Pole Barn Day #1

I had decided to build a pole barn (or shed, or garage) to protect the John Deere Gator and my other forestry supplies.

The crew used a laser to make sure the construction pad was level, or nearly level.

Laser for getting the shed exactly level
Laser for getting the shed exactly level

Then, the serious construction began.

Power augers dug round holes around the perimeter of the shed’s location. Each was about a foot in diameter and 4 feet in depth.

Power auger drills post holes around the perimeter.
Power auger drills post holes around the perimeter.

At the bottom of each hole, they placed a concrete “cookie” to support the “pole” which would later be inserted. This is fast and relatively inexpensive, but the alternative would be to build a foundation out of poured concrete to below the frost line. I decided to go with the cookies.

Concrete "cookie" in the bottom of the post hole.
Concrete “cookie” in the bottom of the post hole.

Pressure treated “poles” were placed in each hole, and then positioned by hand to be exactly the right distance apart, and exactly vertical and in line with the other poles. Dirt and gravel were hand-tamped around each pole to insure it stayed in place. This was merely a temporary expedient, because other systems (wood, steel, concrete) would come into play later to keep the poles positioned precisely.

Poles were positioned in each post hole.
Poles were positioned in each post hole.

With the poles in the right place, a 2×8 treated lumber “foot board” was attached to the poles, establishing a solid perimeter, to keep the mice out and the poured concrete floor in.

The treated 2x12 footer would later function as the form for a poured concrete floor.
The treated 2×8 footer would later function as the form for a poured concrete floor.

2×4″ “Girts” were attached to the upright poles, running parallel to the foot board. These provided stability to the poles, and also would be the structure on which the steel panels would hang.

2x4 Girts are in place to hold the steel panels.
2×4 Girts are in place to hold the steel panels.

As we were losing daylight, the crew finished up for the day. I was pleased with the progress, but it seemed to be taking longer than I had thought.

I was right, and there was a reason.

As the sun sets on the first day of construction, I stand inside my partially built shed and look out over the Gator and the Garage-Formerly-in-a-Box.
As the sun sets on the first day of construction, I stand inside my partially built shed and look out over the Gator and the Garage-Formerly-in-a-Box.