Pole Barn/Post Frame vs Red Metal Workshop (24x42 with lean to)

where did you find this drawing? This is almost exactly what Im wanting to build

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where did you find this drawing? This is almost exactly what Im wanting to build

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I used the 3d building tool on the Mallet website. It's a very good for visualizing what you are looking for.

Mueller has a similar tool.

Location?

If you have concerns about the wood rotting on the pole barn(I did) you can build it like a house also. I had mine framed with 2x6s on 16” centers, 11’ walls, 6/12 roof. Cost was between pole barn and red iron of the same size. There’s a few other nice things, the walls are sheathed like a house, you have studs to mount things to, you can use pre sized insulation batts to insulate the walls. Just a suggestion you might not have considered.

Insulation Is 100% worth it. I have a Mueller with insulation and 10’ walls. No a/c. My shed only gets as hot as the outside air. And it’s warm in the winter. My neighbors have various brands without insulation and it gets HOT inside. You feel the heat radiating from the roof, and their roofs are a good bit higher than mine.

If I had to build it again, I might build a Mallet. But it would be insulated. It also helps noise a lot in the rain.

Build it as big as you possibly can,you will run out of room fast! I used Mallet 10 years ago,shop is doing fine,even after going through a fire and being rebuilt.I would make the lean too a little wider,minimun 12 foot sides,on shop and have it insulated and sheet the inside walls,if you are installing receptacles,install plenty,or invest in a wall mounted cord reel on each corner,also,outside outlets are a great addition.The Mallet higher grade building are built very well,it will not rot from water intrusion or ground water intrusion,just because of the way they are built.everything that touches the ground is either incased in plastic,or sits on concrete with a metal outside protection barrier.The one thing I wish I had done is built mine 16 feet tall,I went 12 feet ,while it works,I can not park my RV inside the shop.I had to build a seperate RV cover.Get the concrete finisher to put and extra smooth finish on,buy them a case of beer and a pizza,they will hook you up! Air conditioning,I would look at a mini split unit for sure.

Good stuff! So you’re referring to 2x4 stud walls with trusses along the top on some spacing?

I’m probably not understanding correctly, but it seems like the only difference is you’re using a bunch of 2x4 lumber instead of a small handful of 6x6 or 8x8 posts.

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Good stuff! So you’re referring to 2x4 stud walls with trusses along the top on some spacing?

I’m probably not understanding correctly, but it seems like the only difference is you’re using a bunch of 2x4 lumber instead of a small handful of 6x6 or 8x8 posts.

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yes. By the time you add girts and window/door framing the board feet of lumber in a pole type building is about the same as it is in traditional framing with trusses or stick built roof. There are more options with open spaces in pole type construction but trusses will accomplish the same thing in traditional framing.

Building a pole barn without walls is very fast and inexpensive compared to doing the same thing with traditional framing....thats why so many ag buildings are built that way. Its also possible to build a pole building without any kind of foundation other than the posts and finish the foundation at a later date OR make changes in interior walls etcetera. Trusses mitigate the latter.

Pole barn construction for ag type buildings is very fast and easy to DIY. When you are doing one for a house it is about the same as traditional framing. The upside to traditional framing is there are waaaaaayyyyyyy more contractors and skilled labor accustomed to traditional framing.....it can be substantially cheaper because of this. There is also the aversion to alternative framing methods in the banking and insurance industries to contend with AND with local building authorities. Some areas of the country are getting accustomed to pole building but it still lags traditional framinig by a wide margin.

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Good stuff! So you’re referring to 2x4 stud walls with trusses along the top on some spacing?

I’m probably not understanding correctly, but it seems like the only difference is you’re using a bunch of 2x4 lumber instead of a small handful of 6x6 or 8x8 posts.

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One other caveat. You may be in an area of the country where your local building authority has some common sense. They are few and far between but they do still exist. IF you do indeed live in such an area and can use sawmill lumber to build a pole type structure you can do it for much less than you can using kiln dried and grade stamped lumber. The same holds true for traditional framing BUT traditional framing methods are not as forgiving when green lumber is used as pole framing is. Once a pole structure is tied together lumber tension (twisting, warping and cupping) is very kind.....hundreds of thousands of barns still being used which were built with lumber which was milled and nailed together without any issues. Lumber so green you had to chase the squirrels out of it. That method is still viable UNLESS you live in an area where big lumber has convinced elected officials you are too stupid to do what people have done for thousands of years all over the world. Unfortunately that applies to probably 95% of the United States.

Kiln dried grade stamped lumber is only "better" when it is grade stamped and removed from the kiln, in the moment. After that it does exactly what all lumber does.....it reaches what passes for equilibrium in moisture content compared to the environment it is in. What it does do for a certainty is eliminate competition from small sawyers and makes it possible to ship lumber from the PNW to the SE without it twisting, warping and cupping to the point of uselessness....it will do it once it hits the lumber yard but it will be pretty as hell for a few weeks.

Glad to see someone taking that stance. Rough cut lumber can be great stuff.