New Pole Barn / Wood Shop

[Dave Walker]

I've spent my last 8 months worth of weekends building a new pole barn on 10 acres I own. The plan is to build a house there in the next year or so. Of course, the "wood shop" had to come first.;)

The barn is 32' x 48' with an 8' by 48' covered porch. The attic trusses allow for a 16' x 48' room upstairs. Just poured the concrete 2 weekends ago on a perfect fall day and snapped a picture with the maple tree in full color. Started putting on the steel siding last weekend. I hope to have the steel finished this weekend and start on the 10' x 10' overhead door.

I'm sure this has been asked before, but what do you guys (and gals) think the best way to insulate the barn would be? Fiber glass with some sort of vapor barrier?

Thanks for looking.

http://www.becker-ventures.com/pics/barn1.jpg

http://www.becker-ventures.com/pics/barn2.jpg

http://www.becker-ventures.com/pics/barn3.jpg

[John A. Williams]

I don't know much about insulation, but WOW! What a shop and location. Thanks for posting and please post more pictures and a description of the progress. Awesome place!
John

[Jim Becker]

That's an incredibly nice building!! (I'm very jealous...and likely not alone... ;) )

You may find it easier to insulate by using the very wide material available for this kind of structure (and basements) between the poles before you put on the strapping on the interior that you will use to mount your wall material. Vapor barrier should be on the inside.

Please be sure that however you access the "upstairs" is tucked away in the corner somewhere. My shop is bisected by a stairway and it's a pain in the butt...and too difficult to move. (Previous owner built the building) Also, if there is any way you can do a roll-up for your door, rather than a "standard" garage-style door, you'll appreciate the ablity to avoid blocking lighting and other overhead things when the weather is nice and the door is open, especially at night.

[Jim Hager]

Wow that really looks great from where I sit. Looks like you have got the trusses on 24" centers. How did you do that with a pole barn construction style. You must have some pretty beefy headers between the posts. My pole barn shop is set on 10' centers trusses and posts using 2x4 perlins between the trusses.

I would like to see a shot of the inside of the building at the top of the wall where the trusses are mounted to the headers. :confused: Now that I look at the end wall again I see 2-2x12's mounted to the posts to carry the load. That should work just fine. Don't tell my wife that you can use vinyl siding on the shop. I convinced her that it wouldn't work.:D

Beautiful place by the way.

[Tyler Howell]

Nice work space Dave and you have your priorities straight.
Shop first!

[tod evans]

in these parts most folks go with spray in 2-componant foam, the r value is greater than fiberglass or cellulose and it`s compatable with sweaty metal siding. tod

[Keel McDonald]

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!! I love it! Wish my shop looked like that! Great job!

[Karl Laustrup]

Dave, fantastic building. That is going to be one sweeeeet workshop.

That is one impressive tree also. Around 70' maybe?

Karl

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Dave...fantastic building and location.

[Matt Meiser]

Dave, my shop isn't as nice as your design, but is the same construction. When we bought our house, the barn was unfinished inside. On the advise of the local lumber yard, I insulated each space between poles by installing a treated 2x4 flat on the floor between the poles. I then cut 23-something" blocks and attached those to the poles and installed a 2x4 flat on the top of the blocks. The space between was insulated with 6" fiberglass made for 24" stud spacing. The kraft paper facing faces inward. I continued up the wall like that until I reached the top. I don't have a second floor and insulated the ceiling with blown-in cellulose.

[Jerry Ingraham]

That is an awesome shop!

[Dave Walker]

That's an incredibly nice building!! (I'm very jealous...and likely not alone... ;) )

You may find it easier to insulate by using the very wide material available for this kind of structure (and basements) between the poles before you put on the strapping on the interior that you will use to mount your wall material. Vapor barrier should be on the inside.

Please be sure that however you access the "upstairs" is tucked away in the corner somewhere. My shop is bisected by a stairway and it's a pain in the butt...and too difficult to move. (Previous owner built the building) Also, if there is any way you can do a roll-up for your door, rather than a "standard" garage-style door, you'll appreciate the ablity to avoid blocking lighting and other overhead things when the weather is nice and the door is open, especially at night.

