Building Options
How the main parts of a pole building work, and how to choose between the options.
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Pole barn roof trusses: styles, spacing and snow loads
Truss styles for pole buildings, how trusses sit on the posts, and what the load lines on a truss drawing mean for a barn in Northeast Ohio or Erie.
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Steel roofing and siding for pole barns: panels, gauge and coatings
What separates one steel package from another: panel type, gauge, metallic coating, paint system, fasteners, and where the snow goes when it slides off.
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Pole barn doors and windows: sliding, overhead, bi-fold and hydraulic
How the main pole barn door types compare, what each one asks of the framing, and how to size doors, walk doors and windows for the way you will use the building.
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Pole barn foundations: treated posts, laminated columns and concrete piers
Embedded posts, laminated columns or concrete piers: how each one carries a post-frame building, resists frost and wind uplift, and what to ask before digging.
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Concrete floors for pole barns: timing, base, thickness, joints and winter pours
When to pour, what goes under the slab, how thick it should be for the use, where joints go, in-floor heat, winter pours, and when a dirt or clay floor is better.
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Insulation and condensation control for pole barns
Why steel roofs sweat, the main ways to control it, and how the answer changes for a cold storage building, a heated shop, and a barn full of animals.
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Lean-tos and overhangs on pole barns: open or enclosed, roof pitch and snow drift
Open or enclosed lean-tos, equipment and livestock uses, how low a steel lean-to roof can go, and why snow drift at the main wall drives the framing.
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Lofts and attic space in pole barns: storage, living space and code
Attic trusses or a framed loft, how much load each floor must carry, stairs and ladders, and what changes when a storage loft becomes living space.
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Pole barn exterior trim: wainscot, overhangs, gutters and cupolas
The finishing pieces that change how a steel building looks and wears: wainscot, overhangs, gutters and downspouts, cupolas and trim colors.
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