| Building a pole barn has become a much easier task | | | | becomes very stable and durable. The builder can dig |
| today. With tons of available ready-to-use plans and | | | | the holes himself or using a power auger. The poles |
| blueprints, a handy homeowner can build not only a | | | | are secured by a small amount of concrete poured |
| pole barn of two or even six horse stalls, but also | | | | into the holes, saving money and labor, as full |
| add convenient sheds for tractors, feed storage or | | | | concrete foundations can be somewhat expensive. |
| shelters. The plans can be used to build other kinds | | | | The pole foundation gives the construction a lot of |
| of pole buildings, including workshops, storage barns | | | | flexibility. A pole barn with pole foundation can be |
| or garages. Simplicity, cost-cutting and durability are | | | | raised virtually anywhere, even in places where a |
| the main reasons why people still use poles, the | | | | traditional concrete foundation is not possible, for |
| oldest construction technique, to create simple | | | | example, on a steep hillside or wooded area. Thanks |
| buildings. | | | | to the pole foundation, a pole barn can be built very |
| Poles have been used for centuries to raise huts and | | | | quickly without expensive ground excavation. Even |
| shelters all over the world. Poles rooted in earth | | | | coastal, earthquake and mountain areas are suitable |
| forming a frame for the covering material, be it | | | | for building pole barns and sheds. This way, pole |
| animal skin, wood or metal, provided enough warmth | | | | barns leave the best land for raising crops, preserving |
| and protection, and could be built very quickly from | | | | the natural environment and are generally more |
| whatever material was available. To build pole barns, | | | | environmentally friendly with their minimal construction |
| people still use this technique, which hasn't changed | | | | techniques. |
| much over the years. The materials have changed | | | | Another advantage to pole barns is that you don't |
| though, and today pole barns are covered with | | | | have to make them visually perfect and "manicured". |
| aluminum, steel and other durable lightweight | | | | You can use cheap galvanized steel for the roof and |
| materials, with insulation and sometimes wooden or | | | | wood sidings, making the whole project very |
| brick facades. | | | | affordable. The only thing that is not worth skimping |
| Pole barns are becoming more and more popular | | | | on, according to experienced builders, are storm clips. |
| because they allow the building of reliable shelter for | | | | These are a valuable investment considering storms |
| animals or storage without money-consuming earth | | | | and hurricanes are hitting more and more often. |
| excavation, concrete foundations and general site | | | | Trusses also need to be of good quality as these |
| disruption. | | | | parts of pole building construction will carry significant |
| The cheapest way to start building a pole barn is | | | | weight. |
| with a pole foundation. Pole foundation is actually a | | | | Pole barns and other pole buildings will cost |
| pole that doubles as a framing member. Posts or | | | | somewhere in the area of $3,000 and upwards, |
| poles are inserted deep into ground so they can bear | | | | depending on the size and materials available in your |
| a lot of pressure, sometimes as deep as 10ft. But | | | | particular area. With simple instructions and plans, |
| that's almost all digging for the foundation that a pole | | | | these buildings can be raised in no time, even if you |
| barn builder can expect. The pressure is distributed | | | | don't have strong building experience. |
| evenly around the pole, and the construction | | | | |