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Thread: Pole barn versus stick built for shop?

  1. #31
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Columbus Ohio
    Posts
    163

    Pole Barn for me

    I have a pole barn that I had built about 3.5 years ago. It is 24x32 with 10' ceilings. 16' wide overhead door and a walk door. I have fixed windows for light and operational windows as well.

    Mine is finished on the inside with the same sheet metal that is on the outside. If I were to do it again, I would use some type of plywood or t1-11 because of the rib joints on the sheet metal. That has made it difficult to hang items on the walls (not impossible). At the time metal was cheaper because of hurricanes driving up the demand on sheet ply.

    Insulation is 6 inches in the walls, and 18 inches in the attic. I was out there tonight and it was 58 F in the shop and about 40 F outside. I have no heat source right now but am adding one for this winter.

    I would get competitive bids from both types of builders. The great thing about mine is that it was done in about 15 days. (except the concrete poor). I think that is pretty fast considering I mean from site prep to under roof with doors windows and insulation done.

    I ran all my powe in conduit outside the walls. Cost a little more but that was a personal preference for me in case I ever want to expand it.

    Good luck

  2. #32
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    266
    Is it necessary to use a vapor barrier? Is condensation ever an issue with a metal ceiling?

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Arena, Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,272
    Quote Originally Posted by John Callahan
    Is it necessary to use a vapor barrier? Is condensation ever an issue with a metal ceiling?
    John,
    On the steel building we just had built for my mother in Wisconsin we speced ˝ inch foil faced foam over the trusses and beneath the roof metal to prevent condensation.

    Frank

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Mid Michigan
    Posts
    3,559
    Quote Originally Posted by John Callahan
    Is it necessary to use a vapor barrier? Is condensation ever an issue with a metal ceiling?
    John,
    Condensation is an issue when you have a temperature differential in buildings. In my opinion, in most cases use a moisture barrier just to be safe. Condensation may be more of a problem in a metal building but it still exists in most structures if the air on one side of a surface is warmer than the other. If a metal ceiling is insulated it shouldn't be a problem.
    David

  5. #35
    Does anyone have pics of the interior framing done on a pole barn to support insulation and interior walls? This seems to be an issue with pole barns, but it's certainly not insurmountable.
    Jeremy Gibson

  6. #36
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    London, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    12
    Hi there,
    I was hoping my first post would be an introduction and a pictorial of my shop being built (almost done! ), but an oppurtunity has presented itself where I may be able to clarify something.

    In response to Jeremy's post, I am currently building a 16'x36' pole barn w/10' ceilings. The poles are PT 6x6's, 8' apart and set 4' into the ground. I have 2x6's running horizontally (on the flat) every 2' between the poles and toenailed in, thereby creating a "horizontal stud". Once the electrical is done, I will be using 24" batt insulation between the 2x6's and then vapour barrier and drywall. I don't understand the problems with insulating a pole building as I don't see any difference.

    Anyhoo, thats my introduction, and I'm looking forward to gaining some valuable knowledge from everyone here in the future.

    Evan

  7. #37
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Monroe, MI
    Posts
    11,896
    Jeremy, I didn't stop to take picture--it went up too fast. What I did at the recommendation of the local lumber yard was to use horizontal 2x4'. The first one was a PT 2x4 laid on the floor between 2 poles with the front edge even with the front of the poles. This was toenailed to the poles. I then cut blocks from 2x4's that were 23" (or whatever the proper OC measurement of 24" OC insulation is) that were nailed to the poles. Another 2x4 was put on top of the blocks horizontally. This continued up the wall to the top. Then I stuffed each cavity with 6" insulation and covered everything with OSB. With 2 of my brothers helping me we built, insulated, and sheeted an entire 30x12 wall to separate two parts of the shop and insulated and sheeted the insides of the exterior walls in 2 days. That included replacing all the outlets that were along the walls with new double boxes and outlets.

  8. #38

    Pole Barn

    Brian, I had a 30 x 40 x 10 built about 3 1/2 yrs ago. Standard was 10' centers, get 8' will work out much better for interior framing. The crew that erected it for me had the kit delivered 1 wk before they were ready to start, showed up about 4:30 or 5:00 one evening, layed out the holes for the poles, drilled them, and layed out materials for next day. They begain work at 6:00am, and handed me the keys to the side door, had cleaned up and were gone by 4:30! These guys were good! I checked everything for square and WOW! it is better than my house! They even string line the screws! It took the concrete man about 2 days to level and pour the slab, even with lite showers the day of the pour, all work was inside and dry. Now how long it has taken me to get it half way insulated and wired is another story! I've probably less than 14 grand in it and I would recomind it to any one.

