Pole Barn

Do you really know what a pole barn is? I had heard the term for years without knowing exactly what the definition was. Simply put, a pole barn is a building that is constructed so that the weight bearing is not done by walls, but rather by poles. In the U.S., the term came from the habit of using telephone poles as the support poles. In Britain, they are known as a Dutch barn. (I don’t know about Dutch telephone poles….)

Pole Barn Uses

Sixteen Small Pole-Barn, Workshop an...

This is quite an interesting construction concept. It is great for any non-walled storage spaces such as: hay barns, riding arenas, boat and truck storage or open home garages. It also works well for closed-in spaces like: cattle barns, horse barns, pole barn homes (I have seen some great ones – lots of open space) or even large shopping centers. Interesting, isn’t it?

41 Small Barn Plans - Complete Pole-...

The structures themselves are relatively inexpensive to build, which is a major drawing cards. As inexpensive as they are, they can  also be quite elaborate in design. But in any case, they are fairly easy to construct and are quite strong in nature.

Pole Barn Popularity

One of the main advantages of the no-wall scenario is this low cost feature coupled with the ability to store large quantities of items like hay or lumber. That in itself is enough to explain the popularity of pole barns, but add to this the ease of accessibility to the stored items by machinery or people, and you have an unbeatable combination.

Pole Barn Designs

Candlewood Mini-Barn, Shed, Garage a...

The design of most pole buildings is, of course, simple. Poles or posts make up the outside walls with the roof being either flat or a system that uses pre-engineered wood trusses to which you then apply your choice of roofing material. If you are going to close in the barn, you have a number of choices for siding. You can go with corrugated metal, plywood or vinyl siding. You could even go with stucco or wood planking if you are looking for a more ‘finished’ look, when the pole barn design is actually a pole home.

As far as commercial buildings are concerned, with the modern day construction materials available to contractors, the essential design remains the same but the details can be quite different, depending upon the intended use. Next time you are in a big mall, take a close look at the construction and see if you can see the simple design of a pole barn.