Pole Barn RV Shed

[Bobby Hunt]

I am designing a pole barn to park our motorhome under and I have seen a bunch of pole buildings being built on pillars with brackets for posts. I have built pole buildings by pouring poles in concrete but never used any of those brackets. I have done a bunch of street lights and traffic signals and they have LONG j-bolt anchors, generally, tied to reinforcing steel. I can't get my head around a 6X6 post being bolted to a sheet metal bracket holding a roof in a wind. Does it really work LOL????

I also see a lot of people splicing PT posts to non treated posts, 3 feet or so above grade, with brackets, in order to cut down on the length of the poles (6X6X16 is about the longest commonly available). Anyone know if the IBC or any standard covers these brackets and splicing of poles?

[Tom M King]

There are many ready made options. I have always made my own because I like for the plate to be hidden inside the post. I have an easy way to get such things hot dip galvanized though that is only a local option here. They can be built as heavy as you like.

https://www.amazon.com/Sturdi-Wall-Plus-Bracket-Post-SWP66/dp/B07VDLZ2YD?th=1

Regardless of what type or treatment a wooden post has down in the ground, it's not a permanent solution. Common names are wet set post anchors, or drill set post anchors.

[Ron Selzer]

Don't know where you live or where you are building this building. HERE in Central Ohio some/all of the newer posts rot off at ground level in 20-30 years. The OLD TREATED posts going back 60 years are still good. The posts from the 80's on forget about them.
good luck
Ron

edit to add have red good things about Permanent solutions for post-frame construction foundations (permacolumn.com) (https://permacolumn.com/)

[Jim Becker]

You should spend some time watching RR Buildings on the 'Tube. Those brackets are not "sheet metal"...they are heavy, welded steel and designed for the specific load and column size you will be using for your post frame structure. And the bolts you use are also substantial products designed for the job. (simple Tapcons are used for initial positioning but very heavy, specially designed fasteners are driven down into the concrete after drilling and evacuating the concrete dust. The significant benefit of using them on poured piers or a stem wall is that zero wood goes in the ground. I suggest you not use sawn 6x6s; rather use laminated posts. Why? They will be straight, true and stronger than sawn posts, especially at those lengths.

[Clint Baxter]

You should spend some time watching RR Buildings on the 'Tube. Those brackets are not "sheet metal"...they are heavy, welded steel and designed for the specific load and column size you will be using for your post frame structure. And the bolts you use are also substantial products designed for the job. (simple Tapcons are used for initial positioning but very heavy, specially designed fasteners are driven down into the concrete after drilling and evacuating the concrete dust. The significant benefit of using them on poured piers or a stem wall is that zero wood goes in the ground. I suggest you not use sawn 6x6s; rather use laminated posts. Why? They will be straight, true and stronger than sawn posts, especially at those lengths.

I have "laminated" posts on my pole barn shop. Three 2x6's were sistered together to create the post. Treated wood was used at the bottom and transitioned into non-treated lumber pieces once the ground was cleared. They staggered the joints, but in this method, could make the posts as long as they wanted. And as Jim mentioned, it creates a straighter, truer post that does not have the proverbial cracks and twists that the vast majority of treated post and beams are subject to.

Clint

[Mike Wilkins]

Like Jim I have been following the shop/barn build from RR on the 'tube. The metal brackets and spacers keep the timber from contact with the concrete.
I have put treated posts into the ground, but with a coating of roof tar and tar paper covering the below ground part of the post. Time will tell.

[Bill Dufour]

My 50 year brown fence posts lasted about 10 years. The ones that are green and 15 years old are still fine. Old growth Redwood fence posts used to last 50-75 years. Now the second growth ones only last 15-20 years before rotting below ground.
BilL D

[Jim Becker]

The bottom line that I see is that using the appropriate heavy steel post brackets on either poured piers or a stem wall eliminates the largest threat to a post frame building and that's wood in the ground. I did end up with my posts in the ground for my small shop building for budgetary reasons, although my builder warrants them for way, way beyond my lifetime. But I can attest to the laminated posts being the bee's knees for straight and true compared to sawn posts for sure. If I had had a few more shekels available, I most certainly would have poured piers and used the steel brackets. There is actually one additional option...the heavy steel brackets are also sold integrated with super high strength concrete posts that are what goes into the ground. That product eliminates the need to pour piers and also keeps ground disturbance at a minimum because a much smaller auger can be used for placement.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I prefer not putting wood in the ground too. Occasionally it is unavoidable. I have started using plastic post protectors where a buried wood post is the only option. I also go out of my way to find "Ground Contact / Critical Structure " treated wood. I have a long list of disappointed clients that used the laminated 2x method. Those posts create a perfect runway for termites.

https://www.menards.com/main/building-materials/lumber-boards/treated-wood-products/treated-boards-decking-lumber-timbers/6-x-6-2-critical-structural-cca-60-green-pressure-treated-timber/1098054/p-1444421962798-c-13124.htm

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Post-Protector-6-in-x-6-in-x-60-in-In-Ground-Post-Decay-Protection-Case-of-6-pieces-6660C6/203165692

[Tom M King]

Footing size under the posts still needs to be enough square footage to support the building according to the bearing capacity of the soil. Here they say 2,000 pounds per square foot but I always figure by using 1500. Codes contain typical weights depending on number of stories.

[Jim Andrew]

In my area the local Menards uses the steel brackets for poles using anchor bolts in your slab. Typically you drill the right size hole and fill it in with concrete as you pour your floor. You might visit with your local Menards store for the info. When I built a new farm building 20 plus years ago, I used all steel, poured a curb around the outside with 18" diameter holes 4' deep for the columns to sit on. I put anchor bolts in the concrete, although the company told me to drill holes and use anchors. I did use a template and all the bolts fit the columns.