Do you want to build a house, garage or barn? You have several options, and it helps to know the difference between pole barn and stick built construction. These are two of the most common choices. Building a pole barn is very different from stick-built construction, and it offers several advantages.
The Difference Between Pole Barn and Stick Built Methods
With stick building, crews put a structure together on-site from individual pieces of lumber. This lets builders create a unique design for each building. Also, they can fix any problems they find during construction.
A pole barn, by contrast, uses materials pre-cut at a factory. The factory cuts engineered lumber to the needed sizes and delivers it to the site in a kit. So it is easy to build a standard structure from a common plan. Of course, you can also customize it.
Some people believe stick-built construction is better than a pole barn. However, that is not always true. When a crew builds it well, a pole barn can be just as good as a stick-built structure. In fact, it can even be better in some ways.
A Pole Barn Can Cost Less Than a Stick-Built Structure
A pole barn can cost much less than a stick-built structure. For example, the foundation usually makes up over 15 percent of the cost of a single-story building. A pole barn instead uses posts buried in the ground to carry the weight of the walls and roof. In many cases, it doesn’t need a traditional concrete foundation.
Truss spacing in a pole barn is also usually wider than in a stick-built structure. With good design and construction, pole barn trusses can sit more than 8 feet apart and still carry heavy snow loads. As a result, construction costs for a large building can drop a lot.
Builders can also make a pole barn look like a conventional building. Its walls don’t bear the load, because the poles carry the weight of the building. This means framing costs less.
A Pole Barn Can Be Easier to Build
Land that isn’t flat can cause problems. For a building with a conventional foundation, you will probably have to move soil and level the site. However, a pole barn can go on a site that isn’t level, without extensive site preparation.
A Pole Barn Can Handle Severe Weather
A pole barn can stand up to severe weather that could damage or destroy a conventional building. That’s because the posts set in the ground carry the side wind loads on the walls down to the ground. In addition, pole barns generally don’t collapse in a fire the way conventional buildings on foundations can.
A Pole Barn Can Be More Energy-Efficient
A pole barn can also use less energy than a stick-built structure. It has fewer thermal breaks than a conventional building. For instance, you can insulate posts set 8 feet or more on center better than studs set 16 or 24 inches on center in a stick frame building.
Get a Quote for a Pole Barn From CHA Pole Barns
Now you know the difference between pole barn and stick built buildings. A pole barn offers several benefits over a traditional stick frame building.
So let CHA Pole Barns design and build one for you. You can use it to shelter livestock, store vehicles or equipment, or even as a home. Contact us today to get a quote for a new pole barn.