Starting New Equipment Barn and have questions

[sawtooth]

Guys,

I have just given my builder a green light to build a 40x70x11 equipment barn. It will have a poured foundation, metal roof, and board and batten siding. I'm sure I will have more questions but for now I wondering how to keep moisture out of the building. This includes keeping the concrete floor and metal roof from sweating. Is there certain procedures to take to protect from this? Eventually I may insulate the entire barn if this helps keep moisture down but to start there will be no insulation. At this point the barn will not be heated either.

Also any other recommendations / things to consider or discuss with my builder? Will have a garage door on each end of the building and 1 man door. Will also have electrical, water and a 15ft shed off one side.

 

[JD 4520]

Sounds like a great project. As for the concrete floor, seal it and it won't sweat. Also put a plastic barrier underneath the pour. I'm not sure about your concern on the metal roof. What climate do you live in?

 

[kevinwak]

If you have even the slightest intention of insulating and heating it one day you should put a layer if rigid foam Insulation under the slab now before you pour it. Hard to add after.

Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

 

[jeff9366]

Be sure the equipment entry door is tall enough so you can drive the tractor in with the ROPS up.

I get tired of lowering it to store tractor in my garage. Also, I have hit the trim three times, two dings per time, when I forgot to lower the ROPS.

Then wifey says mean and ungrateful things about me.

 

[mikim]

I went 12' high on my shop just so I could have 10 x 10 roll up doors and I am VERY glad I did that. There have been several times where that 10' clearance was just enough.

 

[Zebrafive]

I built 12' high. I wish I had gone higher, not much added cost to go up. Then a future loft is possible. I have vented eaves and a ridge vent and no sweating with just a metal roof. It may have been over kill, but I went with 6" of concrete vs 4".

 

[flusher]

Guys,

I have just given my builder a green light to build a 40x70x11 equipment barn. It will have a poured foundation, metal roof, and board and batten siding. I'm sure I will have more questions but for now I wondering how to keep moisture out of the building. This includes keeping the concrete floor and metal roof from sweating. Is there certain procedures to take to protect from this? Eventually I may insulate the entire barn if this helps keep moisture down but to start there will be no insulation. At this point the barn will not be heated either.

Also any other recommendations / things to consider or discuss with my builder? Will have a garage door on each end of the building and 1 man door. Will also have electrical, water and a 15ft shed off one side.

Where are you located? What's the annual rainfall there?

I have a metal shop building (20x42 ft with 12 ft wall height, two 10x10 ft roll doors, one man door, one slide window) on a 6" thick concrete slab (4000 psi concrete, 1/2" rebar on 24" centers, 6 mil Visqueen plastic vapor barrier under the concrete). No problem with wet floor/walls (uninsulated) here in the North Sacramento Valley (18" annual rainfall, low temps in the mid 30s with a few dips to high 20s). I use 60W compact fluorescent floodlights (20 of them in 5 banks of 4 lamps, screw-in types). I had the 8-ft tubular fluorescents initially but got tired of replacing the ballasts every few years. These screw-in fluorescent has a built-in ballast so it's no harder to replace one than for a regular light bulb.

Good luck with your project.

 

[Dr Dave]

I would go at least 12 ft so you could have a 10ft door, 14ft is better yet. Most doors require 2 ft headroom.

And also think of resale value, or upgrading to larger equiptjent. You would be surprised how inexpensive, it is to go up.

As for the steel sweeting, I have seen house wrap used under the wall steel. For the roof, they now have steel with a house wrap material aplied to the back side. The material is called DRIP STOP, YOU TUBE , go to YouTube v=v-MOzfwZEnO Dakota Steel and trim sells it. www.dakotasreellandtrim.com


Dave

 

[GPintheMitten]

If you think you wiil someday want water and possibly a bathroom, make plans now for supply and drain. Pretty cheap to stub something in the concrete now even if you never use it.

 

[dusty3030]

I went 14 high on our big building we had built. Glad I did, height doesn't add anything considerable to costs.
I also went ahead and had it insulated when it was built, even though it is not heated or AC in that building, again, costs to negotiate it in at the beginning cheaper than adding it later and also looks cleaner inside.
Had dirt and gravel hauled in to build up spot to build on to for drainage. Plastic under slab, concreted sealed. No condensation at all in the Mississippi delta region of Arkansas, about as humid as it gets with the moisture out of the Gulf.
Spend some money now and the electric and lighting and do it right, you will be glad you did.
Commercial grade roll up doors, skip the cheap ones, you'll be glad you did.
Good luck!