Wood vs Metal Pole barn trusses

[BMan2005]

Looking to start a material list and building a 30x60 pole barn. I値l be doing most by myself since most of my friends are like me with family and work with very little free time to sacrifice multiple days helping. This leads me to this question, what would you use for ease of install, cost, and strength. Give me the pros and cons from your experience.

I do have a tractor with loader and could make a pole bracket for the loader to help install the trusses also.

 

[LouNY]

It will be interesting to see what you get for responses, I'll be watching as it has crossed my mind also.
I would expect that location and codes may have a lot to do with the answers.

 

[Scook222]

The prefab steel buildings are real nice. I believe some call them red iron buildings. They will probably be the most expensive.

Some people around here have started getting steel chicken house or hog farm trusses. They bolt or screw the 2x6痴 upright to the tops of the trusses and screw the tin to the 2 part of the 2x6痴. My cousin built a 30遅40 shop this way and welded the trusses to 3 oil field pipe. He welded tabs to the pipe to and put 2x6痴 every 2 or 3 ft going from the bottom of the truss to the concrete. From the outside it looks like a regular shop, but on the inside it is like a cathedral ceiling with plenty of room. I think it only took 4 trusses to make it and he used the same color and style tin that is on his house.

My BIL has a stick built barn that he stores hay in about the size of the one you are wanting to build with old light poles to hold the rafters and trusses in and it has lasted many years but has regular barn tin nailed to it and leaks alittle and some of the tin has come off. Several posts have been replaced and some rafters and trusses have been scabbed to with new boards to replace worn or rotting boards. It痴 been there for probably fifty years and would probably last even longer if it had different tin on it or the tin that was used was cool sealed or called the nails every few years.

I知 getting ready to build a tractor shed/ shop and I知 going to Use the chicken house trusses and 1/4 thick metal 3x3 square tubing with top and bottom plates. I知 going to use the chicken house trusses and 2x6鋳s and upright and the tin they use on houses screwed to to it. It should last as long as I need it and and will be a lot easier to repair than a true stick built if it ever needs it.

 

[NewportNic]

30 years ago before I built my 42w X 56L X 14h barn, I priced a Butler steel building against a Morton pole barn. If I did all the concrete ad building at the same time the price was pretty close. I kow lumber and steel prices are always shifting around but don't dismiss one or the other without considering the total cost.
P.S. I had a neighbor build the pole barn, it took nearly ten years before i got all the concrete poured.

 

[mikester]

Looking to start a material list and building a 30x60 pole barn. I値l be doing most by myself since most of my friends are like me with family and work with very little free time to sacrifice multiple days helping. This leads me to this question, what would you use for ease of install, cost, and strength. Give me the pros and cons from your experience.

I do have a tractor with loader and could make a pole bracket for the loader to help install the trusses also.

Do you have a specific question here or are you simply wanting to shoot the breeze and hope someone does your homework for you?

Ease of Install: I dont know your skills set so what is easy for me might not be for you
Cost: again this is all relative and cost is a function of design and desired use
Strength: if you design a building for a particular load it then the strength is going to be the same for all designs
Pros and Cons: Yes

Heres a hint that will save you time and money. Start with a pen and paper. Write down your detailed list of wants. Write down how much money you have to spend. Call 3 contractors and get bids for your project scope.

Have no scope and infinite amount of money to spend? Great, you must be a government agency
Have no scope and no money? Dreams are a great thing to have.

 

[EddieWalker]

Both work fine, but for me, I want a flat ceiling full of insulation when I build my next barn/shop. I want to get my ceiling height from my walls, which also gives me a lot of storage on those walls. I like wood trusses 4 feet apart with 2x4 purlins on the flat every four feet, which makes it easy to attach the metal and gives plenty of strength to walk on the roof. I think a 4:12 pitch is ideal. It sheds water well, and it's not too steep to walk on. Wood trusses are also easy to attach to the top of your beams or sill plates, along with attaching temporary bracing while you get them into position.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Looking to start a material list and building a 30x60 pole barn. I値l be doing most by myself since most of my friends are like me with family and work with very little free time to sacrifice multiple days helping. This leads me to this question, what would you use for ease of install, cost, and strength. Give me the pros and cons from your experience.

