Metal trusses for pole barn

[747driver]

Has anyone used this style of truss ? Sure gives you complete openness to the roof where as wood trusses take that space up. Still looking at all my options for structures. I have a Red Iron quote from Renegade Steel for a 30x50x16 for $20,000 installation not included.

2x4x12 Steel Truss Pole Barn Part 2 How We Install Trusses And Purlins - YouTube

Thanks

 

[nikdfish]

The local Builders Discount Center (Builder's Discount Center | Steel Trusses) has pole barn packages with metal trusses. Their package consists of metal trusses, 6x6 posts, 25 year metal roofing, nails & screws. A 30'x48' package is currently $4504 in their flyer. 40'x60' is $8162.

I think they are pretty much piedmont/eastern NC & VA, but there may be someone equivalent near you.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

I love those Armour Metal videos, watching guys build a 40x20 building with a circular saw, tin snips, power screwdriver and a pencil. I watch and I say, "I could do that!"

But I look at the buildings and there's no way they would stand up to a snow load. The standard here is 30 pounds per square foot. With a 20 foot span and 10 foot spacing each pole is supporting 100 square feet, or 3,000 pounds of snow and each truss is supporting twice that, plus the weight of the building. I can't find it now but I recall reading on their website something like "consult an engineer if you have snow loads."

Metal trusses are commonly used for poultry houses, and if you Google "poultry house snow collapse" you'll get lots of hits.

For the snow loads we get you'd need substantial footings under each post -- probably 18" squares or 20" circles. Which isn't impossible, but kind of takes away from the simple idea of digging a hole and sticking a post in it. Watching the video the guys just drill the hole and drop the post in, which makes me think they aren't expecting much load on the roof.

 

[fried1765]

I love those Armour Metal videos, watching guys build a 40x20 building with a circular saw, tin snips, power screwdriver and a pencil. I watch and I say, "I could do that!"

But I look at the buildings and there's no way they would stand up to a snow load. The standard here is 30 pounds per square foot. With a 20 foot span and 10 foot spacing each pole is supporting 100 square feet, or 3,000 pounds of snow and each truss is supporting twice that, plus the weight of the building. I can't find it now but I recall reading on their website something like "consult an engineer if you have snow loads."

Metal trusses are commonly used for poultry houses, and if you Google "poultry house snow collapse" you'll get lots of hits.

For the snow loads we get you'd need substantial footings under each post -- probably 18" squares or 20" circles. Which isn't impossible, but kind of takes away from the simple idea of digging a hole and sticking a post in it. Watching the video the guys just drill the hole and drop the post in, which makes me think they aren't expecting much load on the roof.

I have a Morton Building, somewhat East of you, - in Massachusetts.
Morton drilled 16"(?) diameter holes, and dumped two bags of Sakrete in each hole - dry!
Put the 6x6 posts in the hole, filled the hole, and built the building (36' x 48')
That was 34 years ago.
Building is just as good today as it was then.

 

[LD1]

Posts bearing the weight is no different just because a metal truss is used. Its all in the footing under the post....and what the soil will bear. Concrete.....be it a 16" diameter "cookie" , a 24" diameter....or a ???? is all taken into accound based on load and soil type.

Same goes for a deck....that must support X number of people.....plus snow....and not sink.

So nothing new there.

As to the trusses....they are typically more $$$ than a engineered wood truss, they are harder to insulate and "finish" the inside of the building if that is your end game.

Not saying it cannot be done, just more difficult....

But if the openness is what you are after....they are good for that.

But then also keep in mind if you want to heat the structure...vaulted ceilings suck.....thats where all the heat goes

 

[747driver]

I have a Morton Building, somewhat East of you, - in Massachusetts.
Morton drilled 16"(?) diameter holes, and dumped two bags of Sakrete in each hole - dry!
Put the 6x6 posts in the hole, filled the hole, and built the building (36' x 48')
That was 34 years ago.
Building is just as good today as it was then.

Morton really builds a nice pole barn. One of the few manufactures that makes all there own trusses, metal etc and has its own crews erect them. The quote I got from them was $38,000 for a 30x50x16.

 

[747driver]

Posts bearing the weight is no different just because a metal truss is used. Its all in the footing under the post....and what the soil will bear. Concrete.....be it a 16" diameter "cookie" , a 24" diameter....or a ???? is all taken into accound based on load and soil type.

Same goes for a deck....that must support X number of people.....plus snow....and not sink.

So nothing new there.

As to the trusses....they are typically more $$$ than a engineered wood truss, they are harder to insulate and "finish" the inside of the building if that is your end game.

Not saying it cannot be done, just more difficult....

But if the openness is what you are after....they are good for that.

But then also keep in mind if you want to heat the structure...vaulted ceilings suck.....thats where all the heat goes

Not going to be finished inside. Used for storage of rv and tractor with equipment. I would put the metal trusses on 8' centers. Your correct...its all about the bearing post you install. We don't get much snow here so a snow load is minimal. I just hate to see all that above space be filled with wood trusses !!!

 

[Peter 315]

You can get wood scissor trusses I built a small barn with them

 

[Stimw]

I needed 2- 24' long for a pole building I used to have.
They were called "Bar Joists" and I could not find any for sale reasonable so I made my own using angle iron for the top and bottom and round rod for the field.
They were very easy to make!

 

[sandman2234]

I needed 2- 24' long for a pole building I used to have.
They were called "Bar Joists" and I could not find any for sale reasonable so I made my own using angle iron for the top and bottom and round rod for the field.
They were very easy to make!