Thanks for the reply, Jim

The stairs are being placed against the back wall (Opposite wall of the Garage door opening). I'll be building those as soon as the barn is closed in. The barn has 12' ceilings so at first I was concerned I'd need a landing and turn the stairs, but now that the concrete floor is in, my measurements show I can run them straight down.

My poles are placed on 8' centers.. is the materials you a referring to some type of thick styrofoam to fit between posts?

[lou sansone]

excellent shop and lots of space. My shop is post and beam as well as insulated. here is what I did

1.Completly side the building with wood ( ship laped random width stuff that was run through a planer first).

2. tarpaper or tyvek to cover the entire building ( except for all the doors and window openings.

3. On top of the wood siding that you have just put up frame around all the window and door openings with 4x4's and also along horizontal structural members. This allows you to build a false wall to nail the final siding to.

4. In between all the 4x4's put in solid insulation ( I used cellotex )

5. Side the building again with the final outside siding.

6. Add all the windows and doors and trim.

7. Since my P & B is open to the roof. I had to also do this over all the roof surfaces as well.

lou

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=19846

here is a link to my shop tour that might help with some questions

[Dave Walker]

Thanks Everyone for the kind words. I appreciate it. It's been a lot of hard work getting to this point but I can hardly wait to actually live out there and spend my afternoons and weekends in the shop.

[David Less]

Dave,

Make sure you share with us the stuff that will go into it. Buy the way, BEAUTIFUL SHOP.

David

[Rob Russell]

Sigh ... 32' x 48', tall ceilings, grade level access, beautiful views. All it needs is utility-provided 3-phase power and it'd be perfect.

I'm jealous! It makes my basement shop look like a hole in the ground which ... I guess ... it sort of is.

Nice shop!

[Andy Hoyt]

Dave - I'm curious about a construction detail. Those 8' o/c posts look like they're PT and will assume that they are. I wonder how far below grade they run and whether or not you set them in concrete. Also curious about your slab floor. I assume you poured that after the fact and brought it up to the bottom of the door's RO. So here I'm wondering if you let the concrete ooze around those same 8' 0/c posts or did you place a barrier between them.

I ask simply because a good friend is contemplating a similar structure and he's totally conflicted and confused on this detail. And I admit I am too.

Any chance yo have a drawing showing this, or did you just wing it?

Thanks.

[Dave Walker]

Dave - I'm curious about a construction detail. Those 8' o/c posts look like they're PT and will assume that they are. I wonder how far below grade they run and whether or not you set them in concrete. Also curious about your slab floor. I assume you poured that after the fact and brought it up to the bottom of the door's RO. So here I'm wondering if you let the concrete ooze around those same 8' 0/c posts or did you place a barrier between them.

I ask simply because a good friend is contemplating a similar structure and he's totally conflicted and confused on this detail. And I admit I am too.

Any chance yo have a drawing showing this, or did you just wing it?

Thanks.

Yes, they are pressure treated posts. They are set in the ground 42" (code here). They are sitting on a concrete pad. The code reuired a 6" thick concrete pad under the posts but I over killed and poured 18" thick pads. Then I was told to back fill the post with the dirt I dug out. I was told by the building inspector not to back fill with concrete or pea gravel... just the dirt I dug out. I put concrete expansion joint material around the posts (got it from Home Depot) and then poured the concrete. It should give the posts a little flex room and hopefully won't crack the concrete. Hope that answered your questions. If not, let me know and I can take a pic this weekend of the concrete around the posts.

[Dave Walker]

Sigh ... 32' x 48', tall ceilings, grade level access, beautiful views. All it needs is utility-provided 3-phase power and it'd be perfect.

I'm jealous! It makes my basement shop look like a hole in the ground which ... I guess ... it sort of is.

Nice shop!

My current shop is in my basement too...;) So I know what you're saying. My wife can't wait until those days are over...:)

Thanks.

[Andy Hoyt]

Thanks, Dave. Just what I needed.

[John Timberlake]

Dave,

This looks almost exactly like the shop I want to build in the next year or so. My wife wants me to get out of the basement as well. It looks great!

I recomment insulating with a spray polyurethane foam. It cost a little more, but you get better insulation and cut off the air holes at the same time. Just make sure you get a spray that meets the fire codes and is probably not a DIY job.

Where did you get your plans?

