How to Build Your Post And Beam Barn Step By Step

by Aaron Esch

www.BarnGeek.com

Why should you build a post and beam barn?Post and beam or timber frame buildings have been around for centuries. Since the time of the Vikings timber framing has been the first choice when building a structure that lasts. Throughout Europe you will find barns and buildings using this type of framing that have been around for generations. America is no exception. Take a short drive in the country and your bound to find more than one old timber frame barn.

So why would you want to build a post and beam barn?

You will be rewarded with higher property values, because you have built a barn with real value. Appraisers are impressed by true quality. They will give more value to a well built post and beam barn than they will to a cheap pole barn.

• Your barn or barn home will be a space you can really live in. • You didn’t compromise. • You got exactly what you wanted. • You didn’t settle for a cookie cutter barn.• Your horses and livestock will thank you for a healthy barn.• Your friends, family, and neighbors will come out in droves when they

here you are having a good old fashioned barn raisin’.

No rotten wood for you. You have chosen a barn design that doesn’t allow any wood to touch the ground. There will be no wood to ground contact in your post and beam barn, because you will be using special steel brackets that anchor your post to a concrete pier while at the same time breaking any direct contact from the wood to the concrete.

No worries about the weather. Your barn is built with heavy steel plates holding the posts and beams together. Your barn is there to stay. Traditional timber frame barns have stood for centuries in Europe. There are post and beam buildings that are over 1,000 years old and still in use today. The barn designs you will be learning about in this book are heavily based on the designs from old. The only big difference is that you will be using modern steel plate joinery that wasn't available to builders in centuries past. Not that they couldn't have used some sort of metal if they could afford it. It just wasn't cost effective back then like it is now. Steel plates are for the most

part stronger and lower cost today than traditional joinery is.

Imagine all the things you can do with that huge cathedral ceiling and all that loft space. You truly have a great flexibility in design with a post and beam barn. The weight of the roof is supported by large timbers reducing the need for trussing that is the case when smaller dimension lumber is used. This opens up tons of design possibilities. You can utilize all of the space that is normally occupied by ugly conventional rafters. Not only that but your overall costs are less because you can leave that beautiful timber exposed instead of having to cover the framework to make an attractive space.

You have peace of mind knowing that every piece of wood in your barn was produced by local people, keeping your money in the local economy. In today's tough economic times it is important to keep your money in the local economy. Sure I could sell you a barn kit from half way across the country and you could pay thousands of dollars for shipping to have your barn kit shipped to you, and at one time we did that, but we soon realized that wasn't the best way to serve you. If I could offer you all the resources you needed to build a barn on your own and send it to you for little cost in shipping, then you could save money and in the long run you would be happier and feel better about the value you got for your money.

When you are all done you will still have a great traditional timber frame barn, and the pride in knowing that you did it.

Ready to get started?

Great! Lets Go!

Planning the perfect spot to build

So, finally you are ready to build that post and beam barn that has been living in your imagination for all this time. Its time to make that dream a reality. Next to your home your barn will most likely be the biggest investment you make on your land. So a little planning is the best way to start.

Location, Location, LocationTake a walk in the rain. Watch how the water moves naturally on your property. You want a spot that is high and dry, but also fairly level. This will save you time and money later. It is better to build where you have good drainage than to bring in a lot of fill. Building up a low spot can be an expensive endeavor, and can take time, and money away from your actual timber frame barn construction.

It is also a good idea to take into account the way the sun, wind and other energies moves across your land. If you have a lot of sun exposure and could use some extra shade at certain times of day you could position your barn to produce the shade you need. Remember that the sun angle may be lower at certain times of the year such as winter. So areas that are shaded in the winter may not be shaded in the summer.

What a View! Take time to walk around your property and visualize where your barn fits best. Ideally you want to plan to be able to see your barn from the house. After all you are building an esthetically pleasing post and beam barn kit so you want to make the most of its stunning beauty. Be sure to locate your barn in an area that doesn’t block the best views.

Plan to take advantage of your post and beam barn’s view blocking abilities to hide any eye sores your land may have. Maybe your neighbor has an old tractor mini junk yard you want to get out of your view. This would be the perfect opportunity to screen it out of your field of view.

