4 ms·
Nonononnonono. That is, yes on pole structures which can be great. But remember, a pole building is, ipso facto, a temporary structure. The poles are always
by rsync 4y ago
Nonononnonono.
That is, yes on pole structures which can be great.
But remember, a pole building is, ipso facto, a temporary structure. The poles are always rotting.
Even the 8x8 heartwood columns 30x coated in creosote ... after 30 years of service they had to be chopped and under-joined to prefab concrete columns.
And so with that in mind, the idea that you would replace a 6x6 column (with 6x4 = 24 inches of surface exposure to ground and fungi) with a 6x6 exterior exposure and another 24 inches of interior* exposure (between each 2x6) is crazy.
I know people are doing it. I know the wood is treated. It is in the ground and wet and if you dig it up in ten years you'll have 3 little 1x5 wedges surrounded by rich, fungus filled dirt.
I don't know if a pole structure is the right choice for (you or your project) but do yourself a favor and use actual poles.
- mikeyouse 4y agoMost barns / barndomminiums don't bury the wood - they pour concrete footings like any other normal structure and then use steel stand-off brackets proud of ground level to ensure there's no wood in contact with the earth. Then yeah, tripled up LVLs are common as well; https://permacolumn.com/products/sturdi-wall-brackets.html https://permacolumn.com/products/sturdi-wall-brackets.html
- rsync 4y agoMaybe semantics but I don't really think of that as a pole structure anymore. When I think of a pole structure, I think of continuous poles that extend into the ground. Almost all of your sway strength is dependent on a continuous member going below ground level and most of the economies of a pole structure are realized by not building the footing all the way around. That said, if you are not bound by seismic it is perfectly reasonable and I agree with you - Brettstapel[1] columns, such as sistered 2x6, would be just fine. From your link - here is what I would think of as a pole structure: https://permacolumn.com/products/perma-column-system.html https://permacolumn.com/products/perma-column-system.html ... and we have used that product (Perma-Column) to retrofit one of our barns: 24 reps of jack up, chainsaw off, dig out hole, and insert from below ... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brettstapel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brettstapel
- mikeyouse 4y agoYeah that's fair - most "pole barns" are no longer traditional for the reasons that you point out. They're just boring post-and-beam construction like many other structures have been built for the past 75 years. Especially now with high PSI concrete and engineered steel brackets -- you can get lateral/sheer/racking/lifting strength without digging 10-foot deep holes and fighting 40-foot long posts.