Backfilling pole barn, need advice

[DrewStyduhar]

Hi guys,

Just finished a 40x48 pole barn. There is ~12" gap below the bottom of the skirt (2x8) that I need to do something with. This was intentional as the barn is on a slight grade and I wanted to raise it up a bit due to the crazy rain we get here in NC. Due to complications with the county, the building pad was built up just enough to create a level area for the builders to do their thing. Even then, this resulted in ~2.5' of fill in the back. Yes, I understand it would have made more sense to build pad up to

I have ~14" that needs filled up INSIDE the barn. I figure 4" concrete + 4" #57 and ~8" of compacted sandrock would do the trick. The outside we will blend off using cheap fill dirt. Should I double skirt this building with a 2x10 below the existing 2x8?

Just curious if anyone has been down this road before...the builder said they typically put the skirt right on grade but that wasn't going to work in this situation.

thanks for any advice!!

Drew

 

[KennyG]

I wouldn't add skirting. In addition to the fill inside, I would fill outside to gently slope away with rock, at least a couple of feet. In addition, maybe lay landscape cloth under the outside fill. Then you should be in good shape for water resistance.

 

[deezler]

I take a different opinion than Kenny and certainly would add more skirting now, especially with how easy it would be to do here. Shoot, I laboriously dug down 24+" around my pole barn perimeter on the inside just to pour a concrete rat wall. Keep the critters from undermining your slab! Plus erosion benefits, etc. It will also make your backfilling easier, allowing you to keep the inside fill separated from the outside fill, etc.

 

[DrewStyduhar]

Thanks for the info

Ya know....rock is damn expensive right now or else I would go wild and fill the building up with it. The local quarry gives away free dirt from processing and we have a ton of dirt work to do on the outside so thats why I was thinking about using that for the OUTSIDE. Sandrock is ~200 bucks a load right now.

Deezler - I priced ground rated 2x10x16's and they are ~$55 each so double skirting would prob cost me in the neighborhood of ~$600 or so. I tried to get tongue and groove before building was up but it was special order and we ran out of time. I think the fill inside and outside will keep that second skirt from going anywhere. According to the plans the finished EXTERIOR grade should be the BOTTOM of the skirt shown in the pic.

Thanks!!

Drew

 

[nybirdman]

Similar situation two years on my pole barn build;skirted the outside with PT lumber and back filled the inside with crushed stone;then tamped.

 

[jaxs]

Additional skirt board doen't prevent flooding inside. Besides that,I haven't found decent ground contact material for several years.

 

[Randy Gann]

I live in McLeansville just east of Greensboro. Have used crushed concrete from Martin Materials. Can get fines that works like sand rock or 57 size. Price is much lower than real stone. I live in an older home with skirting across the back of the house. I had vinyl mobile home skirting for years but recently replaced with pvc trim boards. The pvc was not cheap but is durable and paintable.

 

[Midniteoyl]

If you have groundhogs and moles *now* would the time to dig ~14"-18" below the planned floor grade and fill with gravel, about 12"-14" wide. Since you are already above grade and need to build up you are ahead of the game. Add the shirt board, add #57 gravel against it extending out ~14" as you build up around it. Already getting gravel for inside, so pretty cheap and keeps the digging critters out.

 

[s219]

No problem doing it this way. I have built several pole barns on a slope and did leveling at the end. I usually have to add extra skirt boards on the low end. I like to fill the inside with #78 or #57 gravel which self compacts. Let it spill under the skirt to the outside as you rake it into place on the inside. You can backfill against the outside of the skirt with something more substantial, either fill dirt of crusher run (whatever is cheaper or more available).

The absolute answer to the question is to let slope and drainage dictate how you do it. Make sure the ground slopes away from the building everywhere. I normally maintain a minimum slope on the high end, about 1/2" per foot. On the low end, it is much steeper. That back/low end of my pole barn slopes away from the skirt at about 4" per foot. It's all fill brought in.

 

[s219]

Here's a view of an addition on my barn. Extra skirt added in the rear and sides, slopes up to just the standard skirt in the front.