Bandits and VarmintsIt is a good idea to plan for your barn to be within site of your house. You want to be able to keep an eye out for varmints such as racoons, possums, and skunks. Bandits, of the four legged kind abound in the country, some are after your feed, others are after your chickens, and still others are just looking for a dry place to lay down. There are also times when you want to watch out for two legged bandits. If your barn is within view of the house it will be a less likely target for thieves.

Go to the drive in It would be a very good plan to locate your new post and be beam barn within easy access from a driveway. You want to be able to drive right up to it, or even drive through it. Convenience is important, unloading feed, hay, and bedding is much easier if you can drive right up to your barn. It is also handy when loading or unloading horses, alpacas, goats, sheep and other livestock. Speaking of that, the ideal plan is to have a U or circle drive that goes right up to and or through your barn.

Think about those long stock trailers, they need enough space to turn and maneuver. If you have one, you might measure your pickup and stock trailer, or a neighbors if you don’t. Then plan your drive up to and out of your barn to have enough room to drive straight in or straight out of your barn.

Your Barn and Pasture Plan your barn to be close to your current or planned pasture land. The last thing you want is a long walk from your pasture to your new barn. The best plan is to have your barn connected to your pasture. Then you can have doors leading out of your stalls to a paddock or pasture. Your horses and livestock will be happier and healthier if they have room to play, a safe place out of the weather, and easy access to both.

WaterI know, you think water is not necessary in a barn. I mean its not a big deal to carry a couple buckets of water out to the barn to water the animals, right? Think again! It is a real pain in the neck to carry buckets upon buckets of water to your barn. Especially in the winter.

Believe me I know. The only broken bone I have ever had was from slipping on ice while carrying buckets of water to our animals on the dairy farm I grew up on. I slipped and fell with my full weight on my arm which landed on the edge of the bucket. It wasn’t an experience I would like to repeat, and you wouldn't want to experience it either!

Besides what if you plan to have a wash bay in your barn? Believe me you will want water plumbed out to your barn so plan for it. Make sure your barn is close enough to your well that it doesn’t become to expensive to run the piping. A frost free hydrant in your barn is enough to start with. You can add an automatic watering system and plumb in a wash bay when you are ready.

Getting water to your barn could be as easy as running a waterline from your well to the barn, or it may be very difficult. It is important to consider how you will get water to your animals on a regular basis. If you live in an area where water is hard to come by and digging a well is impractical than you may want to consider installing some sort of rain collection system. Many gallons of water can be collected and stored from the rain that falls on your roof. You can obtain some fairly large poly tanks at various farm supply stores across the country. Most of them are designed either for a sprayer or to go in the back of a pickup truck. Either way you could build a platform out of timbers to set it on and run you gutters into the tank to collect rainwater.

LightingAs with water you will also need adequate barn lighting and electricity. Be sure your barn is close enough to a utility pole or another building with power so that it is easy to run electricity to it. You don’t want to be stumbling around in the dark when you are investigating a strange noise coming from your barn. Plan now for adequate barn lighting.

You can read more advice about barn lighting on our website http://www.barngeek.com/barn-lighting.html

Plan for the futureThink about what you might want to do in the future. You may want to add a nice post and beam pavilion to store your stock trailers, or big gambrel barn to store hay in, or a couple loafing sheds or run in shelters for your horses. Whatever the case is for you, take time to consider future expansion now, and plan room for your next post and beam barn.

Whatever the weatherThink about the location of your barn in relation to typical conditions in your area. If you live in a cold climate than you might want windows on a nice warm southern exposure to take advantage of the sun for heat. You may also consider the prevailing winds in your area and position your barn to be protected from them. If you live in a warmer climate you may want to place your barn in the shadow of a hill or some big trees.

What will the neighbors think?Ok , maybe you are like Montgomery Gentry and you don’t really care what your neighbor thinks about your “big red barn”, but here in the real world we have to live with our neighbors and peace is worth a lot. Take time to talk to your neighbors and get their input. You don’t necessarily have to listen to them but like they say “an ounce of prevention is like a pound of cure.” Discover their opinions and try to plan a barn location that makes everyone happy.

ZoningCheck with your local building department and zoning board to see what requirements they have for the size and placement of your barn. Try your best to have a good rapport with your local building official. You may not see eye to eye but you can get much further with sugar than you can with vinegar.

