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Pole barn vs stick built

It's all about the foundation to me because that's where you save on time and cost. A pole barn only requires digging post holes where a stick frame requires a foundation so it all depends on the intended use. The other big consideration is insulation, pole barns with the beams and trusses typically spaced far apart aren't as easily insulated unless you have them spray foamed. Another huge benefit to a full foundation is you can run the foundation walls well above ground keeping the siding away from the ground... you see a lot of rotted metal on pole barns. I like pole barns for unheated storage but outside of that I like stick frames on a foundation.
 
We’ve got a place around here that sells pole barn ‘kits’ you tell them the size you want and they get all the materials together including the concrete. I purchased a 24x36 last year for the wife and I to park under. And for the third bay to fill up with crap apparently. I have not walled it in at this point. Still don’t know that I’m going to. The kit was priced at about 3100 dollars. Metal trusses( 4/12) which probably isn’t steep enough for y’all up north. 2x6 joists. 12’ spacing on bays. It came with 16’ 6x6 so I went with 12’ eaves because I could. Anyway I let them send their contractor because it would only take them two days to build. I’ve got about 5600 total in it. Before I added gutters.

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Have one of each
35x75 polebarn = Rude and crude
25x50 engineered on foundation = a structure that will increase in value
It is only cent's on the dollar, at this point.
My 2 cent's
 
Be wary of what type of wood they use for the poles/sticks.
The poles in the outbuildings we have that were built 25 years ago are already rotting off despite being green treated.
Whereas the poles in our older 50s era buildings are still in ship shape.
 
It's all about the foundation to me because that's where you save on time and cost. A pole barn only requires digging post holes where a stick frame requires a foundation so it all depends on the intended use. The other big consideration is insulation, pole barns with the beams and trusses typically spaced far apart aren't as easily insulated unless you have them spray foamed. Another huge benefit to a full foundation is you can run the foundation walls well above ground keeping the siding away from the ground... you see a lot of rotted metal on pole barns. I like pole barns for unheated storage but outside of that I like stick frames on a foundation.

I furred out my pole barn walls on 24" centers by running a 2x6 (PT) along the floor fastened to the poles and then fastening the 2x4 furring strips to the inside 2x10 joist carrier at the top and the 2x6 at the floor (floating the inner wall-not touching the outer purlins). Then insulation can be stapled on to the furring strips. After that I stood drywall (5/8) on the 2x6 and up to the joist carrier, trimming the top and bottom edges with 3/4" 1/4 round and painted everything.
On the outside I dug out a 4" deep by the width of the eave hole and filled it with stone (septic tank/drain field size). That keeps the dirt away from the steel skin and the eave dripping from cutting a line in the lawn. Makes mowing easier too!
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Mike
 
I furred out my pole barn walls on 24" centers by running a 2x6 (PT) along the floor fastened to the poles and then fastening the 2x4 furring strips to the inside 2x10 joist carrier at the top and the 2x6 at the floor (floating the inner wall-not touching the outer purlins). Then insulation can be stapled on to the furring strips. After that I stood drywall (5/8) on the 2x6 and up to the joist carrier, trimming the top and bottom edges with 3/4" 1/4 round and painted everything.
On the outside I dug out a 4" deep by the width of the eave hole and filled it with stone (septic tank/drain field size). That keeps the dirt away from the steel skin and the eave dripping from cutting a line in the lawn. Makes mowing easier too!View attachment 651840
Mike
That's what I was getting at, it can be done but with a pole barn you have to add furring strips, studs, etc if you want to finish it whereas with a stick frame you just stuff the 16 centered studs and hang drywall... done. Nice looking garage BTW:thumbsup:

With our pole barn the beams were 5X5's on 4 centers so we just added a stud in between the 5x5's then insulated and drywalled it. Of coarse this is a much smaller void than a true 24" studded wall so it meant stuffing and cutting insulation:BangHead:. I later found a place I could buy 4ft rolls of insulation... go figure, I would have done furring strips horizontally if I had known. In simple words, we threw our pole barn up in no time but spent a lot of time finishing it whereas the stick framed garage went up slower but was finished ridiculously fast.
 
Be wary of what type of wood they use for the poles/sticks.
The poles in the outbuildings we have that were built 25 years ago are already rotting off despite being green treated.
Whereas the poles in our older 50s era buildings are still in ship shape.
Yes the old stuff they used to use was way better but evidently someone let their kids eat it and now we're stuck with crap that termites can now eat! Myself, I never put wood in the ground. All of ours are poured concrete post holes with the lumber bolted on top at least a foot above grade.
 
