Although not everyone has heard of pole barns, most people have driven by them at least a handful of times in rural areas. In these areas, pole barns are used for everything from agricultural applications to housing for landowners and their families. But what is a pole barn, exactly? This article will offer a basic introduction.
How to Recognize Pole Barns
Because many people have seen at least a handful of pole barns in their lives without realizing it, let’s start with how to recognize these unique buildings. Most stereotypical red barns were built using the post-and-beam construction method, but modern pole barns look a bit different. They’re still quite large, but they are usually clad with metal these days rather than wood and feature roll-up garage doors rather than swinging barn doors.
How Pole Barns Are Built
The building technique used for putting up pole barns is different from standard stick-frame construction. Instead of many small two-by-fours holding up the roof and creating the walls, pole barns have large posts set into the ground beneath the frost line. These posts hold up the roof, which usually features beams rather than the standard trusses.
There are a few happy results of using this unique building technique. Post-and-beam construction offers high levels of structural integrity since it transfers weight from snow and other loads directly into the ground, which also eliminates the need for a full foundation. The poles can be spaced much farther apart, creating large gaps for oversized doors, bay windows, and more effective insulation.
Once the frame of a pole barn has been erected, the cladding can be installed. Usually, it’s made of metal, although wood-clad pole barns still exist. They’re just less common. On the inside, the standard pole barn is wide open and features no load-bearing walls whatsoever, offering maximum versatility.
Modern Uses for Pole Barns
Initially, pole barns were only used for agricultural purposes. Within the last few decades, though, their low costs and quick construction times have begun to win over both commercial property owners from other industries and even ordinary homeowners. Common examples of pole barn applications include:
- Garages, both commercial and private
- Self-storage facilities
- Workshops
- Stores
- Backyard guest houses
- Equipment storage
- Home offices
- Garden sheds and tool storage
- Dog kennels
- And much more
Pole barns can be built to just about any size specification, which means they’re perfect for everything from backyard sheds to large-scale commercial installations. The sky’s the limit when it comes to applications as long as they are permitted in the local building codes.
How to Design the Perfect Pole Barn
Pole barns are highly customizable buildings. Property owners can build them on slab foundations or simple piers, clad them with different materials or colors of metal, add extra doors and windows, and much more. Designing the perfect pole barn requires first considering its intended use and floor plan, then making a list of must-have features and bringing it to a local pole barn builder for help with figuring out the best ways to incorporate them into the new building.
The Importance of Hiring the Right Pole Barn Builder
Normal construction firms might get requests for pole barns every once in a while, but most of their work is in stick-frame construction. Property owners that want to take full advantage of all that pole barns have to offer should find specialized builders that focus exclusively on this unique, affordable, and practical construction methodology.