Just build it!Ok, so you have the perfect spot all picked out. Don’t worry if it doesn’t fit all the criteria above. Remember, if the perfect spot isn’t quite perfect, that’s ok. It shouldn’t stop you from moving forward.

Finding Timbers and Boards

Post and beam barns are built with lumber that is not normally stocked at your local lumber yard. Modern lumberyards carry what is called dimensional lumber. In other words the lumber is dimensioned down from rough cut stock. If you measure that 2x4 that you get from a lumberyard you will see that it is actually 1 1/2” X 3 1/2” It may have started out as a real 2x4, but by the time they plane it smooth, it ends up being “dimensional” lumber. That is not ideally what you need, you need full size rough cut lumber. Besides, rough cut lumber is normally cheaper anyway. On the other hand if you find it impractical to get rough cut lumber you can use dimensional lumber in it's place.

So how do you get full size rough cut lumber?

It really is easier than you think. Very simply, you want to look to a local sawmill. There are countless sawmills in all corners of the world, that can provide rough cut lumber. No matter where you are in the world, if there are forests nearby than there will be at least one sawmill in your area. They can range from very large production operations all the way down to one man with a portable sawmill. I would recommend looking to the smaller operations for your lumber. They will be willing to cut your custom list of timbers at a reasonable price.

Most likely the bigger operations will not want to deal with a small order like yours because they would have to reset their machines to fill the order. On the other hand the bigger mills can be a great source for the more common sizes you may be looking for, such as 1x10, 1x8 , and 2x6. You never know they may be willing to cut your custom order. It doesn't hurt to ask.

Finding a Sawmill

Most likely the sawmill you choose to work with won't be found in the back of the phone book or on an internet search. On the other hand you might get lucky so don't rule it out entirely.

The easiest way to find a local sawmill is to just ask around. Farmers frequently use rough cut lumber in their barn stalls and for other projects around the farm. Ask a local farmer where they get their rough cut lumber. Most of the time they will be happy to tell you.

Check the classified ads. Sometimes sawyers will advertise in the classified section of the newspaper. Look for ads that say “custom sawing” or “rough cut lumber”.

Check Craigslist, this website is a large databank of classified ads from all over the country. Anything that can be found in a classified ad can be found on Craigslist. Once you get to Craigslist you can search ads in your city or reigon. Search keywords such as lumber, sawmill, and custom sawing.

If all else fails you could go to www.woodplanet.com. They have listings for sawmills and timber suppliers all over the world. In most cases though the prices you get from Woodplanet suppliers will be higher than you will get from a small local sawmill.

Storing and Handling Your Lumber

Rent a Telehandler type forklift with a 35' or more reach. A forklift like this will be a great help not only in unloading but also in raising assembled bents and lifting material to workers on your barn.

Be sure to stack all lumber off the ground, try not to open the banding until you begin building. Do not cover your material with tarps, doing this will lock moisture inside the cover. Store your wood in a shaded area if possible. Prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause your wood to discolor. The less wood to wood contact during storage the better.

Don't store rough cut green (unseasoned) lumber for long periods of time without placing 1x1 48” long “stickers” between the layers to allow free flow of air between the layers. Place 3 to 6 stickers roughly 3 feet apart running perpendicular to the boards or timbers between each layer. Do this if you want to store your lumber for more than a couple weeks or to allow the wood to air dry over time.

Choose the Right Barn BuilderHow do you find the perfect barn builders to build your barn?

It is important to be selective when choosing the right carpenter to work with you building a barn. No matter how involved you plan to be in the process you want someone who understands what you are trying to accomplish and will listen to you instead of telling you how great they are.

Of course you do need to know that they do quality work. A couple referrals and maybe some pictures of their work is a good place to start. Ask them how long they have been building. Determine what they specialize in. Do they build mostly pole barns? Or homes? Or maybe decks?

It would be great if they have some experience building log homes. Contractors who have built log homes have a greater understanding of rough cut lumber and transitioning to a post and beam barn will be easy for them.

It is okay if you don't find a builder who is experienced with log or timber building. Your post and beam barn is designed to be easy to build by any good contractor.

Or....

If you're handy and know your way around a hammer and saw...you may even want to handle the post and beam construction yourself. It is still a good idea to get input from a licensed builder.

So how do you get started?

