First time building barn. Have some questions.

clovergamecock · Nov 6, 2010

Hi all! I am building a 30x30 pole barn for our 2 horses. The center poles will be 16 foot and the outer posts 12 footers. I have the holse drilled and now I am trying to figure out how to start. Here are a couple questions I have.

1. How far do I go in the ground with the posts?
2. Do I concrete all the posts?
3. Do I set my Corner posts first and then run a string from corner to corner to line all others to?

Thanks
Wade

whistlepig · Nov 6, 2010

blackrat said:
Hi all! I am building a 30x30 pole barn for our 2 horses. The center poles will be 16 foot and the outer posts 12 footers. I have the holse drilled and now I am trying to figure out how to start. Here are a couple questions I have.

1. How far do I go in the ground with the posts?
2. Do I concrete all the posts?
3. Do I set my Corner posts first and then run a string from corner to corner to line all others to?

Thanks
Wade

I have never built a barn but have had two built by barn builders. This is the way they did it:

1) On both barns they set the posts 48" deep on top of a 12" concrete pad.
2) I concreted my posts on both my barns and never had problems. Some say this will cause the posts to rot.
3) Square the corner posts diagonally first. Then line the side posts to the corners.

MikeInEburg · Nov 6, 2010

blackrat said:
1. How far do I go in the ground with the posts?
2. Do I concrete all the posts?
3. Do I set my Corner posts first and then run a string from corner to corner to line all others to?

How deep is a local frost line question. It also depends a bit on if you're on flat terrain or hillside. As earlier post suggested, 48'' should be adequate.

My preference is to dig the post hole to desired depth plus 6'' or so. Fill in 6'' with gravel for drainage. Tamp down. I don't concrete in posts.

Again, my preference is to put the posts in the holes and begin framing (or use temp framing) - this way the posts can "wiggle" as necessary to get straight. Once straight, I fill in with mix of dirt and rocks - tamping every 6'' or so.
Mike

AlanB · Nov 6, 2010

1. I would think 3' or better where you are would be more than sufficient. I would do gravel under mine as someone above said.

2. I like to concrete mine in dry, you will get answers all over the map on this one, personally, I am not sure there is a "right" way. I am assuming you already have the posts, but if not, try and find .6 Pressure treated (lots of nasty chemicals in them) Posts. .4 is what you will find at Lowes etc. I believe that will make more of a difference in the life of the post in the ground over if it is in concrete or not.

3. You need to set up batter boards and string lines. From your questions, I am guessing you are going, what the heck are batter boards (If I am wrong, my apologies) If I am right, google about a bit, or look for a house they are pouring a foundation, footing on. Look about 3 to 4 feet outside the edges and you will see about 4 ea 2x4's pounded in the ground vertically and two 2X4's nailed to them horizontally (and hopefully level) Then on the top of the horizontal will usually be some double headed nails. Your string line goes on those nails, and represents where your building edges go (or post edges, or whatever you are trying to line up.) Anyway, once your batter boards are correctly set, you use them to set your various posts, and honestly, it does not matter in what order you set the posts once those lines are established.

Hope that made sense, and sorry if you knew it already, I may have just misread.

Good luck, it is always rewarding to do something your self.

EddieWalker · Nov 6, 2010

blackrat said:
Hi all! I am building a 30x30 pole barn for our 2 horses. The center poles will be 16 foot and the outer posts 12 footers. I have the holse drilled and now I am trying to figure out how to start. Here are a couple questions I have.

1. How far do I go in the ground with the posts?
2. Do I concrete all the posts?
3. Do I set my Corner posts first and then run a string from corner to corner to line all others to?

Thanks
Wade

1. Three feet is plenty if you have decent soil and you are not dealing with snow. Deeper is better, but there is a point when you are not gaining anything by going deeper. Depth of holes are more important with fences because of they don't have a framework to support them. With a pole barn, you want it to be stable and deep enough that it wont come up from wind, or the soil freezing and pushing them up.

2. Concrete really helps if you have massive hole, compacting a super deep hole or realy pour soils and sand. If you have decent clay soil and your holes are in the 12 inch range or less, then it's a toss up if there is any advantage to concrete over compacting the soil around the post. There are some very old buildings that have been done both ways. The problem with concrete is that it has to come up and above the surrounding ground so that water sheds away from the post, not settles at the base of it. This is even more important for fences since they don't have walls and a roof over them. Whatever you do, be sure the ground slopes away from the posts and building, and the posts will out live you.

3. You can either do your corners first, or one of your long walls. For the corners, be sure your diagnal measurements are exactly the same. Sounds easy, but it takes some doing. Measure, mark, drill and them measure again when setting the posts. It's very easy to have a hole start out where you want it, but then for it to drift or angle on you. Get the posts in the ground, check your diagnal measurements and that you are plumb. The post should be braced before setting it, so do that with the posts loose in the hole when squaring them and making sure they are straight up and down.

Eddie