Calling all garage gurus and nerds. New pics.

[Commodore]

Can someone tell me the pro's vs. con's of a Pole barn versus a steel framed building? The obvious, it's steel is not what I am looking for.

I am getting estimates on a 40ft by 40ft shop. With two tall 12ft doors.

But the obvious difference is a pole barn (wood insides) is cheaper. But my concern is strength, durability, safety, and ability to finish the inside.

I will have my boat and jeep and other "projects" in there, so I don't just need it for storage. This will be a functioning shop/garage. A two post lift will be in the plans.

Any tips/info/advice on what you've seen or experience would be helpful.
I know how I want it to look, know I am just debating on the material for the insides wood vs steel. They are both steel sheet outside.

[nmballa]

Well, I don't really see a major difference between using a wood or steel framing. The exterior is going to be clad in the same material either way right? What kind of boat is it that your storing? The only advice I'm qualified to give is that if it's a wood boat make sure you leave the floor unfinished (gravel).

[Commodore]

nmballa, It's going to be my Supra. But I am curious as to why gravel? For drainage? If so both sides will have a drain.

[nmballa]

Concrete draws moisture from the air. If you had a wooden boat stored in there it would dry out over the winter. It's one of the biggest mistake wooden boat owners make. Basically the planking shrinks and the seams open up. Next to impossible to get them to close back up properlly.

[oshensurfer]

haugy, For your purposes, i would say a pole barn would suit you fine. Bear in mind that sealing a pole barn up for keeping it heated or cooled (if that's a plan) is a bit more work than for a metal building and they require a bit more upkeep over time. I personally would look at the pricing and make a determination of energy in upkeep vs the added costs. Steel will likely require more solid/precise foundations, etc as well. ( all adding to the cost of course.) A pole barn can be less "exact" in the foundation realm and alot of folks just put in the bare mins and gravel the floors. It all boils down to preference, costs and needs.

If it was me and I planned to keep it for over 10 years and cost was a minimal issue, I would go with the metal building. But if I was paying cash and I had a strict budget, I'd go with the pole barn like we did for my buddy back in CA.

Keep us updated.

[oshensurfer]

Oh yeah, and if you insure the structure, it'll cost you more for the wood than steel for fire reasons...

[lcap]

I think the Pole Buildings are the better option. Almost every barn you see in this country is a "Pole Barn." They have withstood over 100 years of mother natures best. Only thing they haven't stood up to is man's neglect.

Pole buildings give you the ultimate in flexibility. You get a structure for relatively cheap now. Poles on 4' centers or so--uses less material to frame--> less expensive. Can use T-111 siding and how an acceptable appearance now vs. plywood and lap siding. Gives you flexibility on the inside of the building --> poles carry the load from the roof so you can add partition walls in the future if you decide.

As time and money permits you can fancy up a pole building. Install furring strips on the poles, add insulation and sheetrock later. On the outside you can install lap siding on the T-111 and no one will ever know.

Metal--well it's metal. When it heats up in the morning the building crackles and squeeks. When it rains it tink tink tinks. When it hails you get dents dents dents.

[eeven73]

I am working on a similar situation for my property. One thing that really concerns me about Pole Barn construction is direct ground contact of the wooden poles. Over time direct ground contact wood rots no matter how it is treated.

[lcap]

eeven73,

You can avoid that by auguring holes in the ground, putting in a Sonotube with a wood connector for the footing. That way you avoid the wood/earth issue. If you hold the footing out of the ground 3-1/2" it'll be at the correct elevation if you decide to place a concrete slab on the inside.

[Broccoli B]

Funny I am in the same boat, Looking to build a 30x40 garage this summer. Although it will be used for 80% storage and 20% shop.

[oshensurfer]

[kmagnuss]

lcap knows his stuff. Nice work.

[Swass]

[Commodore]

oshensurfer, well the size of the shop, plus the concrete, and tying in a driveway and then having enough left over for tools and equipment, and the two post lift. The pole helps make it easier.......ha ha ha easier.

lcap, thanks for the info. Was hoping you'd post up.

It will be a concrete slab, was going to run heat tubing through the slab till I got the cost. And back to the kerosene heater.

I don't want to get expensive, but this will be where I spend most of time so comfort is important, but so is appearance. I will go nuts in a mess. So tidyness, organization, and overall aesthetics will be factored. Clean prepped floor, workbenches and toolboxes, etc. While I do build rockcrawlers, I am moving into an arena where a clean shop will ensure better success on my projects. Plus with the supra in there I want to keep it maintained.

lcap if you had a choice, would you go with a company that makes these buildings to order all the time, or a custom built place? There are both available, and I see the pros and cons of built to YOUR specs. But I keep thinking I am over analyzing it.