First call at least 3 contractors and get estimates from each.

When you meet with these builders, you can get a good idea of their abilities and commitment to your ideas. Observe how they react to your comments and how they answer your questions. Do they ask you questions? Or do they spend all their time telling you about how great they are?

Do they allow you to speak or do they dominate the conversation?

This will be an early indication of how they will perform on your project. A level of self confidence is important...but people who are truly self confident and really good at what they do, will display those characteristics without trying. An attempt to dominate the conversation or talk endlessly about how great they are is a sign of someone who is really not sure of themselves.

If they talk to much about themselves, who do you think they will be concerned with when it really counts?

Trust your gut. If you get a bad feeling about someone, you are probably right.

Now its time to ask if your chosen contractor has a valid builders license. Are they insured?

What about bonded?

Bonding is an old practice that isn't necessary. A lot of good contractors are insured but not bonded. For a contractor to be bonded they have to place a large sum of money in escrow. This is to cover you in case the contractor decides to skip town without finishing your project. There is a way you can accomplish the same thing without asking the contractor to tie up large amounts of money.

Pay your contractor in phases.

Phase one, initial deposit.

Most contractors will want an initial deposit before they start work. Negotiate with your contractor on the size of this deposit. It shouldn't be any more than 50% of the entire project. Especially considering you have already supplied most of the materials he needs to build your barn. Ask for a lower percentage say around 20%-30%. This should cover their labor to get started. One caveat, they may need more than that if they have to rent

equipment or purchase concrete.

Phase two, in progress.

Once your barn has a good start and you are seeing good progress, you can give your contractor an in progress payment. This can be anywhere from 30% to 50% of the total bill. Make sure it is enough for the barn to be finished, but not the total balance. You need to retain enough to motivate them to finish your barn in a timely manner and on budget.

Phase three, project complete.

This is when you pay the balance remaining on your agreement. Make sure your barn passes final inspection from the building department. Inspect your barn personally as well to be sure that all of your needs have been met. Remember though if you ask for additional work that wasn't covered in your initial agreement expect to be charged for that work.

Choosing and working with the right contractor can be an enjoyable experience. Just remember to follow your gut instincts. Your insight will tell you a great deal about any builder.

Site Prep and FoundationYou can build a post and beam barn on almost any foundation.

A post and beam barn is such a versatile building that it can be built on more types of foundations than any other method of construction.

Ready to prepare your site?

Good, lets get started. Here is a checklist for preparing your barn building site.

1. Clear any brush and or trees on your building site.2. Make sure your site is leveled. Rent a bulldozer or hire an excavator

for this step. Bring in any fill that you need to raise your building site enough for proper drainage.

3. Put barriers up to prevent to much foot traffic. You don't want people walking across your site and destroying all your hard work.

4. Choose the right foundation and excavate your barn site.5. Build your foundation.

Now lets look at the different foundations that you may choose from to support your new post and beam barn.

A post and beam barn can be built on just about any type of foundation you can imagine.

Concrete piers or pillars

The most popular foundation for post and beam barns is concrete piers. This type of foundation is cheap and versatile. It is as simple as digging a “post hole” setting the forms and filling it with concrete. You can get the correct size cardboard forms you need at your local lumber yard.

This way you can build your barn with a dirt floor and save a little money. You can always come in later and pour a concrete floor or build a wooden floor when your budget allows.

Concrete slab

You could choose to build your barn on a concrete slab. Check with your local building department to see how thick it needs to be and what kind of footings should be in place. A well built concrete slab can give you a nice flat surface to work from when assembling the framework of your barn.

Poured wall or concrete block basement

If you would like a basement in your barn you can build a poured wall basement. This will give you additional space. You could have a workshop in the basement and living quarters above. Just remember to add extra floor joists and floor boards to your list.

Old stone foundation

Do you have an old stone foundation from a barn or old farm house that once stood on your site? If the foundation is sound you could build your new barn on the old foundation. Have your old foundation inspected to see if it will support your new barn and is up to code. The great thing about this is after your barn is built you can celebrate it as being “Barn Again!”

Wood foundations

I am not a fan of wood foundations, it just doesn't make sense to me to have any wood below ground level. Moisture can easily collect on wood underground and cause it to rot. If you were to choose to build your barn on a treated wood foundation you could do so.

