POST AND BEAM IN THE MIDDLE, STICK BUILT ON THE OUTER PERIMETER

wprainey · Dec 25, 2012

I want to build a monitor style pole barn with a living quarters in the loft. The upstairs would have two rooms for beds. The downstairs would have a bathroom, open area for equipment and tool storage, and a stove, sink and counter along the edge for food preparation. We plan to congregate in the downsairs area during hunting season as well. For this reason, I want to insulate the downstairs area. I am considering pouring a footer around the perimeter and stick building the exterior walls. At the same time, I would have 6x6 posts in the middle buried in the ground in the traditional method of pole barn construction. The posts would support the loft in the middle of the barn. The exterior walls would support the roof joists for a lean-to style roof on either side of the loft. Has anyone seen a barn constructed with this "hybrid" method? I want to know:

1) Would it be structurally sound?

2) Since I am planning on insulating the downstairs, wouldn't this save me money?

murphy1244 · Dec 25, 2012

:welcome:

MIKE R · Dec 25, 2012

We are currently building a barn like this. The outer walls are 2x6 balloon framed on a knee wall with a 24" wide footing. The center posts are on a 36"x36" pad with a sauna tube on top with the saddle on it. The posts are attached to that. Same with the posts on the over hang.

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CurlyDave · Dec 25, 2012

My belief is that you will have problems with the different construction techniques causing different aging and settling rates in the different parts of the building.

OTOH, I am merely an engineer. Consult a real architect to get a much more valid opinion.

MIKE R · Dec 25, 2012

CurlyDave said:
My belief is that you will have problems with the different construction techniques causing different aging and settling rates in the different parts of the building.

OTOH, I am merely an engineer. Consult a real architect to get a much more valid opinion.

I agree. We had to get everything on ours engineered. Depending on the building code you will have to do if differently. We ended up going with the stick frame on the outside because no one in the area knew the codes for a pole barn structure. The builed is tied end to end with triple Power-lam beams and side to side with double beams.

RDrancher · Dec 25, 2012

CurlyDave said:
OTOH, I am merely an engineer. Consult a real architect to get a much more valid opinion.

As one who has dealt with many in both professions...I almost spit coffee all over my keyboard Dave. :laughing:

RickB · Dec 25, 2012

CurlyDave said:
My belief is that you will have problems with the different construction techniques causing different aging and settling rates in the different parts of the building.

OTOH, I am merely an engineer. Consult a real architect to get a much more valid opinion.

Many, if not most local agancies will require an engineer's stamp on building plans involving living space.
Never heard of one requiring an architect's input, and can't imagine one being anywhere as useful as a PE's help here.
BTW, I agree that mixing construction types is an open door to diasppointment. With frost footings it shouldn't be difficult or expensive to design a clear span building.

EddieWalker · Dec 25, 2012

With exteiror stick framing on concrete footings, why not pour concrete footings for the interior posts and set them on the solid concrete? All your sheer strength will be on the exterior walls, so there isn't any need to set the post in the ground. They would be for support only.

With pole barn construction, the sheer strength of the building is created by the poles being in the ground. With stick framing, it's created with the OSB or plywood siding.

Eddie

Piston · Dec 25, 2012

I may be mistaken on what your trying to do, but as I understand it you want to use 2 different building styles for one building?

This is absolutely possible (as well as extremely common in the timber framing industry) and poses no structural complications, just different ways of dealing with the stresses.

I do not know about pole barn construction, so maybe the issue you are all talking about (as far as it not being a good idea) is simply because you want to bury the center poles in the ground, but have footings on the perimeter. If you use footings for the center section posts as well, you would have no issues. Of course, as mentioned, all the timbers, joinery (or metal fasteners if that's what is being used) would have to be checked and engineered to deal with the stresses.

As far as building a hybrid, yes you can absolutely do it, it's done all the time.