[oshensurfer]

[boardordie]

Are you looking to have a huge open space or plan on sectioning areas off? If you plan on having seperate areas I would think a pole barn would be much easier to manipulate. Connecting interior walls to exterior walls, running electrical and plumbing, and "attic" storage would all be a lot easier to accomplish with a wood construction.

If you go the pole barn route have custom rafters built out of 2X6 or 2X8 so that you have enough room to lay plywood flooring and be able to stand up in a loft area. You'll gain a ton of storage that's out of the way and easy to access.

[Commodore]

oshensurfer, oh I always overplan. I am good at budgeting these days. I plan for worst case scenario on everything. But like I said, while I don't want to go insane with money costs, I don't want to go cheap either.

[Broccoli B]

haugy, What is your budget on the building and floor? Just curious so i can start to think about how much a garage is going to cost.

[nmballa]

Swass, I was a wooden boat builder for several years. No shop I worked in would even consider storing a wooden boat in facility with concrete slab floors. When we brought in a boat to work on in the main shop, which had concrete floors, we would throw buckets of water or spray down the floor several times through out the day. It was only in the dry winter months that it became a major issue. The humidity during the summer usually allowed for the boat to reside inside the shop with out issues. But we still would wa.ter the floor periodically.

[lcap]

haugy,

I'd call in a company that builds pole barns. This time of year, and with the building industry now, you should be able to get some very competitive site built quotes. I like the flexibility that on-site work gives you. You can make changes throughout the process. If natural gas is available, I'd go with a gas unit heater for heat vs. kerosene. Then again you can always finish one wall at a time and save one wall for the electrical panel and running natural gas to a heater in the future. You can also add a bathroom on that wall also--after the inspectors have left. Once you have everything the way you want it, finish the final wall.

Also ask about "attic trusses." If you go with a fairly steep pitched roof you can get an amazing amount of free storage space up there for the cost of plywood, a ladder and some lights.

If it's going to be used as a "dual space" the partition may wall (boat separate from wood/metal shop) be worth it and with a pole building you can build this wall anytime.

[Swass]

You can't corroborate your own story.

Gimme some independent corroboration (e.g., wooden boat builder's forum that discusses this issue, etc.).

[Commodore]

Broccoli B, it's varying right now. But trying to keep the basics of the building and the pad under $15k. Which should be feasible. The concrete is almost half of it. I will be doing the construction work. But have the materials shipped to me. I have access to bobcats and forklifts so that will help. That should give me a basic shell to continue to work and build into a great shop. But then the boat is protected, and I have a workshop to work on my workshop.

I say it's varying because of specifics on the building I would like to work out. The size of the doors, how many doors, the slope of the roof for lift clearances, etc.

But remember, this is a basic building at that cost. Running power is going to be tricky. Basic plumbing is a 50/50. Plus insulating the place, and running fuse panels, wireing, lights, etc all will be excess. All in all it's gonna be tight to get into a fully done place under 20k.

[lcap]

nmballa,

What you describe isn't a function of air in concrete it's an issue of the finish of concrete and the air entrainment of the concrete that could create problems. A steel trowel finish and a concrete sealer will not allow water to collect inside the pores of the concrete. If you don't have water inside the concrete heat will not cause moisture vapor--no water.

[Commodore]

[Commodore]

This is sort of what I want. What I really want is a tall door on the left, and a 10ft tall by 20ft wide door to the right.

Something similar to this, but with one door on the right not two.

[PimpinD2]

why do you want the tall door?

[Commodore]

PimpinD2, you aren't here for the wakeboarding are you? Not only is it easier to just stick the boat in and go, but if I ever need it I can put my jeep on the trailer and stick it in the garage as well. In my experience, not having one would be bad planning.

[PimpinD2]

haugy, hahaha, that makes a lot more sense. But in reality i figured you werent here from wakeboarding and wanted to use the big door for .... i dunno big peices of wood or something. This now makes much more sense...

[Commodore]

PimpinD2, you're right. I'm here for the gangbang.

[jt09]

Please make sure you get that steeple up top. PLEASE.

[Commodore]

jt09, no.

[jjaszkow]

The tall door is 100% required. My current garage / shop has only the short doors which leads to minor frustration from time to time (it came with the house, so I didn't have a choice in the matter). When I build, it will definately have at least one tall door.

[jt09]

[jjaszkow]

Seconded on the steeple top. Or maybe just some gaudy weather vane.

[STPHNSN23]

jjaszkow, ya. a weather vane with a chicken. that's the way to go.