Indiana pole barn project

bleazenb · Aug 31, 2011

Starting a 40x56x12 pole barn project 1st week in October. I will be building it myself with a experienced builder to guide me along the way. 1st thing is site prep, this is where I need help! Build site is central Indiana farm pasture with a healthy stand of alfalfa and orchard grass. Needing ideas on best way to remove topsoil? I have a 5 ft tiller, 5ft box blade and a FEL ratchet rake to use. Would it benefit me to kill off grasses 1st or just remove all with topsoil? 1st thoughts would be to mow area low as possible, till area 3-4" and scrape off loose soil? Pics to follow as build site progresses. Thanks!

BeezFun · Aug 31, 2011

Is it going to be a concrete floor or something like limestone? If it's concrete you need to scrape it enough to get 5-6" of gravel underneath the concrete. If you're just using limestone, I put mine right over the topsoil and it works fine, but we have very sandy, gravely soil that drains well.

If your tractor has enough punch, I'd just excavate the soil as is and pile it up somewhere out of the way. If your tractor isn't big enough, tilling would probably work and you could take it off in a few cuts. If you plan to spread the soil on a field or something you might want to burn it off first so you don't spread the weed seeds. But if it's just going to be backfill, I'd just dig it up.

lhfarm · Sep 1, 2011

I'm near Columbus and had a barn built about 5 years ago. Had a concrete floor poured and glad I did. The builders just dumped the dirt behind the site and it is still there waiting for me to relocate.

I think if you use the search feature here you will find lots of threads. Just entire something like pole barn site and you will find several hours of fun and useful reading. One of the best things about TBN is that you can draw on years of experience and successes, failures and I-wish-I-had-done-that advice from a great bunch of people.

Look forward to seeing pictures.

wedge40 · Sep 1, 2011

Just my 2 cents.. I wouldn't remove the top soil.. Just kill off the vegitation and make sure you have 10' or or so bigger around the barn. If you're going to do cement then maybe leave the the bottom board up off the ground a few inches to allow for gravel or what ever base you're going to use. I live out by Bloomington and had some fill dirt brought in. Fill dirt out by me is another term for CLAY.
Once the spring rain quit and things dried up that stuff was rock solid.
I had mine built and was glad I did, because there is no way I would have done the same quality build as they did.

Wedge

SPIKER · Sep 3, 2011

my barn project has finally taken off again, it started in 2002 and I JUST got the concrete into it.

BARN photos pictures by WPSPIKER - Photobucket

this link it to the early photos of the barn. I have to load some of the concrete photos and I have to get a lot more photos taken. I etched the concrete this week and have abunch of stain for the inside floor. they didnt have enough sealer so I'm on hold for a while to get that down/done until I have all the materials...
mark

Alan Davis · Sep 8, 2011

Spiker,

Your barn design is exactly what I 've been thinking about. Could you share some details such as deminsions, is there a loft, what type of siding, trusses or not, etc.

I'm planing on starting mine in a couple of weeks.

Did you have blueprints?

Great Barn!

bleazenb · Sep 8, 2011

My barn project has begun, started peeling sod/pasture today and have deceided to peel down 3-4 inches, backfill with enough stone to keep worksite some what mud free.. Then will set poles, trench in water line and drains to building to building and then set grade boards and backfill to final floor level.

MotorSeven · Sep 9, 2011

Looks good, I would have removed the top soil too and done it the same way. That's a nice level site..something that is kinda hard to find here in E TN.

tony Cecil · Sep 10, 2011

You might consider a higher roof and door...Surprising how tall some tractors etc. can be Tony

wedge40 · Sep 11, 2011

These guys did quality work.
Here is a link to the build process.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/210149-finally-barn-3.html

I have attic trusses so the barn is a little beefier then they would have done other wise. I learned the hard way to get thing as level as possible before hand so when it come time to put cement down you wont have much work to do.

Wedge