Check your local building codes to see what is required. It is important that your foundation is built according to your plans. Be sure that it meets the

outside measurements of your barn.

The drawing below shows how the U bracket, post and, foundation join together.

As you can see the post and beam barn is such a versatile building that it can be built on more types of foundations than any other method of construction. Whatever type of foundation you choose to go with make sure it is strong so that your barn will create its own legacy and stand for generations to come.

Typical Barn Frame

Barn Construction

The following are the recommended procedures for constructing your Barn. Throughout this section you will be shown various standard methods and drawings that demonstrate construction procedures. Refer to your plans for specific placement of the various components.

Bent Assembly

1. On a level plane lay out the timbers you have for your barn. Refer to your plans and determine where to begin cutting your posts and beams. You need to be familiar with the use of a speed square or framing square when laying out the angles to be cut. I recommend cutting the simple 90 degree angles first to get familiar with cutting heavy timbers.

It is really simple to do once you get the hang of it. Use bent jacks to support the timbers off the ground if you have them. Otherwise you can use heavy duty saw horses. You can make your cuts with a basic skill saw and reciprocating saw. Even though your saw won’t cut all the way through the 6 inch beam you can flip the beam over and transfer your layout to the other side being careful that your lines match up perfectly. You may have to remove the remaining material with a reciprocating saw with a long large tooth wood blade. You may want to purchase a Prazi beam saw to make your cuts in one pass. This is basiclly a chainsaw type blade that mounts on your skill saw. They are affordable (less than $200 on Amazon.com) and can save you a lot of time and energy.

2. After cutting a few beams layout your first joint. If there is a steel plate required for that joint, place it in the proper location according to your plans and mark the holes to be drilled. Drill 9/16" holes through the beams and posts being careful to keep the drill bit square to the beam you are drilling. It may be helpful to use a drilling guide to accomplish this.

Tip:After successfully drilling two holes you can bolt both plates to the joint (make sure you always use two plates for each joint one on each side of the beam) then you can finish drilling the rest of the holes with a smaller drill bit, then unbolt the plates and drill your holes to the finished size. This process ensures that your holes will be drilled in the correct spot every time.

5. Once you have bolted all the timbers together and have an assembled bent it is time to raise it into place. (note: bents wider than 20' will need to be erected in smaller segments)

6. Raise your bent and brace it securely. It is very important to adequately secure and brace your bents, do not remove any bracing until all the bents are raised and secured together with girts and purlins.

7. Place the U brackets in there proper locations and drill into the foundation through the holes in the flange.

8. Drive your wedge anchor bolts into the holes and tighten them.

Repeat this process for each bent of your barn.

Girts and Purlins

As your bents are raised into place it is time to attach your 3x6 purlins and 2x6 girts. Attach purlins with 6" screws or nails, and girts with 4" screws or nails. Refer to your plans for proper spacing. Be sure to leave an overhang on the gable ends.

Board and Batten

Below are drawings showing the correct placement of your board and batten siding. I recommend using 2 1/2" ring shank exterior grade nails. Be sure to use careful cutting procedures to minimize waste.

Loft Decking

Below are drawings that illustrate the correct installation of your Loft joists and decking.

Joist are to be placed 16" on center and are supported by the tie beam.

Roof Sheathing

The below drawings show how your roof sheathing is installed. Be sure once again to cut carefully.

Finishing Touches

Before painting or sealing your barn with any finish allow your barn to season. I recommend painting or sealing only after 6 months or more. It would be best to allow your wood to go unfinished one full winter. This allows your wood to fully season and prevents moisture from being trapped inside the wood. The suns ultraviolet rays may discolor the wood during this time period. A simple way to correct this is to power wash the barn a week before applying finish. Do not hold the power washer nozzle to close to the wood, you could damage the wood fibers. Make long sweeping motions across the surface of the wood. This discoloring is only cosmetic and no power washing is needed if color is being applied.

Congratulations!

You have built a barn that will last for generations! You will be enjoying your barn for years to come. As well as those who come after you. You have not only built a barn for utility and beauty but you have also built a legacy to pass on!

I would like to Thank You for your purchase of a Barn Geek Barn Plan. Please consider sending us pictures of your barn. We love to see what our babies grow up to be! You never know your barn may be featured on our website.

