Pole barn

[gwiley]

Someone at work asked why I was building a pole barn.....sigh, here goes.

1. Heating with propane was costing $5000/season
2. Bought OWB
3. Realized that a LOT of wood was needed
4. Realized that a road to get to OWB was needed to avoid lugging wood across yard
5. Bought skid steer to build road
6. Bought 1 ton PU to haul wood
7. Bought 16' equipment trailer to haul wood and skid steer
8. Bought grapple for skid steer
9. Bought many saws over the time from #1-#8
10. Ran out of room in garage for all the tools required to maintain old equipment
11. Realized needed barn for working on equipment

I am trying to hide the rediculous list of tools and hobbies that have grown around the OWB from my wife. Sooner or later she is going to figure this out - and then I am a dead man, so I figure might as well make the most of it until then.

My sons are helping me build the pole barn and I decided to start recording it on a web page for the fun of it and to help other folks who might be interesting in building a barn but who don't have significant construction experience (I don't either).

Take a look at:

http://www.gwiley.com/projects

 

[Walt41]

Looks great, +1 on mixing the concrete, I never trust the pour and hope method.

 

[alleyyooper]

24'X24'x?

Al

 

[gwiley]

24'X24'x?

Al

10' tall at the eaves, 14' tall at the peak.

I started out wanting a 30'x40' but we had to keep it all on a tight budget - there was just no way to go any bigger. I know that 24x24 will fill up almost immediately, but as they say....money doesn't grow on trees (for most of us).

 

[Rudedog]

Tell her the pole barn needs vacuuming and she'll never go in the thing.

 

[alleyyooper]

If you use discretion on what you keep and store that size will work fine. Also it can be added on to fairly easy. Friend did a add on off one side that looks real nice.

Mine is smaller at 12x12x8. works fine for our use.

Al

 

[time warp]

Put a header in now for future exspantion. It's cheaper to do it now!!!

 

[Blowncrewcab]

Sooooooo, Your spending $10-15,000+ a year on stuff to save $5,000? your on the right track- I finished my pole barn/wood shed last spring

 

[mtfallsmikey]

Very nice, gwiley....what kind of roof/siding are you using? Metal is getting real pricey...

 

[oneoldbanjo]

If your are going to use metal roofing - put a layer of Tyvek on the top of the trusses prior to attaching the horizontal lumber (stringers). This provides an air space between the metal roof and the Tyvek and keeps the roof from sweating and dropping water all over your equipment. I did this when I built my pole barn and it never sweats.....I learned this from a friend after all his equipment was getting ruined by the rain that would fall inside his pole barn every night. He would open the doors during the day while they were getting equipment out and the hot humid daytime air would enter the building - then at night when things cooled down the humid air inside the building would condense the water onto the cold metal roof and it would start dripping water inside the building.

 

[gwiley]

If your are going to use metal roofing - put a layer of Tyvek on the top of the trusses prior to attaching the horizontal lumber (stringers). This provides an air space between the metal roof and the Tyvek and keeps the roof from sweating and dropping water all over your equipment. I did this when I built my pole barn and it never sweats.....I learned this from a friend after all his equipment was getting ruined by the rain that would fall inside his pole barn every night. He would open the doors during the day while they were getting equipment out and the hot humid daytime air would enter the building - then at night when things cooled down the humid air inside the building would condense the water onto the cold metal roof and it would start dripping water inside the building.

THat sounds liek good advice. I was planning on putting sheets of styrofoam on the bottom of the trusses to avoid having to heat the space between the roof and the "ceiling". I am guessing that this would help control that problem. The eaves are vented and there is a ridge vent so my hope is that the air flow would be sufficient to prevent condensation. I am going to price the tyvek, maybe even just 6mil plastic would do?

The walls and roof are metal - came with the kit.

 

[Iska3]

If your are going to use metal roofing - put a layer of Tyvek on the top of the trusses prior to attaching the horizontal lumber (stringers). This provides an air space between the metal roof and the Tyvek and keeps the roof from sweating and dropping water all over your equipment. I did this when I built my pole barn and it never sweats.....I learned this from a friend after all his equipment was getting ruined by the rain that would fall inside his pole barn every night. He would open the doors during the day while they were getting equipment out and the hot humid daytime air would enter the building - then at night when things cooled down the humid air inside the building would condense the water onto the cold metal roof and it would start dripping water inside the building.

This sounds like a good idea. 20 years ago I built a 42x70 without anything between the steel and it's like standing in a rain forest. thinking about having spray foam on the first section.

 

[alleyyooper]

Since ours was going to have heat in it some during the winters and a ceiling we roofed it with OSB first.

Then a layer of plastic was put down before the furing strips to provide a air gap which I was told prevents sweating.

Inside we installed the cieling of hard board with 2 inches of bead board above it.

the walls are the same except they have 1 inch foam board insulation.

Al

 

[oneoldbanjo]

THat sounds liek good advice. I was planning on putting sheets of styrofoam on the bottom of the trusses to avoid having to heat the space between the roof and the "ceiling". The eaves are vented and there is a ridge vent so my hope is that the air flow would be sufficient to prevent condensation. I am going to price the tyvek, maybe even just 6mil plastic would do?.

I would not use plastic in the same manner as the Tyvek - it is impermeable and the moisture will again condense on the bottom. Tyvek will allow moisture to pass through - but not water drops. The water vapor/moisture can pass through the Tyvek and if it condenses on the bottom of the roof, it then drips onto the Tyvek and runs down to the vented soffit and it can drip out. (I have never seen any drips or icycles on the vented soffit so I am not sure it has ever happened).

If you are going to install insulation and a vapor barrier on the bottom of the trusses - the Tyvek will not be necessary. My pole barn is unheated and not insulated.