Tag Archives: setting columns

Fire Rate Spray Foam, Help Setting Poles, and a Riding Arena

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about code requirements for fire rated spray foam in enclosed parking structures, a request for assistance to set poles, and a question about the clear span of a riding arena.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Trying to find the NFPA code or Building code requirements for having to used fire rated spray foam in enclosed parking structures with sprinkler protection. Your help with this is appreciated. We went to the garage yesterday, and it is an enclosed garage with employee vehicles in it and pretty full. It is sprinklered with a dry system. The garage is already currently fire rated spray foams throughout. The owner had to install additional support steel beams due to deterioration and his architect told him the new code doesn’t require him to spray the new steel support beams with fire rated spray foam. Its an existing building and 90% was previously sprayed and still has a fire rated spray foam applied. He is questioning the new steel as it will cost him $60k to do. I can’t find any code on this currently and still looking. Just looking for insight from a company that does this and might have knowledge of the code for this type of application.

Your help is appreciated.

CHAD in STAMFORD

DEAR CHAD: Building is an S-2 occupancy. If structure itself is of non-combustible materials (steel/concrete) then it is Type I or II. As best I can tell from Code readings, his architect is correct – as long as member is not in an exterior wall or roof assembly where insulation is required for climate control. If it is in either of those areas, then closed cell spray foam is likely to be a best choice and as it is flammable, it would need to be either fire retardant, or covered with appropriate fire retardant material (e.g. Type X gypsum wallboard).

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: I need a referral for someone to set the poles on a pole barn 36 x 50. I am building it myself but need poles set correctly. Thank you. PATRICE in BIG LAKE

DEAR PATRICE: We have developed a significant list of independent building erectors covering much of our country’s contiguous 48 states. Provided you are ordering your building from us, we should be able to connect you with one or more of these independent builders who can assist you.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Can you make the pole barn riding arena kit 13 feet wide? TONY in DOUGLAS

Interior Clearspan ArenaDEAR TONY: My educated guess is you are actually looking for a width greater than 13 feet. Our clearspan limitation is 102 feet and unless you are doing professional barrel racing, we have not found a client yet who needed a width over this. Here is a little extended reading about riding arenas: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2015/06/horse-riding-arena/

 

Setting posts: Postsetaphobia

I recently spoke with a prospective client in California. This particular gentleman is an electrical contractor, and fancies himself as being fairly handy. He is considering doing the construction of his new pole building kit himself, however was terrified by the prospect of having to set the building columns.

Being honest, we all have our fears and phobias. One of the most interesting ones I encounter frequently with clients (such as our friend above) is “postsetaphobia”, or fear of setting posts. This particular phobia is defined as, “the fear of being able to properly set posts for a pole building”.

Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real.

99% of all fear is not justified and is not “real” unless one focuses on it and attracts it.

Examining the realities of the situation….most pole building foundation systems are based upon rectangular or square sawn pressure treated timbers, embedded into holes augered into the ground. Sounds scary when defined like this, isn’t it?

Setting posts is really very easy!

These augered holes are going to range from an 18 inch diameter on a very small building, to 24, 30 or even 36 inch diameters on a large structure. Assuming a very small building, the columns will probably be 4×6. Now a 4×6 actually measures 3-1/2” x 5-1/2” (topic for a future blog posting), or 6-1/2 inches across the diagonal. Even with the least hole diameter of 18 inches, this leaves almost a foot of “slop” to play with!

So, what is the worst thing which can happen so far? A hole is drilled a few inches off center and the very small “peg” gets shifted in a very large round hole. By moving the posts back and forth at the top of the hole, the columns can be shifted as needed to end up in a straight line.

How hard is it to obtain “plumb” when setting posts?

But, “what if I cannot get them plumb” (straight up and down)? By adjusting the braces, which temporarily support the columns prior to concrete being poured, the tops of the poles can be moved to being fairly plumb quite easily. While the ideal scenario is to have the tops of the columns leaning slightly outward, pole buildings are amazingly forgiving and the tops of the poles can be adjusted laterally by even several inches later in the construction process.

Over the course of 30 years most of the pole buildings I’ve sold have been constructed by homeowners with no building experience whatsoever.  I have yet to have someone who has voiced this setting posts concern to call me later and say “It was a nightmare”.  Instead, I’ve had countless folks tell me, “Wow, it really wasn’t so bad after all”.  Like many fears, this is one in which the anticipation of the event, is far worse than the real thing.