proven to be a leading culprit: Benzo(a)pyrene. This particular hydrocarbon can be found in significant amounts in motor oil used to treat posts: as much as 22 PPM (parts per million)!

Oil doesn’t dissolve in water. It lasts a long time and sticks to everything from beach sand to bird feathers. Oil and petroleum products are toxic to people, wildlife, and plants. One quart of motor oil can pollute 250,000 gallons of water! Used motor oil is the largest single source of oil pollution in lakes, streams, and rivers. Americans spill 180 million gallons of used oil each year into our nation’s waters. This is 16 times Exxon Valdez’s spill in Alaska!

As a more practical and safe solution, properly pressure preservative treated columns can (and do) last several lifetimes (read more here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2020/09/pressure-treated-post-frame-building-poles-rot/). Still not convinced? Columns can be mounted entirely above ground using wet set brackets.

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Planning, Pole Barn Structure, Columns and tagged , , , , , , , , on by .

A Frustrated Shopper, Sealant Around Posts, and Vapor Barriers

Today’s Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about a frustrating shopping experience, use of a sealant around embedded posts, and best method for a vapor barrier under concrete.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello my husband and I have been pre-approved to finance a pole barn and I am becoming very FRUSTRATED. We have called “Oscar ” multiple times with absolutely NO response and my concern is that it will be like this through the duration of the process, and should we go elsewhere? Or do I need to be reassigned to someone that will make us feel like a priority!!

Thank you for a speedy response. TIFFANI in TULSA

DEAR TIFFANI: Our apologies for your frustrations. Challenges do occur when people are building shopping, they have reached out to so many parties – causing names, businesses and conversations to become jumbled.

It turns out we happen to have no “Oscar” on our staff, nor do we show either you or your husband in our database. One of our Building Designers will be reaching out to you on our next business day to assist you with your building needs.

Let me assure you, every one of our clients is important and we pride ourselves in being responsive to you and your needs.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am making a pole style garage. And I am wondering if I should be applying sealant around the cement that the Poles are embedded?

Help would be appreciated. EVERETT in DUCHESNE

DEAR EVERETT: There would be no reason to do so, provided you have used UC-4B rated pressure preservative treated timber columns. If they are treated to a lesser level of treating it is unlikely any amount of sealant will prevent their premature decay.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have nearly completed my DIY Hansen Building and am preparing to pour the slab.  Is there a way to search the blog posts for my questions?  I am wondering if I should install a vapor barrier under the concrete or wait and seal it after?  Is 1/2″ rebar recommended?  Should I use an 18in grid or can I go on the cheap and get away with 2ft?  Planning on a 5in slab. NICK in GLIDDEN

DEAR NICK: Good to hear from you, we are looking forward to seeing photos of your completed new building!

You should install a well-sealed vapor barrier under your slab, While Code requirement is 6mil, 15mil is far less likely to be damaged during a pour. Run vapor barrier up sides and onto top of 2×8 splash planks, overlap seams by at least six inches and tape them securely. Most often we see 1/2″ rebar on a 16″ grid.

 

 

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Questions, Pole Barn Planning, Ventilation, Concrete, Columns and tagged , , , , , on by .

Price Per Square Foot, Proper Post Treatment, and XPS

This week the Pole Barn Guru answers questions about the price per square foot for a hangar, the proper post treatment for in ground use, and use of XPS insulation between steel and wall posts.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What is the approximate price per square foot for a 62 x 130 t hangar? KENNETH in PUEBLO WEST

DEAR KENNETH: Thank you for your interest in a new Hansen Pole Building. Your question is rather like asking what is an approximate price for a new car – what type of car?

A Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer has been attempting to reach out to you to get more specifics on what you have in mind in order to get even a close price range for you.

Will this be a T hangar https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2013/09/airplane-t-hangar/ or a nested T? https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2013/09/nested-t-hangar/

What opening widths and heights will you require? Hangar doors can impact building height (and price) greatly. Sliding doors are a less expensive design solution than bi-fold or one-piece hydraulic doors, however present their own unique challenges.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have built post frame buildings on and off for 43 years. What is the industry doing to correct the problem of the post rotting off at ground line on post frame buildings? I have attempted to repair buildings in this condition that are settling into the ground. MATT in CLAREMORE

DEAR MATT: In my humble opinion, this could be resolved by having clear markings on Pressure Preservative Treated wood to not leave any doubt as to what proper use is. I have stomped my feet on this very issue for years: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2014/05/building-code-3/.

