# Lumber barn under construction



## aggiewoodbutchr (Apr 13, 2009)

I've mentioned a barn I'm building few times so I though I'd share.

My original plan was to build a 24' x 40' timber frame truss and pole barn. My Dad had some engineered trusses fabricated for a remodel he was doing but the manufacturer messed up and made them the wrong size. As a result, I was able to buy them for half price ($500) and it increased the barn to 30' x 42' not to mention save me a lot of time.

The only other large cost item I have in it is the posts ($340). The rest of the lumber going into it was milled my either myself or my father.

Here's how we erected the trusses. Once again the Bobcat saves hours of back breaking work. We paired the trusses on the ground and flew them up with a home made jib.






















http://www.arboristsite.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=95477&stc=1&d=1239646793


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Apr 13, 2009)




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## aggiewoodbutchr (Apr 13, 2009)

This is all the photos I have for now but I'll take more next time I'm out at the farm. To date the roof and back wall are covered. Next trip I plan to cover the gables and work on the framework for the sliding doors.


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## clutch25 (Apr 13, 2009)

Nice!


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## BIG JAKE (Apr 13, 2009)

Gotta love machines, and half price trusses! Now maybe more time for milling?. Thanks for sharing


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## OhioGregg (Apr 13, 2009)

Great job with the progress pictures! Fun to watch a project come along, something allot of us no dout, wish we were doing!!

Gregg,


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## oldsaw (Apr 13, 2009)

Nice.

Bigger building, bet you are "crying"....Great excuse and way to save cash.

Mark


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## demographic (Apr 13, 2009)

I'm not sure how windy your location is there but here we would have to put diagonal or chevron wind (depending on the span) bracing into a roof along with longitudinal bracing as well, I can't make them out in your pictures so am not sure if there are some in or not.

Usually its just 4x1 and the manufacturer of the trusses stipulates where they should go.

I tried looking on Google images for pictures showing them but couldn't turn anything decent up and am afraid i have never taken pics of the ones I have done to show you.

Scott.


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## SilverBox (Apr 13, 2009)

Another thing besides the wind shear issue is those headers between posts look awful small to me for such a large roof. 

How far is that span between posts, those beam headers the truss's are riding on look like 6"x8" and spanning about 12'. Thats something like ~15'x12'x35lbs/sqft~6300 lb distributed max design light roof load on the beam. I calc a 6"x8" doug fir beam 12' long grade 2 failing calcs at 3000 or more lbs, you'd need a 6x12 grade 2 doug fir to handle a 6300lb load with no potential problems..

I imagine in a few years those headers will have a pretty good bow to them.


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## BobL (Apr 13, 2009)

Great Action Shots AggieWB.

Looks pretty similar to what Wood buddy Hud and I a planning for his property (30 x 45) - He's busy collect stuff at the moment.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Apr 13, 2009)

demographic said:


> I'm not sure how windy your location is there but here we would have to put diagonal or chevron wind (depending on the span) bracing into a roof along with longitudinal bracing as well, I can't make them out in your pictures so am not sure if there are some in or not.
> 
> Usually its just 4x1 and the manufacturer of the trusses stipulates where they should go.
> 
> ...



That's done already. I don't have pics because the last few times I was there I was working by myself and finished after dark.


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## dustytools (Apr 13, 2009)

Nice work Aggie!


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Apr 13, 2009)

SilverBox said:


> Another thing besides the wind shear issue is those headers between posts look awful small to me for such a large roof.
> 
> How far is that span between posts, those beam headers the truss's are riding on look like 6"x8" and spanning about 12'. Thats something like ~15'x12'x35lbs/sqft~6300 lb distributed max design light roof load on the beam. I calc a 6"x8" doug fir beam 12' long grade 2 failing calcs at 3000 or more lbs, you'd need a 6x12 grade 2 doug fir to handle a 6300lb load with no potential problems..
> 
> I imagine in a few years those headers will have a pretty good bow to them.



16' span, 6x8 SYP with the natural "camber" up. I know they are kind of light but I used what I had. My contingency plan is to gusset or stiff back them with structural steel if they start sagging. I have collected literally tons of steel over the years (also free) so that won't be a problem.


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## MJR (Apr 13, 2009)

Very nice work and good to hear from you.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Apr 13, 2009)

Here's what I got in mind for the interior.






The blue lines are siding doors. Red is the track


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## SilverBox (Apr 13, 2009)

aggiewoodbutchr said:


> 16' span, 6x8 SYP with the natural "camber" up. I know they are kind of light but I used what I had. My contingency plan is to gusset or stiff back them with structural steel if they start sagging. I have collected literally tons of steel over the years (also free) so that won't be a problem.



mm 16' span.. ouch. I'd put more posts in if it was mine.