There are other considerations and at least another choice as well. Pole barns are considered as not having a foundation, so property tax rates are lower. Another choice is a “carport” building. It’s a steel frame usually built on a slab on grade. Since it technically doesn’t have a foundation either, the property tax benefit applies to it as well. A stick built structure must have a foundation that goes below the frost line (more expensive than a slab on grade). Plus it is a real structure, so you will be paying full property tax on it (check your local municipality’s ordinances on this question before you make any choices).

I went with the carport option here in high property tax NJ. I had them install sheet insulation on all closed sides to keep the sun from heating it up in the summer. It is 20x30 feet with 12 foot tall walls and a 9x30 foot shed roof on one side. So essentially it is 29x30 feet. I roughed in electric, water and sewer pipes into the slab for potential future installation. The slab cost $9,500 and the structure was $10K installed. It went up in a day and a half. No increase in property taxes either. Future plans call for adding a front door to it too. I wanted it to be standing for a while beforehand in case the township came over to inspect it (that way they would see it is not a garage but a carport instead).

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If you want to finish the inside half decent then there's nothing to be saved going with a pole barn. In fact it can end up being more work.
 
Yes the old stuff they used to use was way better but evidently someone let their kids eat it and now we're stuck with crap that termites can now eat! Myself, I never put wood in the ground. All of ours are poured concrete post holes with the lumber bolted on top at least a foot above grade.
Yeah.
My old sheds were built with old growths hardwoods harvested from the farm (an M Farmall running a portable sawmill)then coated with creosote.
Everything rafters headers trusses and gifts were from old growth ash trees.
Still standing strong.
My shop on the other hand I've had to dig next to the sticks and add reinforcements because they have deteriored.
Not sure what the red X
is from. Not really much to disagree with.
 
I'd steer clear of an uninsulated pole barn, they sweat bad. Have a buddy here in Indy that has one that literally rains inside.
 
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Mine is a 40X40 pole barn with 12foot roll up and slider doors on either side. I've seen them insulated with the 4X8ft sheets of insulation that help when you want to heat them.

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Pole barns are quite a bit cheaper around here. I went with stick built for a couple of reasons though. I wanted the security of a 4' frost wall instead of the "floating" slab concept. I went with 2x6 studs 16" on center 12'6" sidewalls. Finished it off with chipboard and painted it white. Been very satisfied with it.
 
Yeah.
My old sheds were built with old growths hardwoods harvested from the farm (an M Farmall running a portable sawmill)then coated with creosote.
Everything rafters headers trusses and gifts were from old growth ash trees.
Still standing strong.
My shop on the other hand I've had to dig next to the sticks and add reinforcements because they have deteriored.
Not sure what the red X
is from. Not really much to disagree with.
The X isn't mine?
 
I built a 30 by 50 pole barn.
It’s a nice building and has proven stable and sound for 14 years here in Ohio so far.

That said, if I had to do it over, I’d put a footer and stick frame it.
The reason being, is I’d like to insulate and heat it and I’m up against the already mentioned disadvantages of insulating a pole building.

I’ll probably end up using ridged foam insulation 1-1/2” thick and put it in between the perlins. I plan on using thin gauge white barn siding on the interior walls and ceiling.
 
I went pole barn also (32 x 48), oddly, I couldn't dig a footer where I wanted the garage. I did however up-rated it to hold the weight of a shingle roof and vinyl siding to match the house. I used rigid foam insulation on the walls and covered with plywood. Attic insulation and drywall ceilings. Way cheaper and quicker.
Put a wall AC in for the summer and furnace for winter. Also ran DSL from the house and put a TV in the corner.
 
I had the pole barn spray foam insulated. Best, but expensive choice. Was installed 20 years ago, and have never had a problem. I like the way it fills the voids and tighten's up the structure. However it pays to shop around. First couple of quotes were almost double of what I finally paid.
 
I just did a pole barn 40 x 60 x 12. framed the wall, foamed the ceiling and r13 the walls then drywalled it. Im happy with it
 
30 X 50 with 14' ceiling, concrete floor, steel pole style and a 24 X 24 stick built. The 30 x 50 is just for storing cars the 24' I use for a shop and heat it with a back up strip and fan off a heat pump. No heat in the pole building. I will use the pole building for a shop once I retire and move tools home from our business shop and cars & tractors that are not mine out LOL.
Both styles of building are fine JMHO if your going large sq ft, tall ceiling ect do the pole style, smaller like garage size go stick built.
 
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