Floor for pole barn?

[Arc weld]

I'm thinking more about building a pole barn but can't afford a concrete floor right now. I did want part of it to be kind of an office/lunch room though. Is a wooden floor built over the clay/gravel a viable option? I've read some conflicting info. I'd like to have 400-600 sq. ft. of office space framed in and possibly have storage on top of it.

 

[CalG]

Keep the ground moisture out!

 

[cat fever]

Is pouring concrete only where you want the office an option? You can do the rest at a later time.
:2cents:

 

[Sysop]

Lay some large pavers down to set the floor on to keep it off the clay slightly. Do it like you would a small shed.

 

[s219]

If I didn't want to have implements on rolling dollies, I would have just put down plastic and then dropped gravel down (perhaps #8 or crusher run -- #8 is nice because it self compacts, though it would probably stick to muddy tires). Concrete was expensive, and a hassle to find a contractor (should have just done it myself). And as Eddie Walker points out, kind of kills the cost benefit of a pole barn.

If you just need an office lunch area in a section of the barn, I'd say put down plastic, then gravel, and then build up a floor deck with lumber where you need it. Pressure treated frame (can be 2x4 if resting directly on gravel or well supported with blocks, and just for foot traffic and light loads) with some 3/4" T&G plywood will be nice and firm, and not too expensive.

 

[LD1]

600sq ft of concrete for an office space would only be ~5 yards of concrete. Around here that would be about ~500.

With stone, plastic, wood, etc I'd imagine there wouldnt be a huge cost difference.

 

[EddieWalker]

600sq ft of concrete for an office space would only be ~5 yards of concrete. Around here that would be about ~500.

With stone, plastic, wood, etc I'd imagine there wouldnt be a huge cost difference.

I'm wondering what the difference in cost would be going with something other then concrete? Have you priced out what it will cost to do a wooden floor then compared the difference to concrete?

I've never regretted spending more in doing the best I can, but I've always regretted spending less for something not quite what I wanted when I knew something better was an option

Eddie

 

[KevT]

I too am looking at building a new pole barn, but will probably do the same thing I did for my wood shop. Put down 2 layers of 6mil visqueen and then put down 8" of crushed concrete. After it was down, I sprinkled it with a hose and rolled it. Once I had the building erected I put down stall mats from corner to corner. On the pole barn I will leave out the mats. I called around and found the crushed concrete for $30 a load. What I saved on the base helped pay for the matting.

 

[LD1]

Well, a 2x6x8' board will cover roughly 4 sq ft, and is about 5-6 bucks a board, that is over $1 per sq ft.

So $600+ just for the flooring.

Even plywood @ 50 cents per sq ft would be $300 just for that, not counting the joists and whatnot.

 

[Arc weld]

600sq ft of concrete for an office space would only be ~5 yards of concrete. Around here that would be about ~500.

With stone, plastic, wood, etc I'd imagine there wouldnt be a huge cost difference.

How do you figure only $500 for 600 sq. ft.? Going by that math, I could do do a 40 x 60 floor for $2000. Concrete delivered is about $300/meter and that doesn't include rebar, forms or finishing. I was quoted $10.50 sq. ft. including everything. 600 sq. ft. comes to $6300!

 

[LD1]

I did say those were prices iny area.

Around here, 5-bag mix (3000psi) is $95/yd delivered. At 4" thick, 600sq ft is like 5.5 yds.

Wire mesh is about 15 cents a sq ft.

I will be pouring a 40x40 soon. 20 yds. Figuring about $2500-2600 with concrete+rental tools+ wire+ plastic.

 

[Industrial Toys]

When I built my shed a few years back, the pole barn was my first option. A builder told me that it would be difficult later to add a concrete floor and something of a second rate job, so I didn't go this route.
.

 

[Creamer]

When I built my shed a few years back, the pole barn was my first option. A builder told me that it would be difficult later to add a concrete floor and something of a second rate job, so I didn't go this route.
.

Why would this be? I know of many pole barns that are built and then the floor poured after. That way they do not have to mess with the concrete when they are setting the poles. Once you have the treated wood base on the walls you basically have it formed. The only issue is having a way to get the concrete into the barn if you do not have a door big enough to let the truck in.

