If you invest your money in a new pole barn, you’ll have to ensure it’s engineered to handle various stresses and door placements. For instance, your pole barn will inevitably encounter inclement weather (e.g., rain, snow, and wind). Do you know if your pole barn builder uses your location's designated snow and wind load ratings?

In this article, we will continue pushing the same two ideas - bigger is always better and measure once, measure again, and yeah, definitely measure a third time. Before finalizing the design for your post-frame project, you need to make sure you can get the equipment in and out with ease.

Building a pole barn is a big decision. Arguably, a bigger decision is how to design your pole barn. There are many different building features for you to choose from, such as:

Whether your goal is to save money or make a positive impact on the environment, building an energy-efficient pole barn can be a smart investment.

The truss is just one component in the overall building system. Believe it or not, you can have the most robust truss system, and your building may still fail. You’re probably wondering how that could happen, and we’ll explain why that is possible later on. But remember, it’s important that the load path is followed to the foundation of the building as it resists multiple loads, often co-occurring. Trusses must handle all the loads applied to the roof steel and purlins and transfer those loads effectively to the columns, hence the importance of the truss to column connection.

Over the years, the span size of trusses has evolved. In the 1980s, post frame builders commonly used 60’ (one-ply) trusses, and larger trusses (72’ and 80’) were made of two-ply lumber. The more ply (or layered material), the stronger the truss. At the time, post frame builders were unable to hang or lift trusses without any bending or bowing. The higher up in the air, the more stress placed on the lumber. Consequently, it was easier to produce and swing one-ply trusses.