  9. #39
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Mid Michigan
    Posts
    3,559
    Quote Originally Posted by Matt Meiser
    Jeremy, I didn't stop to take picture--it went up too fast. What I did at the recommendation of the local lumber yard was to use horizontal 2x4'. The first one was a PT 2x4 laid on the floor between 2 poles with the front edge even with the front of the poles. This was toenailed to the poles. I then cut blocks from 2x4's that were 23" (or whatever the proper OC measurement of 24" OC insulation is) that were nailed to the poles. Another 2x4 was put on top of the blocks horizontally. This continued up the wall to the top. Then I stuffed each cavity with 6" insulation and covered everything with OSB. With 2 of my brothers helping me we built, insulated, and sheeted an entire 30x12 wall to separate two parts of the shop and insulated and sheeted the insides of the exterior walls in 2 days. That included replacing all the outlets that were along the walls with new double boxes and outlets.
    Matt,
    I am doing the same thing to my 30x40x10 pole barn. Pressure treated 2X4 at the base horizontally and standard 2x4s every 24 inches. Haven't decided yet on the insulation because I already have 1 inch foam with foil on each side under my metal siding. I will probably use 6 inch fiberglass batts even if it is over kill. I have 10 foot walls and that leaves that 24 inch space not covered by the standard 4x8 sheet of OSB. I am thinking of hanging the OSB horizontally and have the 24 inches in between sheets so I can remove the 24 inch sheet for in wall access for future wiring, etc.
    David

  10. #40
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    London, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    12
    Quote Originally Posted by David G Baker
    Matt,
    I am doing the same thing to my 30x40x10 pole barn. Pressure treated 2X4 at the base horizontally and standard 2x4s every 24 inches. Haven't decided yet on the insulation because I already have 1 inch foam with foil on each side under my metal siding. I will probably use 6 inch fiberglass batts even if it is over kill. I have 10 foot walls and that leaves that 24 inch space not covered by the standard 4x8 sheet of OSB. I am thinking of hanging the OSB horizontally and have the 24 inches in between sheets so I can remove the 24 inch sheet for in wall access for future wiring, etc.
    David
    David,

    I like the idea of the 24" panel halfway up the wall. I was planning on using a sheet material that was more moisture resistant (cement board?) for the bottom 24", and then OSB or drywall for the upper 8', but I think I'm going to steal your idea instead. All of my electrical will be run just above the 48" mark anyways, may as well make it accessible.

    Evan

  11. #41
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,688
    David, I also like the idea of the "independent" strip in between two horizontal sheets, whether it's a 10' wall or a 9' wall. An easy to remove "access panel" means, as stated, you can update wiring in the future without going to surface mount conduit.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  12. #42
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Columbus Ohio
    Posts
    163

    Pics of insulation

    Jeremy,

    Took me a while to find the photos. Here are a few shots. Basically there are horizontal 2x4's creating a cage around the inside and outside of the vertical poles. Then filled with insulation and covered in plastic wrap.

    Jeff

    1.JPG 2.JPG
    3.JPG 4.JPG
    5.JPG

  13. #43
    Things to consider! I am in the process of building a 30x60x12 pole barn. I chose this for a couple reasons. 1) Cost, I can get a much bigger building for far less money, and a building that will still be there when I am not. 2) Taxes. In my Township it is considered an accessory building, therefore taxes are far less than that of a Garage. 3) Ease of building it, it can be built probably 1/2 the time of a stick built garage.

    They can be insulated! can be heated, can have everything a stick built garage has.

  14. #44
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Mt. Pleasant, MI
    Posts
    2,924
    For a pole structure the insulation to look at is the rigid spray urethane foam.

    Run purlins (they are called something else in this app but I forget) on the inside walls and attach your wall sheeting of choice.

    Wiring is a bit more involved but only in making blocking where you want outlets.

    I haven't been disappointed at all with mine.

    Joe
    JC Custom WoodWorks

    For best results, try not to do anything stupid.

    "So this is how liberty dies...with thunderous applause." - Padmé Amidala "Star Wars III: The Revenge of the Sith"

  15. #45
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Post Falls, Idaho
    Posts
    192

    Love the pole built

    I have had 2 stick built in the past but with the new 30x50 shop I went pole built because I could get a lot more for the money and have a building I would much rather be in during an earthquake than a stick built. The vast majority of the shops in our area are pole built as well. 16' to the bottom of the trusses gives you all kinds of flexibility for building upper storage lofts or building a separate room in a corner with 10' ceilings that you can deck the ceiling and have tremendous storage on top. I got a good deal on some 2x6s so I nailed them horizontally around the walls, spaced about 4 feet apart so I had something to put R19 insulation bats behind and then fasten 4X8 drywall to. This is the same (as shown in the picture before interior work) way the outside was done for the siding. Since the drywall fastens to the 2X6, which fastens to the poles, there is tons of room behind the drywall for running electrical, pipe for air or even 4" duct for DC if you use that size. I used a 220 hanging heater and added a large ceiling fan to blow the heat down. Most snow on record here this year and everything was toasty. Just my 2 cents.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Walt Nicholson; 04-23-2008 at 9:29 PM. Reason: pics

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