I do have a tractor with loader and could make a pole bracket for the loader to help install the trusses also.

How high?

Design of the barn will dictate the truss. 4' spacing? Or heavier truss at 8' spacing with purlins on edge?

Personnal, i went with 4' spaced wood truss, and built my 30x48x12ft myself. Takes a lot of time by yourself, but a lot less expense.

 

[BMan2005]

Do you have a specific question here or are you simply wanting to shoot the breeze and hope someone does your homework for you?

Ease of Install: I dont know your skills set so what is easy for me might not be for you
Cost: again this is all relative and cost is a function of design and desired use
Strength: if you design a building for a particular load it then the strength is going to be the same for all designs
Pros and Cons: Yes

Heres a hint that will save you time and money. Start with a pen and paper. Write down your detailed list of wants. Write down how much money you have to spend. Call 3 contractors and get bids for your project scope.

Have no scope and infinite amount of money to spend? Great, you must be a government agency
Have no scope and no money? Dreams are a great thing to have.

I left my question very broad and open for discussion to possibly help me with a decision of material & design. To narrow it down a little what I am looking for is a building for cold storage for our lq horse trailer & farm equipment. Basically a structure with just roof for now to minimize cost and get things out of the elements. From there gradually dry it in and concrete. We (wife and I) are fairly young, just bought 49 acres two years ago, and trying to prioritize what we need and pay off fast so we can build our house in the next two years with only a mortgage.

Since posting I have about decided to let a company build for me since we just cleared up 8 acres and moved out here. I知 weighing out time vs. money because I have a hundred projects to start getting this place into shape.
I called a few company痴, one with the metal trusses similar to chicken houses and they told me it has a 150mph wind rating that I can upgrade to 175mph design if I chose. I am also looking to go ahead with a 40x60x14 and upgrade to 8x8 frame post instead of the 6x6. I can buy the pre engineered kit or let them do it all. Saving the labor cost would be great right now, but that time could go towards other things.... I知 going to meet the company within a week to talk more.

 

[747driver]

I just had a 30x50x16 pole barn built, Like you I just didn't have the time to do it myself. I had Morton Buildings build it. Total cost was...$38,000 for the structure which included 1 14x14 and 1 12x10 roll up door. $4,500
for concrete and $4,000 to have underground electric service run 350 ft to the barn. The posts are 6x6 Perma Columns buried 4' deep in concrete with 2x6 3 ply laminated #2 wood which attach to the perma column. No wood is touching or buried in the ground...eliminating any chance of post rot. If you have a chance go on YouTube and look up RR Buildings, though they are based up in Illinois. This guy and his people do excellent work. He uses a slightly different system in setting the 6x6 posts but it allows no wood to be put in the ground. Being that your young you will be having this barn along time....so go the extra expense and put a rot free piling in. It took them 6 days to build it !!!

 

[fried1765]

I just had a 30x50x16 pole barn built, Like you I just didn't have the time to do it myself. I had Morton Buildings build it. Total cost was...$38,000 for the structure which included 1 14x14 and 1 12x10 roll up door. $4,500
for concrete and $4,000 to have underground electric service run 350 ft to the barn. The posts are 6x6 Perma Columns buried 4' deep in concrete with 2x6 3 ply laminated #2 wood which attach to the perma column. No wood is touching or buried in the ground...eliminating any chance of post rot. If you have a chance go on YouTube and look up RR Buildings, though they are based up in Illinois. This guy and his people do excellent work. He uses a slightly different system in setting the 6x6 posts but it allows no wood to be put in the ground. Being that your young you will be having this barn along time....so go the extra expense and put a rot free piling in. It took them 6 days to build it !!!

My 36 x 48 Morton is now 35 years old.
I had them build it.
Excellent structure and workmanship.
Fading a bit now, but still looks great.
Less than 1/2 mile from ocean salt water.