Tag Archives: wall framing

Termites, Lumber “Extras” and a new Kit

This Wednesday the Pole Barn Guru answers reader questions about subterranean termites eating the posts, the best resource to acquire commodity items like OSB, and providing a kit sized 16′ x 32′ x 10 height.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: What do you do about subterranean termites eating the posts.? Where I’m at they eat treated lumber. DAN in FRAZIER PARK

DEAR DAN: Inorganic arsenic based pressure preservative treatments are toxic to any type of termite. Even so, a pre-construction termite treatment should be done (read more here: https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2019/09/pre-construction-termite-treatment/), as termites will build around poisonous wood in order to get to materials they may find as more pleasing to their palates. If you are seeing termites eating treated lumber, it is due to non-arsenic based treatments.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Are you able to supply the osb 7/16 sheathing boards the insulation foam boards and interior wall lumber boards to my order if I purchase the custom design package deal to up grade and custom my order. RAFAEL in ANTIOCH

DEAR RAFAEL: Thank you for your continued interest in a new Hansen Pole Building. All of those items are considered ‘commodity’ items and while we can provide them, our clients typically have found it more practical to acquire them from vendors such as your nearby The Home Depot.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Could you provide a kit 16′ x 32′ x 10 height? ROBERT in GASTONIA

DEAR ROBERT: We can provide any dimensions up to 100 foot clearspan width, lengths only limited by your property and heights up to 40 foot sidewalls or three stories (50 foot sidewalls and four stories with fire suppression sprinklers). Depending upon how you will be using your new building, multiples of six feet in width and 12 feet in length are usually your most cost effective.

How Much Will My New Pole Barn Cost?

How Much Will My New Pole Barn Cost?

Reader CLAUDIO in LEWIS writes:

“Hello, I would like to know what would be the cost to build a pole barn building 25’x50′ with loft? Are the interior partitions and insulated walls and floors included? Is the permit application included? Is delivery and construction included in your cost estimate? Thank you.”

Mike the Pole Barn Guru writes:

If you are looking for the best bang for your building investment and a slightly different footprint will yet fit your needs, 24′ x 48′ will be a more efficient use of materials. Most often we are providing structural portions of your new pole barn (walls, roof system, siding, roofing, doors, windows, any elevated wood floors and stairs) delivered to your site. We can provide interior partition wall framing as well as fiberglass batt insulation. We do not include your permit application, however your new building investment includes full multi-page 24” x 36” engineer sealed structural blueprints detailing the location and attachment of every piece (as well as suitable for obtaining Building Permits).

Your new building kit is designed for an average physically capable person, who can and will read and follow instructions, to successfully construct your own beautiful building shell (and most of our clients do DIY – saving tens of thousands of dollars). We’ve had clients ranging from septuagenarians to fathers bonding with their teenage daughters erect their own buildings, so chances are – you can as well!

Currently (and for the foreseeable future) there is a nationwide shortage of building erectors. Many high quality erectors are booked out into 2023. We would strongly encourage you to consider erecting your own building shell.

For those without the time or inclination, we have an extensive independent Builder Network covering the contiguous 48 states (https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/find-a-builder/). We can assist you in getting erection labor pricing as well as introducing you to potential builders.

A CAUTION in regards to ANY erector: If an erector tells you they can begin quickly it is generally either a big red flag, or you are being price gouged. ALWAYS THOROUGHLY VET ANY CONTRACTOR https://www.hansenpolebuildings.com/2018/04/vetting-building-contractor/

We would appreciate the opportunity to participate in your new pole building. Please email your building specifics, site address and best contact number to our Design Studio Manager caleb@hansenpolebuildings.com (866)200-9657 Thank you.

Wall Framing, a Sloped Build Site, and Engineering for Slab

Continuing the week with more Pole Barn Guru, Mike discusses spacing of framing for wall steel, how to prepare a sloped build site, and if Hansen can provide engineering for slab on grade in Colorado.