Over my 40 year post frame building career I have yet to see a documented case of a properly pressure preservative treated column rotting off.

 

DEAR POLE BAN GURU: Good Afternoon .

I have been exploring building a post frame home. Is using a combination of XPS and the external sheathing (~2.0 to 2.5″) and bat insulation in the bays (~R19-R26) possible. These two articles seem to me that the dew point would move inside the XPS during the MN winters and make the wall assembly much more durable. Do you think this might be correct? If so, would Post Frame construction easily adapt to this type of assembly?

https://www.buildingscience.com/documents/digests/bsd-controlling-cold-weather-condensation-using-insulation

https://www.buildingscience.com/documents/bareports/ba-1301-guidance-taped-sheathing-drainage-planes/view

TIM in ST. PAUL

DEAR TIM: Designed right, post frame homes are wonderful. My lovely bride and I live in an 8000 square foot post frame shouse (shop/house) not too far distant from you (we are roughly 200 miles due West).

Post frame buildings work structurally very similar to why jet airlines hold together – their ‘skin’ is holding everything together. With post frame, wind loads are transferred from building to ground through this steel roofing and siding skin.

When non-structural insulation boards (XPS) are inserted between framing and steel siding, screws holding steel would have to be exceedingly long. Screw shanks through XPS sheathing would deform (bend) under extreme wind events, causing a reduction in abilities to properly transmit loads. This could contribute to premature building system failure.

An easier solution would be to use two inches of closed cell spray foam insulation between wall girts on steel siding interior surface. This would accomplish a similar end result, without a compromise in building strength.

 

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Questions, Ventilation, Columns, Barndominium, Insulation and tagged , , , , , , on by .

Multi-Story Pole Barns, Rubber Coatings on Posts, and Heavy Snow Loads

Today’s Pole Barn Guru answers questions about multi-story pole barns, rubber coatings on  posts, and building for heavy snow loads.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I am looking into a multi-story pole barn with the top story being a home. I would need outside assess to the top story also. Do you build the pole barn or just send the materials. DEBBY in OJAI


DEAR DEBBY: We provide multi-story post frame (pole barn) building homes on a regular basis. Having outside access to your second floor is highly doable. We are not contractors in any state, we provide complete custom designs, third-party engineer sealed, all materials delivered to your site as well as complete construction assembly instructions for an average individual to successfully erect their on beautiful home.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Is there an issue with rubber coating a post with liquid rubber for first 6 feet of the pole (or coating the whole post even) and pouring concrete and slab together around the posts in pier-slab foundation style? ROB in JACKSON

DEAR ROB: As long as your proposed product is nonflammable and has no toxic off gassing then it should not prove to be an issue other than time and expense to protect a product having an ability already to outlast any of us. You should read: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2017/12/will-poles-rot-off/. It would also behoove you to have your building’s engineer of record sign off on using your product of choice.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: We are in an area of 120 – 150 snow load in the mountains of MT and want to error on the 150 load side when building our shed. The shed plan is 30×70 (2 RV doors) on the 30 side) with a 15×70 enclosed lean to (car garage door on the 15 side) that will have a car garage, workshop and storage room. Can we do a pole building with this size of shed and snow load or do we have to go stick built? KIM in BIGFORK

DEAR KIM: Post frame construction lends itself to high snow load requirements much better than stick built. We just finished designs for a building is Truckee California where snow load is 390 psf.

 

 

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Homes, Barndominium, Pole Barn Questions, Pole Barn Planning and tagged , , , , , , on by .

Installing Insulation, Properly Treated Posts, and a Slab Solution

The Pole Barn Guru helps with installing insulation in wet seasons, properly treated posts, as well as a solution to embedded posts when bedrock is present.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello. I am ready to install the insulation and metal on our pole building’s roof. I remember reading how it is important to install the insulation and roof when things are dry as to keep the insulation dry. We have recently moved into a rather wet early fall, and dry weekend days have seemed very illusive.

Do you have any expert ideas or advice that you may be able to offer us? I appreciate all of the very useful help and insight you’ve provided us numerous times already! BRAD in MOUNT VERNON

DEAR BRAD: You want to avoid trapping water between Radiant Reflective Barrier and roof steel, as it can lead to premature deterioration of roof steel.

