Are you looking to add a building to your property? Do you need a new storefront or warehouse? Pole barns or pole buildings are a great choice. Also known as post frame construction, these buildings get their name from the building technique that is used to create them.
They can be built in about a month, offer the same structural integrity as traditionally built buildings and offer cheaper maintenance costs. So, if you are looking to add an ADU for your mother-in-law, to build a garage, or need a barn for your livestock – pole barn buildings are a great option – no matter what you are building.
Choosing to build a pole building can be exciting, but also daunting. We have created a step-by-step guide for people that are interested in building pole barns but are not sure where to start.
Pole Building Materials:
Pole Buildings get their name from the building method used to construct them. Pressure treated wooden poles or posts are buried deep into the ground, then the building is constructed off these posts.
With that, there are a few basic components to the construction of pole building:
Posts: Pressure treated lumber posts that are either from a single cut of wood or are boards fused together with glue or nail-laminated columns. These posts vary from 4×6 – 8×8 depending on the needs of the building.
Trusses: A triangle shaped apparatus that goes across the top of the building. Trusses are placed at the tops of posts and stretch across the building to the other post. Trusses are engineered to take the weight of the building and transfer it down onto the buried posts. Most buildings will need multiple trusses.
Fasteners: Metal fasteners that attach the wooden components together.
Girt: Boards that are placed horizontally between each pole.
Purlins: Boards placed horizontally between each truss.
Siding: External covering of the building. Often this is metal sheeting but many types of materials can be used.
Roofing: External roof cover. This is often metal sheeting but, again, many types of roofing materials can be used.
Material Considerations:
Depending on your location and the weather conditions, you will need to consider a few things when selecting the materials for your pole building:
- Wind Speeds
- For Oregon & Washington we recommend a wind load of 115 mph – 130 mph
- Snow Load
- For Oregon & Washington we recommend a snow load of 20-30 pounds
- Building Size and Overall Weight
- Wooden trusses are engineered based on the load factors and the structural design of the building. It is important for the trusses to be specially engineered to meet your needs. Wapiti offers an engineer’s stamp with all drawings of our truss plans.
- Make sure your builder knows how you intend to finish your building (for example, if you want a ceiling inside the building), this will impact weight.
- Grading of Materials:
- It is important to work with a builder that knows the materials in your region. For instance, a number 2 Grade of Douglas Fir has the same strength as a number 3 Grade of Southern Yellow Pine – a builder that knows this can save you money and construct a building that will last.
- A recent survey, asking post-frame builders across the country what types of posts were most common in their areas. Of the 134 builders who answered this question, 44% said solid sawn, followed by 27.6% saying nailed laminated, and 26.9% saying glue-laminated. Here in the northwest, the common practice is to use solid sawn posts because they are in abundance and easy to get because of our local timber.
- Siding Materials:
- In another recent builder survey, when asked which metal gauge is most commonly used for roofing in their area, 50% of the builders said 29 Gauge and 44% said 26 Gauge. 6% said they used other materials.
- As for the gauge most commonly used for metal siding in their areas, 63.4% of the builders surveyed said 29 Gauge and 30.6% said 26 Gauge.
- Check to see if your insurance company can give you a lower rate based on the metal passing Underwriters Laboratories 2218 impact resistance test.
- The metal we trust for our panels:
- 29 gauge ArmorTechTM Painted Steel .014′′ (thickness prior to painting) Galvanized G-90 or
- Zincalume® AZ-50 Per ASTM A-792
- 26 gauge ArmorTechTM Painted Steel .019′′ (thickness prior to painting) Galvanized G-90 or
- Zincalume® AZ-50 Per ASTM A-792
- Paint & Paint Warranties:
- The least expensive paint system is polyester paint, which typically comes with a 10 to 20-year warranty. A step up is silicone-modified polyester, which allows the paint to stretch as the metal expands or contracts. The warranty for this paint is typically 40 years.
- Some people think Kynar® is the ultimate paint system. The warranty is the same as silicone-modified polyester, but the product costs more. The warranties are typically prorated and do not cover labor.
The most important thing to keep in mind when considering materials is the skill and expertise of your builder. A good company will know the materials you need and where you can get them. Our team of experts has been doing this for over a decade, and we would love to connect and discuss your project. No matter what you are building we have the experience to work with you every step of the way to make sure you have a great building that will endure for years to come.
Reach out now for a free quote.
Look out for our article: Pole Barn 101 – What Style of Pole Barn to Build?
