AVOID THESE TOP 10 POLE BARN MISTAKES OR IT COULD COST YA!

We bought property that already had a barn on it. But it was fairly simple and we've made a lot of improvements. But even with a TON of thought and research into what other's have done, we still made mistakes! This video is to help anyone out there building or renovating a barn to think through the most important aspects before it's too late (or too expensive to undo!).

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#barns #homesteading #diy

[LTVoyager]

I built a 32x48x14 workshop when I retired to use mainly to build an airplane. My biggest regret was putting only two 240V outlets in one corner of the shop. I planned for welder and air compressor, but now wish I had some spaced on other walls for power tools such as table saw, etc. My biggest good decision was the in-slab hydronic heat. It is fantastic. Once you have worked on a warm concrete floor in the winter, you will never want anything else. If you invest money nowhere else, invest in the tubing in the slab for radiant hydronic heat. It is the cat’s meow times 10.

[bruceanderson]

I have a 45 x 50 x 16 foot steel frame building with loft accessed by my scissor lift that has a short stairs on it that is removable. This makes the space occupied by your stairs a parking spot😉. Built the building 36 years ago. In our state anytime you have more than 3 gas vehicles you must have an explosion proof pit to catch the gas from the floor drains which go to a drain field. I put a threshold at each door that lowers the bottom door seal 1" below the building floor so no water flows into the building-works great. I believe you must have a door for every large piece of equipment to use your floor space well-so I have 4 insulated double sealed doors. Two doors are 12 x 12, one door 10 x 12 and a 12 x 14 so if it goes down the road it will go in the building. If you don’t heat your building you MUST put 1 inch of polystyrene under the concrete to keep the floor from condensing water in the spring. I put chain boxes in the floor so I can pull on heavy things. All attachments are on castered platforms so they roll together for compact storage and are easily positioned to attach to the tractor. This makes attaching things so easy I got ride of the JD imatch. I don’t believe in windows as they are a security risk, are another thing to have to work around, involve large heat losses and let in ultraviolet light to degrade everything in the building. Just put in great lighting. Add ceiling fans. Infrared heat to dry the floors and forced air heat and air for quick recovery because I only heat or air condition when I have a project. If you heat full time, heat in the floor would be the way to go but it costs as much to heat this well insulated carbarn at 45 degrees as my house. One beam has a movable chain hoist on it and the beam is stressed to lift an extra 4000 lbs. Plumbed for a bathroom if ever wanted, have a utility sink with electric on demand heater to get warm water for cleaning and wired for internet and alarm. Only 100 amp service with outlets every 4 ft. Should have been at least 150 amp. The bottom 8 foot is 1/4 inch pegboard which I highly recommend as it is so versatile for storage. The building isn’t big enough but is the same size as my house and the code would not let you go bigger🤷‍♂ and divorce lawyers aren’t cheap!😉. Really, my wife agrees the building isn’t big enough-she is a good woman but at 70 it will have to do. Hope this helps someone out.

[stanleyconrad]

Hello Courtney. As you realize, everyone’s needs and funding defer. Other than being “underfunded” my age is my biggest negative. Your points were/are valid, but your building is able to “make money” and many are not. I suspect most viewers are similar to me, just tractor enthusiasts. I envy the building. Perhaps 30 years back I could justify that expense but today I have to leave the bulk of my equipment outside. Covered “wings” are really a benefit. To anyone who cares to learn, do it as Courtney says. Build it bigger and enjoy it NOW.

[m.cooper]

I used a propane ceiling-suspended fan heater. IT'S VERY LOUD! Works fine, but I wish it was quieter. Also used 4x8 panels on the interior walls and spray-painted them white. The wood needed a lot more paint than I estimated. If new construction in snow country, consider prevailing winds to place the garage doors facing south. The prevailing west wind blows the snow across the front and the sun can melt some of the snow. On a separate existing garage, our doors faced east (towards the road). All the snow on the roof blows off and piles up as drifts in front of those doors.

[petercampbell]

You can convert the inactive door to a high lift, the tracks follow the wall, then hug the ceiling. Then use a jackshaft operator.

[LTVoyager]

I had the builder put metal on the ceiling, but not the walls as you did. I went with OSB all the way around and painted it white. It is nice as bright like your building, but I can easily attach anything to it and it doesn’t dent as easily if hit with a ball or piece of wood or such.

[Sparktrician]

Turned out great!!! Lighting looks awesome. Love the white metal walls. Nicely done, you should be proud of that.