[Dave Walker]

Dave,

This looks almost exactly like the shop I want to build in the next year or so. My wife wants me to get out of the basement as well. It looks great!

I recomment insulating with a spray polyurethane foam. It cost a little more, but you get better insulation and cut off the air holes at the same time. Just make sure you get a spray that meets the fire codes and is probably not a DIY job.

Where did you get your plans?

Actually, We saw a very simlar barn to this and took some photos. We then went to CML (Central Michigan Lumber) and they drew up a qoute on all the materials needed to build the barn to the size I wanted. They also gave us a set of generic barn plans and told us to adjust according to the size we were building. The plan had all the basic construction details that I needed though.

The only thing about insulating with spray foam is that once it's sprayed, I heard you can't pull any more wires thru the walls. So, I would have to make sure all my electrical is exactly the way I would want it before going this route.

[Keith Burns]

Man o man now that is a SHOP! Can't wait to see it completed.

[Jim Becker]

The only thing about insulating with spray foam is that once it's sprayed, I heard you can't pull any more wires thru the walls. So, I would have to make sure all my electrical is exactly the way I would want it before going this route.

Yes, once it's sprayed it will interfere with penetrations...BUT...closed cell foam only uses 3" for R19 and you can put it in before you put on the interior strapping for the walls. You'll have plenty of room for wiring, IMHO...and a very tight structure since it not only insulates and seals for air and vapor, but it will also substantially stiffen the structure. Big time. Robert Tarr's shop is like a whole 'nother structure now that the foam is on it and my great room floor, that was sprayed three weeks ago, no longer bounces. Amazing stuff. Not cheap, however...

[David Duke]

Great looking shop Dave, I know you can hardly wait to start working in it instead of on it though as we all know a shop is a work in progress and never finished; is the upstairs storage or shop space also?

Although I am very happy with my shop, I have virtually the same size with 10' ceiling but no upstairs.........I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOUR VIEW!!!!

[Bill Fields]

Dave:

Great job!

I would use solid foam insulationn with aluminum foil facing. I believe in comes in thicknesses up to 4". You will have to do some custom trimming ans fitting.

The sprayed foam is also a great solution--no tedious cutting and fitting.

Either of these could add some rigidity as well--not that you will need it.

Bill Fields

[Andy Hoyt]

Dave - I sprayed my barn too; but with polyisocyanurate (all that is available locally) in a 2" layer. I had wired everything in advance, but it still left me with another 3" (balloon framed building with full 5" studs) of cavity for future snaking and fishing of wires. Sure, it was costly; but not when you factor in the following:


It took one day by a pro crew instead of forever my myself.
They got that stuff into nooks and crannies that I could see but never reach.
My fiberglass batt or rigid foam installation would not have been as tight.
No air infiltration barrier needed.
No vapor barrier needed.
No mess. The entire waste from the installation filled one half of a 13 gallon trash bag.
I heat the shop with a propane gas fired monitor and leave the thrermostat set at 58 degrees 24-7. One full 125 gallon delivery in the fall gets me through the winter. I figure that the differential cost of the installation easily paid for itself after just one winter.

[Bob Noles]

All I can say is .... WOW! Now that will be a "SHOP".

After seeing other's shops.... I'm not liking mine as much :(

[Dave Walker]

Great looking shop Dave, I know you can hardly wait to start working in it instead of on it though as we all know a shop is a work in progress and never finished; is the upstairs storage or shop space also?

Although I am very happy with my shop, I have virtually the same size with 10' ceiling but no upstairs.........I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOUR VIEW!!!!

Thanks David...

We've toyed with the idea of living on the 2nd floor while our house is being built. Of course that will depend on a multitude of things. Eventually though, I'll more than likely use the upstairs for storage. I think it would also make a great "dog house" for me to stay in when the wife gets mad..;)

[Dave Walker]

I'm hearing good things about the spray in foam insulation. I'll need to flip thru my Yellow Pages to see who does it in my area. I've never seen it used so I may ask to see some current work they are doing with it.

Thanks for all the replies and nice comments guys. I appreciate it.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Fantastic setting for shop Dave! I thinbk you really did it right considering the size you chose. Better put a bathroom and kitchenette up there if you plan to dog it for a weekend! :D:D