How to build a pole barn?

[Woodworks]

Needing to make up a small pole barn to cover our mill. Made up some DF 6'x6" which have been left to dry and then soaked in creosote for a week. I am undecided on how best to fix them into the ground. Last barn I did we concreted to 6" above ground level but still get signs of rot where the concrete ends (not creo treated)

 

Some options here but maybe there are other ways? It will be liable to heavy wind loads that will try to lift it

 

[Sutton]

We've build shelter's on exposed sites on the limestone hills east of Bath. Treated timber rots within 5 years round here no matter which sort you go with, so this summer, we've experimented with postcreting in concrete posts and then bolting 4x4 posts to them.

 

We lost a shelter to the winds in 2012/13 not from the prevailing wind but roter turbulence!

 

We clad down to the ground (sometimes continuing with the roof pitch like the extended sides of a barn (but obviously much smaller) So they don't look ugly from the outside.

 

Good luck with your choice.

[dumper]

Variation on option 1 make sure the shoes displace any water running down, if does rot easy fix, try to use quality timber, 

[Squaredy]

3 hours ago, Woodworks said:

Needing to make up a small pole barn to cover our mill. Made up some DF 6'x6" which have been left to dry and then soaked in creosote for a week. I am undecided on how best to fix them into the ground. Last barn I did we concreted to 6" above ground level but still get signs of rot where the concrete ends (not creo treated)

 

Some options here but maybe there are other ways? It will be liable to heavy wind loads that will try to lift it

 

I don’t think you will stop the rot, you need to plan for it.  I have this problem with drying sheds on my site and I am gradually using steel brackets to fix the posts to concrete to allow for when the bottom of each post rots.

 

 Of course it is more difficult if you are not putting a concrete slab down.

[josharb87]

I built this earlier this year, concrete plinths with a metal bracket, plinths are 900mm, their hole was about a 8-900mm deep, 200mm crushed stone packed in the bottom, plinth then stone packed in around them, no ground contact for the wood 

 

 

 

 

 

[Woodworks]

That looks a class job Josh. 

 

Thanks all for replies even though I dont like what I am hearing.

 

Think I am going to keep it simple and allow for repair work later. Hoping creosoted douglas fir will hold up OK and I will keep on top of treating them at ground level each year.

[Glenn1]

You shouldn’t have a problem with rot if you don’t concrete them in. If you used old electricity poles, dig them in to around 1-1.2meters and around 400mm up from the base notch a horizontal section to create a T shape then back fill (compacting hard every 200mm). You’ll not suffer really with rot. 
 

My friend has a barn which his grandad built which is over 60yrs old. We replaced 3 of the 12 poles about 18 months ago but that’s the first time it’s had work done other than being hit by machinery. 
 

it’s the concrete that will allow the water to sit on top and accelerate the rot. Hence why powerlines and BT poles are never concreted in place 👍

[Stere]

Backfil with 3/4 to dust /hardcore /stones rather than  any concrete around the post holes

 

French drains with plastic field drains in round the outside and over hang the roof.

[dustydave]

can you not get hold of any old telegraph poles - never seen one rot, other than on the inside and even then the surrounding wood is still structurally supporting.

[dan blocker]

On 22/08/2022 at 09:53, dustydave said:

can you not get hold of any old telegraph poles - never seen one rot, other than on the inside and even then the surrounding wood is still structurally supporting.

Second the recommendation for old tele/ elect poles. Don’t put cut end into ground, use the original butt where it’s been creosoted. As others have said don’t concrete as it seals in the moisture- I use scalpings tamped in 6” layers for all gate and straining posts these days. Phots are of a building at a farm park in Evesham area I visited with kids early in year. Looked quality work and built to last.

Edited August 23, 2022 by dan blocker
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