A helpful hint – in rainy weather only place one run of barrier and if upward surface gets wet, towel dry it and immediately install steel roofing to cover.


Just one reason I now recommend using roof steel with an Integral Condensation Control: http://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2017/03/integral-condensation-control/.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Opinion in using 9” x 25’ class #3 pressure treated utility poles as columns or posts? I have come across a grip of poles in coastal pacific Mexico. Pondering the use of them as my columns/posts in cabin and deck style construction. Their structural and dimensional properties suited for use as such? Thank you. CARL in ZIHUATANEJO

CARL: I personally would not want to use them as level of pressure preservative treating (as well as chemicals used) could very well be iffy at best, toxic at worst. Read more about utility poles in post frame construction here: http://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2012/11/used-utility-poles/.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: 26’ x 42’ pole barn planned. We hit rock 6” down. Builder now wants to consider option of to pour the 4” slab first and use post saddles to anchor the posts on top of the slab. He says “This is a good option and results in longer life of the treated posts. Included in this option is additional bracing on each post” Is this really a viable option???

Help! Thank you. VICTORIA in FAIRVIEW

DEAR VICTORIA: Unless your builder can provide engineer sealed plans for your building including his “solution” fire him now because he has no clue.

Why do I say this? A four inch thick concrete slab only will provide inadequate to mount a building to.

In photo of correct bracket below, concrete would need to be deep enough to have rebar entirely embedded in concrete:

 

While a properly pressure preservative treated column will last longer than any of us will be alive to witness, of course if it does not touch ground it eliminates potential of any decay due to ground issues.

Read more here: http://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2016/12/attacking-pole-barn-rocks-holes/.

 

This entry was posted in Concrete, Footings, Insulation, Roofing Materials and tagged , , , , , , on by .

It’s All About the Posts!

Trimming Posts, A Taller Building, and Post Treatment:

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Trimming posts or adding Shims? My pole barn kit uses steel trusses that sit on top of the posts and bolt to their sides. If I set two or three posts lower than the rest, can I just add a shim the top (using PT plywood or similar) to match the heights of the other posts, rather than cutting the tops of the other seven or eight posts?
How much mismatch is acceptable? Would a 1/4″ difference in the tops of the posts be acceptable or noticeable? MIKE in ORLANDO

Concrete slab in a pole barnDEAR MIKE: I will give you my answers however prior to implementation of anything I advise, you need to be contacting the RDP (Registered Design Professional – architect or engineer) who designed your building and sealed the plans to get his or her approval.
In my humble opinion, using a non-compressible shim in order to make up the difference should be a non-issue.
As to the acceptable mismatch, structurally the ¼” difference will not make a difference, however there is a good chance it will be noticeable to the naked eye, especially along either the eave girt or fascia board. The closer you can get to perfect, the better the result will be and the happier you will be with it.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hello guru! We have a project on the way, and were thinking that our building the way it is engineered is going to be too short for our needs. What kind of risks, be it enforcement or safety would we run into if we increased the building height 2′? BRAD

DEAR BRAD: From a practicality standpoint all of your columns will be two feet too short, as will the wall steel. From an engineering standpoint going two feet taller changes the required sizes (dimensions not just lengths) of some of the columns. If you want taller overhead doors, then you have yet another issue.

The risks – safety – you would now be putting up an un-engineered building, which would be under designed for the loads being imposed on it and could collapse, causing injury or even death. Enforcement – if they catch you, you would have to do field modifications to bring the building up to Code.

If you are serious about making it taller, we can work with you to come up with the least expensive fixes and material swaps. The sooner you decide, chances are the less expensive it is going to be, however there would be a non-refundable deposit involved as we are going to put in some serious hours on this whether you decide to go forward or not.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: If PCP is not good for health and longevity on a pole house replacement pole. 2 each at 30’….what treatment do you recommend on a DF pole? JOE in KAILUA

DEAR JOE: If you are using Douglas Fir, then the pressure preservative of choice is ACZA. You could also use ACQ, however it is very corrosive to steel fasteners, so you would want to have products with a very high level of zinc in the galvanization process, or use stainless steel parts.

This entry was posted in Pole Barn Structure, Professional Engineer, Columns and tagged , , , , on by .
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