wood question

[STLfirewood]

I have a pole barn that is 45x76. It's built with treated pine posts that are 12"x12". The headers are also 12"x12". The headers are 20ft long. This makes for a nice building. I like the wide opening for backing trailers under it. It's a pavilion with no sides. Here is my question. I want to add on to this building. I can't get pines that big around here. I can get some cotton woods. Would a 12"x12" cotton wood be OK to use as posts? I want to add on to the building and I would like to keep it with the big spans. Thanks for the information.

Scott

 

[huskyhank]

I have a pole barn that is 45x76. It's built with treated pine posts that are 12"x12". The headers are also 12"x12". The headers are 20ft long. This makes for a nice building. I like the wide opening for backing trailers under it. It's a pavilion with no sides. Here is my question. I want to add on to this building. I can't get pines that big around here. I can get some cotton woods. Would a 12"x12" cotton wood be OK to use as posts? I want to add on to the building and I would like to keep it with the big spans. Thanks for the information.

Scott

No cottonwoods. I doubt they'd last more than a few years if that.
Look for someone who sells "timbers" instead of "lumber". Alternately, treated utility poles would work well for this. For headers you could also use LVL or similar "engineered" wood products. Note the "engineered" part. Most of these beams do not act like solid wood so have to be designed in the structure accordingly. You could also use untreated material for headers if they are protected from weather.