Ironic, because I have a bunch of 24' bar joists out back along with some 14 and 18 (14 with a cantilever) foot ones. Could have probably fixed you up back then.
David from jax

 

[oosik]

Farmer down the road about 30 miles built a pole barn for more of his hay. His trusses looked like Peter 315's except they were made of galvy steel. Don't know if they were commercial manufactured or it the guy built them himself. This was five or six years ago and the structure still stands.

 

[jfh28]

thats called a ladder truss around here.....mostly used for floors but I've seen it used for roofs......the only thing I would want to check out is that it has been engineered for the specifics of the building.......generally you want like materials to be with like materials.....so steel trusses with steel posts.....wood trusses with wood posts...reason is movement of differing materials as well as the connections between the two.......not saying it can't or shouldn't be done just saying make sure an engineer has analyzed it and signed off on it for the specifics of your building.........Jack

 

[mikester]

Has anyone used this style of truss ? Sure gives you complete openness to the roof where as wood trusses take that space up. Still looking at all my options for structures. I have a Red Iron quote from Renegade Steel for a 30x50x16 for $20,000 installation not included.

2x4x12 Steel Truss Pole Barn Part 2 How We Install Trusses And Purlins - YouTube

Thanks

What's the question? People use these kinds of trusses regularly. Bottom line is how many $/sq.ft. you want to spend for your building. My personal preference is all steel buildings - generally better build quality and consistency vs field carpentry. Around here its cheaper to ensure an all steel building than wood or wood/steel.

Are you planning to build this by yourself? The trusses are lighter and easier to handle than steel beams. Steel beams can be cheaper to use.

 

[Barnbuilder]

We used some of those one time. Customer purchased them. Every time I tried to pick one up it wanted to fold in half. Had to clamp a 2x6 to it. The 2x6 purlin sat in a U that wasn't very tight with just a nail holding it in place. And if you can drive a nail horizontally through that U and 2x6 then through the U again you're a better man than me.

Maybe I was missing something.

 

[Stimw]

thats called a ladder truss around here.....mostly used for floors but I've seen it used for roofs......the only thing I would want to check out is that it has been engineered for the specifics of the building.......generally you want like materials to be with like materials.....so steel trusses with steel posts.....wood trusses with wood posts...reason is movement of differing materials as well as the connections between the two.......not saying it can't or shouldn't be done just saying make sure an engineer has analyzed it and signed off on it for the specifics of your building.........Jack

Wasn't the World Trade Center Building designed by Engineers??
If you need an engineer for a pole building then you better have him put it up too.

 

[747driver]

What's the question? People use these kinds of trusses regularly. Bottom line is how many $/sq.ft. you want to spend for your building. My personal preference is all steel buildings - generally better build quality and consistency vs field carpentry. Around here its cheaper to ensure an all steel building than wood or wood/steel.

Are you planning to build this by yourself? The trusses are lighter and easier to handle than steel beams. Steel beams can be cheaper to use.

Just wondered if anybody has built with these type trusses. Steel buildings are nice but you have to make sure you put all the doors and windows in you want. As it all has to be figured in the engineering layout. You don't have the flexibility to change or add items as it then has to be re-engineered. I have a quote for $21,000 for the building awaiting a quote from the erector for labor.

 

[747driver]

What's the question? People use these kinds of trusses regularly. Bottom line is how many $/sq.ft. you want to spend for your building. My personal preference is all steel buildings - generally better build quality and consistency vs field carpentry. Around here its cheaper to ensure an all steel building than wood or wood/steel.

Are you planning to build this by yourself? The trusses are lighter and easier to handle than steel beams. Steel beams can be cheaper to use.

Just wondered if anybody has built with these type trusses. Steel buildings are nice but you have to make sure you put all the doors and windows in you want. As it all has to be figured in the engineering layout. You don't have the flexibility to change or add items as it then has to be re-engineered. I have a quote for $21,000 for the building awaiting a quote from the erector for labor.

 

[747driver]

We used some of those one time. Customer purchased them. Every time I tried to pick one up it wanted to fold in half. Had to clamp a 2x6 to it. The 2x6 purlin sat in a U that wasn't very tight with just a nail holding it in place. And if you can drive a nail horizontally through that U and 2x6 then through the U again you're a better man than me.

Maybe I was missing something.

The purlin holders come pre-drilled with 2 holes on each side then use screws or nails to secure.

 

[EddieWalker]

Products - Jordan Steel Truss

I've saved these guys since they are not too far away, and they list prices.


I've also priced wood trusses, and they are cheaper. And then I've built quite a few 24 foot trusses, which isn't too bad, but to go bigger, I'm debating on the metal ones for the ceiling height, or wood ones with a flat ceiling and blown in insulation. Wood trusses, flat ceiling and blown in insulation will be the lowest cost by a significant margin, but it's also the most time consuming to build.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

I have a Morton Building, somewhat East of you, - in Massachusetts.
Morton drilled 16"(?) diameter holes, and dumped two bags of Sakrete in each hole - dry!
Put the 6x6 posts in the hole, filled the hole, and built the building (36' x 48')
That was 34 years ago.
Building is just as good today as it was then.

I'd be interested in hearing more about this. What is your pole spacing? I figure with 48 the long way it's probably 8'. A 16" hole isn't too bad, you could still do that with a post-hole auger. I don't see too many pole barns around here, the soil is full of rocks. You go down a foot and there might be a boulder the size of a car. When I build fence I put the posts where they want to go, not where I want them.