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: If you have 2×6’s for walls in pole building that are spaced 16 inches apart, and want to put metal siding up, would I use like a wood girts every 2 feet apart in order to hang the metal siding up and down? JOSEPH

DEAR JOSEPH: I will read between lines and guess you have built stud walls between building columns. If this is your situation then you will need to have horizontal girts added in order to attach wall steel vertically. You should refer to your engineered building plans for size, spacing and attachment of these girts, as your engineer is most likely counting on your steel skin to provide needed wall diaphragm strength.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: The area I want to put a pole barn has a severe slope of 6′ from one end to the other. Should I excavate this ground to make it level or build a masonry wall on low end to bring level? If I excavate I’m concerned about moisture getting into building from the high end. If I build a wall, I’m concerned about the pressure on the wall that could eventually fail or the back fill settling under the concrete floor causing cracks. Thanks so much for your help. DAN in EDDYVILLE

DEAR DAN: Well you have lots of possibilities. Given what you have provided, I would be inclined to cut roughly four feet from your high side (making your cut back another eight to 10 feet from your building) and then fill on low side, with a retaining wall eight to 10 feet beyond your building. This way you can slope grade away from building in both directions. Walls will be far enough away from building to not affect it. If you have clay in your soil, make sure to remove at least top 18-24 inches where building will be located and replace it with good, properly compacted fill.

 

DEAR POLE BARN GURU: Does your company handle all the engineering required for an interior monolithic slab? We are very interested in a pole barn home (about 1300 SQ ft) but are running into a lot of issues with the interior slab. We will be building in Fremont County, CO at 9400’ elevation. Frost heave is a huge concern. JEFF in FREMONT County

DEAR JEFF: We would need to have an engineered soil’s report as well as to know your intentions for heating (always heated or not always heated). With this information we would provide engineering for your slab on grade.

 

 

Why Build Roof Before Walls?

Why Build the Roof Before Walls?

Sometimes I can get so deep into a forest I cannot see trees – I miss things which should be otherwise obvious.

For whatever reason a client contacted his Hansen Pole Buildings’ Designer, rather than first contacting Technical Support. Building Designer Gregg aptly forwarded client’s request directly to our Technical Support team:

“….who has already purchased, he had a question from the manual on what size (diameter) rebar to use on the corner post, according to attached photo. He also wanted to know if he could put in girts before he places trusses, as the everything else arrived except for trusses so far, the manual says do trusses first.”

Mike the Pole Barn Guru writes:

Last half portion of client’s request is what pushed my “McFly” button!

Please refer to Detail in upper left corner of sheet S-2 of your engineered plans (plan view at corner columns) and Chapter 7 of Construction Manual.

Rebar is measured in 1/8th inch diameters, therefore a #4 rebar is 1/2″ diameter (four divided by eight).

We strongly recommend you frame roof prior to placing wall girts.

In reading through the Construction Manual today, I find (very beginning of Chapter 19: Girts) where it says, “Prior to installing ANY wall framing, return to Chapters 13 through 17 to insulate and put steel on roof.” This seems to be an issue of challenge to people – not just do-it-yourselfers, but also those who portray themselves to be construction professionals. We tell installers not to, but do not explain why. Here goes:

Trusses extend from a minimum of outside of column to outside of column (not to mention any overhangs). If walls have been framed (girts, headers and door jambs placed) trusses will have to be jockeyed around to be lifted in place from inside of building.

A great majority of post frame buildings have one or more columns not perfectly placed along building length. Accept it, this is just going to happen no matter how perfect you or your builder might be. Most buildings have a far greater number of roof purlins per bay, than wall girts per bay. By framing roof first, all purlins can be cut to same length in each bay, this is determined by engineered plan column spacing, less thickness of truss assemblies. When trusses are in place, tops of columns will easily move forward or backwards so all truss supporting columns end up spaced per plans. This also aids in creation of an overall building roof length matching expectations.

During truss placement process (regardless of method used) there will come times when it is highly convenient to be able to walk ‘through’ a wall. Girts in place means having to fit through girts or walk around the building walls- either one slows the construction process.

It is far easier to square up a roof without resistance of wall framing members. Once roof sheathing or roof steel is in place, it makes it far easier to plumb building corners.

With roofing in place and walls open, a concrete slab may be installed if desired. Having the roof completed before wall girts are in place helps protect concrete pour from weather elements, especially rain or heat in summer. Pre-mix trucks can access and chute through any accessible sides or ends. This can negate needs to pay for a pump truck.