[TheMonkdad]

Excellent episode. Thanks for the ideas. I’d want to add a gantry crane for that loft. I make lumber with a mill and frequently dry huge beams indoors.

[joeysawdust]

Courtney, my only advice about the floor is --- it's a floor, it gets used. Heavily! If you ever put a nice finish (epoxy or other) on it, then every time you drove the tire chains on it or dropped/scraped/slide/spilled something on it, you'd probably worry or get upset. Avoid future anxiety. The floor looks great now and works well. I have a three car attached garage with a concrete floor which I could finish, but then I just know that I'd be upset every time I "damaged" it somehow. I don't need it to be a work of art - just really useful! Great video! Thanks!

[mtozzy]

Looks great, my eventual plan is to build a new machinery, workshop, hay and cattle complex, our current setup is a miss mash of buildings from over 70 years, they kinda work but they don't. Not enough space and 95% dirt floors. I like the statement "we don't like to get rid of old things because we might need them one day" it's exactly why I've so many tractors and why I've run out of space

[jaypreddy]

Nice video. When I built my house that included a garage, my builder talked me into going with a bigger garage than what our plans called for. I balked but he finally persuaded me to bite the bullet and pay for a bigger space. I wish I would have gone even bigger. Easy to underestimate space

[Noah_E]

If you can stretch between two outlets without touching either they are too far apart. I also like windows that are high, short, and wide. Especially the kind that crank out. They let in plenty of light without being a security risk and my hounds can't see wildlife to howl at. Compartmental lighting with a master switch for every area is nice to have. Flip 3 of 4 switches when you leave and you know power is off everywhere, including those lights above the work bench you can't see from the front of the building, etc. A timer for lighting above the primary external door is nice so you can see to lock up in the dark.

[bobheisserer]

Getting those windows up high is perfect, you'll have no security risk and still receive plenty of light. However there is something to be said for locating them on the north side of a building, especially here in the South. You'll receive very nice indirect light without the extreme heat if they were south-facing.

[darronsargent]

We have 3 of the same type of heaters and what really helps is to have a couple slow moving ceiling fans to circulate the heat

[Gilikemail]

GREAT tips!! When I planned my pole barn (and asked for quotes), I was planning an 8ft ceiling. The builder I went with talked me into 10ft (it wasn't much more cost). Boy am I glad I listened. I would have been miserable with the 8ft. He also made other suggestions that made me love the barn more. My biggest issue is that I can't find racks like you have to store implements on.

[andywakeman]

The use of a potable or if enough space is available, then the ability to have a car/tractor/trailer lift to be able to service anything you want without having to crawl around on the floor. The portable units are nice so you can remove and clean up or use the space for other things. As for your ideals of a lean too, there is always an option to add on on. I've seen them with walk in and roll up doors under them and they have all worked very well. Evaluate the wind in your area and even consider closing in one or more sides of the lean too to prevent weather infiltration. Good luck!! Very nice setup!

[judgedredd]

Great job! Agreed, most shops are poorly lit and as I get older, light is my friend. My shop is only 12' tall only because I wanted a dual post vehicle lift, but I did install a commercial garage door opener to allow for my 10' door to track all the way to the ceiling. Using a mini split as well to heat/cool the entire area. Just a cleaner and more cost effective option than radiant floor heat, a wood stove or a forced air furnace. I know i'll regret not having the floor heat, but was a bit out of budget for me. Again, great job and let us know what you do about sealing your floors.

[justanotherviewer]

Thanks Courtney. With only an attached, unheated, two car garage my concerns are far fewer but many of your points apply.

[kaytod]

Nice part is, you have wonderful windows in the loft area. So you have a great all weather tree stand since the barn is near the center of the property. Gotta look for the positives.
😁

[diversedad]

I built my shop a couple years ago and also had a video of it on my channel and love to look at other people’s set ups and videos. Mine is a 30 x 50 and I have a 10 x 50 covered porch all along one side. I only have 14 foot walls And also have a loft in mine. I have plenty of room below the loft that my four-wheel-drive truck will even fit under and plenty of headroom up in the loft as well. I am only 5 foot 10 but the other thing I did different is I used scissor trusses which give way more headroom. My stairs for the loft are over on one side and that is the shortest point of the ceiling when you first come up the stairs and I think it’s still 6‘2“ and by the time you walk over to the middle of my loft, I think it’s closer to 9 feet. I guess it all depends on how you will use the space, but I was just chiming in to say I think for most people even if you want a perfectly usable loft space, 14 foot walls will definitely still get it done. No regrets on my wall height.