 

[blucoondawg]

Why would this be? I know of many pole barns that are built and then the floor poured after. That way they do not have to mess with the concrete when they are setting the poles. Once you have the treated wood base on the walls you basically have it formed. The only issue is having a way to get the concrete into the barn if you do not have a door big enough to let the truck in.

Many people pour them afterwards around here too but I don't like doing it that way. I don't like the idea of having wood poles in the ground anyways, they don't last forever no matter how well their treated, I have built them both ways and find it far easier to build on the concrete, you have a nice flat and level slab to work off of, no drilling holes and lining everything up, we just laid down a 2x6 sill plate and marked out or post locations and stood them up, we used steel angle on the bottoms of the post to anchor them down. I think it makes for a much nicer building

 

[KevT]

Wow, Portland is a commodity but around here you can buy ready mix for $110 a yard if under 10 yards, or $101 if over. And for an extra 2 bucks a yard you can add fibre mesh so you don't have to use wire.

Besides the price difference you are seeing is doing it yourself, and hiring it done. Prices up in Canada and those down in the US. And did you price of 10.50 include lay-out and leveling?

 

[bucktaker]

2005 I had by 40x64 pole building floor poured with 4000lb fiber mesh for material cost plus $2000.00 labor machine finish with control cuts money well spent.
I already had the gravel base in

 

[woodchipper]

I'm thinking more about building a pole barn but can't afford a concrete floor right now. I did want part of it to be kind of an office/lunch room though. Is a wooden floor built over the clay/gravel a viable option? I've read some conflicting info. I'd like to have 400-600 sq. ft. of office space framed in and possibly have storage on top of it.

Arc weld: Could you mention the width? If your width is under 16 feet, it should not be hard to do your wooden floor, as it would be a single span, with no middle post to help with support. Also think about commodities, like a sink, toilet, power and heat! If you put a raised floor and have water conduits coming from below, then you may have serious freezing issues during winter months. Edmonton is much like where I live, and we still have two feet of snow in the woods as we speak!
You just can't do a floor directly over a clay base. The ground will heave, and deform the floor. You will need to insulate the perimeter with two inch styrofoam SM, at least two feet deep. Also the clay base should be topped with a thick layer of crushed stone. Let it set for a full year, then compact it, then add a top coat of sand, level and compact again. Put down styrofoam two inch thick again, and cover with 3/4" T&G Plywood. Much trouble this way. Less if the bottom of your joist are at a minimum of two feet above grade. You could insulate your water conduit, and spray foam the underneath of the floor once completed. The perimeter of the office will need to be fully enclosed, from the ground up.

 

[SPIKER]

I'm with LD on this, where I'm at concrete is less than $100 a yard so costs for it is not bad. That said my pole barn was dirt for over 10 years as I also waited for added funds. I had it done in 2011 put down 60 yards at a cost of $6800. Mine is 6000PSI w fiber had smooth finish on most of it with additional pads out side and most of it at 5~6" thick. The cost of wood and gravel & temp nature of the wood inside the barn will also have higher humidity moisture will be heavy under the wood and lasting or critters will be an issue.


M

 

[Arc weld]

It won't have water or plumbing. I just want to have a nice sealed off finished area with some furniture and other item's I don't want in the main building. One of the concerns is with mice destroying furniture if it's just put inside a shed. I've heard there's a type of insulation you can use that mice won't go near.

 

[LD1]

I'm with LD on this, where I'm at concrete is less than $100 a yard so costs for it is not bad. That said my pole barn was dirt for over 10 years as I also waited for added funds. I had it done in 2011 put down 60 yards at a cost of $6800. Mine is 6000PSI w fiber had smooth finish on most of it with additional pads out side and most of it at 5~6" thick. The cost of wood and gravel & temp nature of the wood inside the barn will also have higher humidity moisture will be heavy under the wood and lasting or critters will be an issue.


M

Not to hijack the thread, but why did you opt for 6000psi and 6" thick? What are you running on it?

I have normally just poured 4" of 4000psi with wire and no fiber. Has held up to my needs as general garage floor. Including parking the backhoe on it at 18k pounds.

How many "bag" mix is 6000psi? 8 bags? I know 5-bag is 3000psi and 6 bag is 4000psi. The place I normally go, its $6 per bag. 5-bag is $95, 6-bag is $101, etc