Tag Archives: roof styles

Pole Building Full Hip Roof

Back in the late 1970’s I was jack-of-most trades at what was then Coeur d’Alene Truss. In those days, most all roof lines were gables – peak of the roof in the center and the weather runs off two sides. One day a builder client came in and wanted a set of trusses for a full hipped roof. Not only did my boss question me (because they had never done a full-hipped roof with all trusses before), but the folks at our sister plant in Spokane agreed with him and told us it would never work.

Well – it did, and I participated in the design of many full hip roof truss systems – especially after I became manager for Lucas Plywood and Lumber’s truss facility in Salem, Oregon.

What exactly is a full hipped roof anyhow?

Hipped RoofA full hip roof has no gables (or peaked ends). The weather runs off from every side of the building, which necessitates the need for more gutters than a gabled roof.

Full hipped roofs became very trendy over the past few decades as architects and building designers found prefabricated roof trusses made an otherwise challenging framing job relatively simple.

But all of these roofs had trusses which were spaced every two feet…not widely spaced like typical pole buildings.

By using truss carriers (headers running from column-to-column) trusses could still be placed every two feet, just like stud wall construction.

However, they do not have to be.

In areas past the slope of the hips (where the ridgeline runs straight), two ply peaked trusses can be placed to align with the wall columns. Trusses in the hip areas will have a flat top (again aligning with the wall columns). The last eight to 12 feet of roof can be framed with either rafters or single slope (monopitch) trusses aligning again with the columns and attaching at the high end to the nearest flat top “girder” style truss with means of engineered metal connectors.

Roof purlins are placed on edge between the trusses to support either steel roofing, or shingles installed over sheathing (oriented strand board – OSB or plywood).

The full hip roof gives an architectural style which allows the pole building to tie in with other full hipped buildings on the same or nearby properties. Due to the added complexity of the truss system, it will be both more costly in materials, as well as taking more labor time.

Other disadvantages are potentially less space inside the attic area for insulation, as well as leaving minimal or no area for loft or bonus room areas within the attic. Ventilation can also pose a challenge as there are no gables to vent, and little or no (in the case of perfectly square buildings) ridges to vent.

Want a look to match the full hipped roof of a house? Or just want to one up the neighbor’s gabled pole barn? Then look no further than having a hipped roof pole building!

Thinking ahead on “how do I vent that hipped roof if I want to use steel roofing?”  Me to!  Come back tomorrow to see what I found…

Which Roof Style is Cheapest?

Welcome to Ask the Pole Barn Guru – where you can ask questions about building topics, with answers posted on Mondays.  With many questions to answer, please be patient to watch for yours to come up on a future Monday segment.  If you want a quick answer, please be sure to answer with a “reply-able” email address.

Email all questions to: PoleBarnGuru@HansenPoleBuildings.com

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I have a self-created plan that is 64×64 with lean-to porches on two sides. My question is, what is the safest and most economical roof style I can use? I love a saltbox with a shed dormer. Or even a gambrel with a shed dormer. I’ve even considered a clerestory but haven’t done much research on it. The roof covering will be galvalume. Is this span too much? Will I need interior support posts? It is an open floor plan with a loft that overlooks the great room and a balcony overlook accessed through the loft area. This will be a self-contracted project on rural farmland and I intend to do everything myself except the slab floor and plumbing. SQUARED IN LITTLE ROCK

DEAR SQUARED: The safest and most economical route will be a gabled roof – peak directly in the middle of the building, and probably a 4/12 roof slope. Prefabricated metal connector plated roof trusses can easily clear span the 64’ and then some, without the need for interior support columns. If you intend to have a second floor loft or mezzanine, then it will be less expensive to support these areas with interior columns.  With the possible complexities of your project, I’d greatly recommend you having some discussions with one of the Building Designers here at Hansen Buildings – they can take your concepts of floor plan and layout, and give you numerous suggestions on roof styles, with the goal being to craft a building which will meet with your needs, as well as provide the most bang for your investment. Mike the Pole Barn Guru

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Hi, I wanted to know the best location to place the screws on my pole barn roof. Should I place them on the raised rib or in the lower flat area? Thank you!

WILLING IN WAVERLY DEAR WILLING: Screws should always be placed in the “flat” areas of the steel panels. The first panel will have an overlap on the leading edge (closest to the end of the building). Place a #10 x 1-1/2” screw next to this rib, into a roof purlin, and continue to place screws every nine inches across the roof.  The exception will be at the eave and the ridge, as this is where the greatest shear forces are. At these locations use either a diaphragm screw or a #14 x 1-1/2” screw on both sides of every high rib. Diaphragm screws will have some advantages over the #14 part (and can be used everywhere on the building). They have a narrower #12 shank, other than just below the head, so they are easier to drive and less likely to split the purlins. They also have a ¼” hex head, so driver bits do not have to be switched back and forth. You can read more about the development of these screws at: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/blog/2012/08/this-is-a-test-steel-strength/Mike the Pole Barn Guru