Pole barn pad ...long read

[debo1683]

Hi all,
I have been browsing this site for quite awhile ... never posted though. You all seem resourceful on a lot of things so I thought I would ask you all a question about a pole barn site.

I am looking to build a pole barn, a 24' x 32' with a 16ft over head door and a 3 ft man door. Just a basic little barn. Problem is ... the site I am building it on has three big pine trees, and 1 maybe 3 oak trees that need cleared. It is also sloping from what will be the front of the barn to the rear of the barn. I have not put a line level out, but if i had to guess, I would estimate the slope to be about 8-10 inches,

Obviously this needs to be leveled. I would really like to avoid the cost of having an excavating company come in. I am doing the trees by myself with some help from someone who is good at getting the trees on the ground. I then plan to grind the stumps up (rental), and then prepare to start leveling the ground.

Equipment wise, I have a little cub tractor (think small garden tractor) with a grader blade on it. I have no idea how to even attack this project. Is it going to be too much with the lack of resources? I can haul in the fill dirt to build the pad, not a problem, I have a truck and trailer. Will a plate compactor do what I need to do to level that site? Thought about buying a used one and reselling it ... Eventually I would like to put a concrete floor down in the barn, but won't be able to afford it this summer. Should I be topping the pad with gravel to build the barn on?

This project seems so basic ... until you begin to think about what you have to do! Any help is appreciated! Thank You!

 

[beenthere]

Welcome to the forum.

You have a pretty good understanding of the project details you need to consider. A lot will depend on the soil that you are building on, and how it might support your eventual concrete slab. For fill, I'd go with gravel/stone/ and not consider the compactor. I'd set the poles first, then put in the fill.

The stumps and roots left after the tree stumps are ground down will eventually rot out and leave voids under the slab. Not sure how to avoid that problem, but just realize that the more of the woody material removed, the better. Same with organic material that is on the "forest" floor now. Push out as much as possible.

Consider hiring a dozer (or excavator) to push over/remove the trees (or cut high stumps that can be pushed over) and stumps and prep the ground for the gravel fill would be money well spent (IMO).

 

[Trails2004]

..............
Consider hiring a dozer (or excavator) to push over/remove the trees (or cut high stumps that can be pushed over) and stumps and prep the ground for the gravel fill would be money well spent (IMO).

Ditto

This may not be what you want to hear- but this is really good advice.


Good Luck

 

[debo1683]

Ok, that makes sense. The folks that live behind me own an excavating company ... I will give them a call. Maybe they will give me a friendly neighbor discount

 

[radioman]

I agree, If the trees you want to cut down is right where the barn floor going to be, you need to get the roots up pand out. Grinding the stumps is a bad move. It's easier with the tree attached. A dozer can make this a quick work and move the tree to a area where you can work and cut up the tree and clear out the dirt in preparation for the gravel. Sometimes a contractor will give you better price to do all the work of bringing in the gravel and level it then just dumping the gravel and let you try to move with a little blade on tractor. More gas and time will be spent then a contractor to do it for you.

 

[wedge40]

I agree. Dont grind the stumps. And if you can afford it and want to have fun rent a small excavator for a weekend to dig the stumps out yourself.
You will still have roots and such to take care of, so maybe having your neighbors stop by would be best.

Wedge

 

[Diamondpilot]

You will be surprised how cheap and quick it is to get a dozer in there to do the work. He can knock the trees down and level the site in 4 hours our so.

Chris

 

[studor]

I would get the site leveled and excavated as the others have said and put at least a foot or more of crushed stone for the future concrete floor. In the meantime the crush will act as a better floor than the leveled dirt.

 

[debo1683]

So, I took your guy's advice and had the neighbor come up to give an estimate on the pad for the pole barn. To remove 5 stumps, and level the pad, he said it would be $1500. Given that I would think it would cost me nearly that much to just have stumps taken, i am going to give him the job. He said it doesn't matter how high the stumps are, he is going to bring in his track hoe to dig them.

He was going to leave the pad dirt for me, should I put stone in before or after the building is built? He said he just poured concrete on dirt in his building where he parks a lot of heavy equipment with no issues. I just want some gravel for the time between when I build the barn and when I pour the concrete.

On a concrete side note, how do you frame the inside of a pole barn? Do you just use the side boards as the frame for the concrete?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Carykong]

No matter the use of gravel or concrete for your barn floor the best application would include removing top soil and all undisturbed soil before gravel or concrete installation. Actually a good 6" layer of gravel or better,let settle for a few months will give you a very stable foundation for a concrete pour in the future.

 

[Barton]

...include removing top soil and all undisturbed soil...

Should read as "removing ... all disturbed soil". A disconnect between brain and fingers, eh, Cory?

 

[debo1683]

Ok, just so you know, here is what I am working with. I think I may continue you to update on here what I am doing. In the first picture, the three pine trees are coming down. Then, in the third picture the two trees on wither side of the barn are coming down. They are oaks and will be good to heat the house this winter. Once the trees are cleaned up and branches burned, I will get the excavators to come in and remove stumps and build the pad.

I am headed to a place called 64 metals next week to order the kit. Are perma columns worth the extra cost? I am worried about wood rot over the life of the barn. Just wondering if anyone has any experience!

 

[bdeboer]

I have limestone screenings in my barn. Works fine for storing equipment etcetera. If you compact them and wet them down they make a relatively solid surface.

You may want the screenings or stone to be 4"-6" below the height of a future concrete floor. This height is dependant on the thickness of the floor.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Good advice given here and good call on letting the guy with the equipment do the work. As for what we do here in Indiana is we level the site, put in the poles and skirt boards, bring in gravel, then finish the barn. We compact the grave and hand tamp the edges then pour the concrete to the grade line.

Chris

 

[debo1683]

Here is the storage shed that is currently going out. The guy was here yesterday most of the day by himself. I kept offering him help, he seemed content to work alone, though. At the end of the evening, he wasn't able to pull the trailer up the hill. Still a little soggy. It looks flat, but it is deceiving.

 

[debo1683]

Got one tree down last night. The wind was a little ferocious and the others require climbing in them and taking limbs down from the top. I have an experienced tree cutter helping ... I have no idea what I am doing. I am just good at cleaning them up when they are on the ground.

 

[RedDog]

I am headed to a place called 64 metals next week to order the kit.

Even though I did not buy mine there, they are "good ol boys"!!

Good luck,

 

[debo1683]

Did some more work last night, got 3 more trees down. Two of the big nasty pine trees and the final oak (I think it was oak). The Tundra is my truck and what we were using to tension the trees. It has really opened up our side yard. One more tree to go, I am going to get the three I have down cleaned up, though. Yeee haw!

To the comment about 64 metals, I really like them up there. I have had at least 100 million questions and my sales guy has been nothing less than awesome. Hopefully their buildings are as good as everyone says they are ...

 

[debo1683]

All the trees are down and cut up. I am going to call the excavator today. It is pouring down rain though, so who knows when he will be able to get in there. Soon, hopefully, materials are supposed to be delivered Monday!

 

[debo1683]

Well, I have my materials delivered because I was anticipating having been excavated already. However, it seems like it has been raining none stop here. The excavator told me he thought he would be able to get in by this past Wednesday, but it rained Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Looks like it will probably be next week sometime.

That's ok though, gives me time to get the windows installed that have been sitting in my garage for the better part of 2 months now

I will snap some more photos once the excavating begins ... I can't wait to get started!