Show your barn off to your neighbors. I guarantee they are curious to see what all the fuss has been about. If you have questions at any time during your project feel free to call or email me 989-235-1200 aaron@barngeek.com.

Thank you again for your investment, and welcome to the family!

Aaron Esch AKA “The Barn Geek“.

Terms and Definitions

The following are terms and definitions used in this guide.

Bay - This term refers to the open space between the bents of your barn kit.

Bent - This term refers to one section of framework made up of posts and beams. Bents are spaced 10 or 12 feet apart. (Refer to your plans for spacing of the bents in your barn.) Below is an example of a bent.

Bent Jacks - Bent jacks are small saw horse like supports used to hold the timbers off the ground for assembly before the bent is raised.

These bent Jacks are handy to have around when assembling your bents. They serve another purpose as a nice spot to sit and take a break! Build some from the drawing above.

Board and Batten - This is the vertical siding of your barn. I recomend full dimension rough cut 1"x10" boards, and 1"x3" battens. You may choose so substitute wider or narrower boards if you wish.

Collar Tie - This rough cut full dimension 4"x4" or 6"x6" timber runs between rafter beams on either side of your bent. These are present on some but not all barn plans depending on the style and requirements of your plans. (Refer to your plans to see if they are needed.)

Girts - Girts are rough cut full dimension 2"x6" timbers and are nailed

horizontally from post to post. They provide a nailing surface for your board and batten siding as well as support for the posts.

King Posts. King posts are rough cut full dimension 6"x6" timbers that are the vertical timbers that run from the tie beam to the intersection of the rafter beams. These are present on some but not all barn plans depending on the style and requirements of your plans. (Refer to your plans to see if they are needed.)

Knee Braces - Knee braces are the short angled pieces that support the posts and tie beams. They are rough cut full dimension 4"x4" or 6"x6" timbers with precut angles. 6" GRK screws are recommended to attach these to your posts and tie beams.

Loft Decking - These are rough cut full dimension 1" thick boards. They attach to your loft joists and make up the floor surface of your loft.

Loft Joists -These are rough cut full dimension 2" thick boards. They attach to your Tie beams and support the loft decking.

Posts - These are the upright support timbers that run from the foundation to the tie beams and rafter beams. They are full dimension 6"x6" rough cut timbers. They transfer your barns weight to the foundation. It is important that these are adequately supported by your foundation. Bottom ends of the posts are to be trimmed on site to equalize any irregularities in your foundation.

Purlins - Purlins are rough cut full dimension 3"x6" timbers that lay horizontally from rafter beam to rafter beam. They help support the roof of your barn as well as providing a nailing surface for your roof sheeting or roofing.

Queen Posts - Queen Posts are full dimension rough cut 6"x6" timbers that run from the tie beam to the rafter beam on both sides of your bent. They are supports for your rafter beams.

Rafter Beams - These are the angled timbers that support your roof and are set on your posts, queen posts, and or king posts. They are full dimension rough cut 6"x8" timbers.

Roof Sheathing - These are rough cut full dimension 1"x8" boards. They attach to the purlins on your barn. They run vertically from the peak to the eve and provide a surface for your roofing material.

Strap Plate - Strap plates are 3/16" thick steel brackets. They are predrilled to match the predrilled holes in your timbers. They are used to connect your posts and beams in various places on your bent. (Refer to your plans for proper placement) 1/2" x 7 1/2" hex head bolts are provided in your kit to connect the Strap Plates to your timbers.

T-Plates - T plates are 3/16" thick steel brackets shaped like a T. They are used to connect your posts and beams in various places on your bent. You can either order these from us or have them made by a local steel supplier. Scale drawings of these plates are included in your plans. (Refer to your plans for proper placement) 1/2" x 7 1/2" hex head bolts should be used to connect the T-Plates to your timbers.

Tie Beams - Tie Beams are full dimension 6"x8" or 6"x10" timbers that run horizontally from post to post. They help support the roof, walls, and loft of your barn.

U-Bracket - U brackets are 3/16" thick steel brackets that are formed to fit on the bottom of your posts and attach to your foundation. They should be attached to your foundation to support your posts. They also provide a barrier between your posts and the concrete so that no wood touches concrete. You can either order these from us or have them made by a local steel supplier.