Another pole barn idea

I came up with another idea for a pole barn because the last one I was thinking of building would have been too small. This one will be 16 x 24, so not overly large, but probably the biggest I can accommodate on my .25 acre lot. Here's the basic idea:

-6 x 6 x 12' poles sunk 48" deep
-2 x 6 pressure treated girt board around the bottom
-2 x 12s bolted to the inside and outside of the tops of the 6 x 6s (is that overkill?)
-2 x 2 x 16 floor joists for the loft, 16" OC
-3/4" OSB subfloor up top
-Home built gambrel roof trusses made from 2 x 4 x 8s and OSB web plates on both sides spaced 24" OC
-Steel roofing and siding
-Sliding 8' wide door
-Compacted crusher run floor

I figure I can build it for about $5000 doing the work myself, the question is, is it a sound design? I'm basing it off of a barn I saw built on another forum and am pretty much copying it exactly. The guy was in Indiana so it definitely sees plenty of snow. Here's a cross section of the framing:



The goal is as small a footprint as possible with as much storage as possible, hence the huge gambrel truss. That's the part I'm wondering about the most. Should I use 1 x 6 bracing instead of the OSB webbing?

Butcher said:

I'm guessin you meant 2x 12's for your loft floor joists right?

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Yeah...pretty sure the weight of the plywood would collapse the floor if I used 2 x 2 x 16s I think max span for #2 Doug Fir 2 x 12s is 17'. My span will only be 14' 10" between the inside eve headers. Maybe I should look at using 2 x 10s instead to save a little $$$ I'll look into the 14' poles too-the big box stores don't have them but the local lumberyards might.

Butcher said:

Also 1 thing about the sliding door is you aren't going to get an 8' opening when done. Unless you are going to use a 2 piece door in the middle of the gable end. I don't know any more since it's been awhile since I was in the trades but I would watch the adds at them Menards and such for a building package for the shed the size you want. I'm bettin you might get a whole shed dropped at your place cheaper than what you think.

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I'm in NJ-we don't have Menards here and I don't know of any places that offer kits. It's worth checking out though...

greg13 said:

In most areas you will need permits to build. Before a permit is issued they will go over your plans so if there is a problem they will tell you.I would check with the codes officer before hand and run your plans by him first.It is far easier to work with him from the start.

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When I get to that point I certainly will. Our code official is a pretty good guy-it was a smooth process when I got the permits approved for my wood furnace install. Just shopping around ideas now.

Michael Golden said:

Why so deep? And why 6 x 6 posts? Just seems overkill, but hey it's your money.

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The diversity of responses I'm getting is interesting. I posted this same thing on another forum where a lot of posters have built much larger barns than mine. I floated the idea of using 4 x 4s and was quickly told that they would twist and buckle. I was also told that my footings weren't deep enough and that my 2 x 4 trusses would buckle under snow. I think I'm starting realize that I need to end up somewhere in the middle of all of the recommendations I've gotten. BTW, frost depth for the northern region of NJ is 36", so I'll still use 12' poles, but maybe not bury them as deep and end up with a higher roof.

I did a little more research (basically some creative Googling) and found this:

http://pbis.okstate.edu/images/documents/6410_high.pdf

I've run across these old USDA plans before but this was the first time I had found a design that fit my needs. The drawing contains dimensions to build a truss or braced rafter system spanning anywhere from 20' all the way up to 34'. The 20' truss is built from four 2 x 6 x 8s, two 2 x 4 x 8s, fourteen gusset plates of 1/2" plywood, and a lot of nails. Glue is not mentioned, but I will definitely be gluing mine with a high strength construction adhesive in addition to nailing. Once I build a jig they should go together fast. Here's a section view of the new barn plan incorporating the braced rafter design:



The question now is whether or not this design requires the rafters to be tied together via a floor joist. The building is going to be 24' long and I'm thinking that I really only want the loft to cover half of it. So basically half the rafters will be tied together with 2 x 12 x 20 floor joists and half of them won't be. Any thoughts?

rwhite said:

I used this system when I built a 30 x 40 barn. Kinda pricey but I was able to build all the trusses and do most of the raising myself. I can't say enough about the quality of the system. All trussed and uprights are 6x6 which you can buy or build up with three 2x6's with 1/2" osb sandwiched in between. Can't say enough about the quality or ease. of use. With metal siding and roof, Full concrete slab, 4' footings for posts and electrical it cost me about 10K. I would guess that with a 16 x24 and crushed floor you could come in considerably cheaper.

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Wow-that's impressive! Definitely going to look into these as well-thanks for the link.

Michael Golden said:

What do you plan on putting up stairs? I think you could save some dough with 2 x 10s, that is standard in home construction.

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I ran the span calculator again and found the following: At 20lbs psf live load and 10lbs psf dead load, which is considered an "attic" or ceiling joist spec, a #2 Doug Fir 2 x 10 spaced 16" OC will span 19' 7" which just makes it. That said, 2 x 10 x 20s run about $25 each at the local lumberyard, whereas 2 x 12 x 20s are about $28 each. Now that I'm only doing a loft over half of the barn (12' x 20' will be plenty of space), I only need 10 joists, so going with 2 x 10s over 2 x 12s will only save me $30. I get what you're saying though. The plan for the loft right now is just the crap that is clogging up the basement and closets-out of season clothes, seasonal decorations, baby stuff and toys that kid number one has outgrown that we'll need for kids two through ??? The really heavy stuff (tools and equipment) will stay on the ground floor.