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## demographic (Apr 14, 2009)

aggiewoodbutchr said:


> That's done already. I don't have pics because the last few times I was there I was working by myself and finished after dark.



Good stuff, sorry for pointing out the obvious then but some folk forget about winf bracing and think is doesn't matter.


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## irishcountry (Apr 14, 2009)

Looks like you have been busy great job and good to see your "handle" popping up on here again!! keep it up and take care irishcountry


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Apr 14, 2009)

demographic said:


> Good stuff, sorry for pointing out the obvious then but some folk forget about winf bracing and think is doesn't matter.



No problem.


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## Metals406 (Apr 14, 2009)

aggiewoodbutchr said:


> No problem.



Aggie, you can cut your span down, by putting in simple knee braces.










Keep in mind, that 45° is the strongest angle.


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## Brownpot Deaton (Apr 14, 2009)

looks nice! 

who do ou got helping you out there???


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## dyrt (Apr 14, 2009)

*bigger*

here is a barn we put up last year unfortunatly it is the neighbors


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## Metals406 (Apr 14, 2009)

You can also install inverted king-post trusses between your spans... No need to go as large as the ones pictured in the link.

http://www.structuralsculpture.com/truss_king-post.htm

The inverted trusses can be fabricated out of wood or steel. You'd be really surprised what a 1/2" piece of cold rolled round, with a center post can do for span/load!

It would be fast to fab, and the material can be scavenged. Something like pictured below. They could also be made to easily post tension if need be... Cable and turnbuckles could also replace the 1/2" cold roll.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Apr 14, 2009)

Brownpot Deaton said:


> looks nice!
> 
> who do ou got helping you out there???



My dad helped me with erecting the trusses and sheeting the roof. I've had a little help from my brother, wife, & BIL but mostly I've been by myself.





dyrt said:


> here is a barn we put up last year unfortunatly it is the neighbors



Showoff.



Metals406 said:


> You can also install inverted king-post trusses between your spans... No need to go as large as the ones pictured in the link.
> 
> http://www.structuralsculpture.com/truss_king-post.htm
> 
> ...



I thought about the knee braces but not the king post. I have miles of 1/2" threaded rod as well as cable. Thanks for the idea.


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## Metals406 (Apr 14, 2009)

aggiewoodbutchr said:


> I thought about the knee braces but not the king post. I have miles of 1/2" threaded rod as well as cable. Thanks for the idea.



No problem... You may even want to wait and see if she sags out on you. With span and weight, time will tell--you may get away with what's there?

Knee braces would be faster to do than the inverted trusses... You wouldn't even have to 'let-them-in' to the beam and post... Just fasten them with a couple RSS screws, and call it a banana.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Apr 15, 2009)

SilverBox said:


> mm 16' span.. ouch. I'd put more posts in if it was mine.



The 16' spans are a necessity. Some of the slabs going in this barn are up to 20' long and weigh over 1000 lbs. I need to be able to load and unload them from the side with the bobcat.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Apr 15, 2009)

Played around on MS paint some more.









The barn I'm currently using has only one door I can get the bobcat through. It REALLY sucks pulling everything out to get to a slab in the back.


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## aggiewoodbutchr (Apr 15, 2009)

This is what I have in mind for the slab racks.







This is using what material I have already. Gotta love commercial construction.

C8x11.5 for the beams

L4x6x5/16 for the end frames- bottom will be L4x6x3/8 galvanized

L4x4x1/4 for the cross members (also have L3x5x1/4 if necessary)

Couple of questions for those of you that are smarter than me...

I want to keep the bottom clear as possible to get long lumber and slabs in and out but should the knee braces be in the alternate position shown in yellow?

Assuming a uniformly distributed load, about what would this be good for?

What about a point load mid-span on the C8?

If I increased the span the 20', what will those capacities be?

How can the frame be improved from an engineers perspective?

Is the moon made of cheese?

That is all... for now... I think...


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## Metals406 (Apr 15, 2009)

aggiewoodbutchr said:


> This is what I have in mind for the slab racks.
> 
> This is using what material I have already. Gotta love commercial construction.
> 
> ...



Aggie, you can do away with the knee bracing by adding flat bar gussets as shown in brown below. 1/4" FB would work just fine.






I didn't run any numbers on your frame... But again, tension can be used to strengthen the free span. Take some of that 1/2" rod of yours, and run it the length of the stand on both sides, drill through the 1/4" gussets, and run the rod through each end... Put on a couple washers and a nut. Use a torque wrench to equally tension each side. Essentially, you're putting tension on the cross members, causing them to want to bow up... When they're loaded, they will take more load due to the counteraction of the tension. Don't get too carried away with the tension, just enough that you can see an upward deflection... You can always add more later if needed.

And if the moon was made out of cheese, I would eat it.


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