I need a garage/barn

[Sir Henry]

This is my second winter (although first complete) winter in Wisconsin. I currently have a three car garage but it’s not big enough plus the third space is at the end and the entrance is from the lawn. It’s great for the lawn mower and such but not for cars. I can actually get four cars into it but have to move a car out to get to the other one. Long story short it’s good for one car and then would have room for a good shop.

This brings me to needing another garage. I’m thinking detached and a hundred feet from the house and would house my tall van and tractor. It would be ideal at 24x40 feet. It would be a garage but look like a barn from the road.

Now the question is should it be wood or steel, framed or a pole? I know some of you must have out buildings.

[Mags]

My outbuilding is wood framed. Steel sides and roof. Concrete floor. Lean-to addon steel framed with steel outside wall, open ends, dirt floor.

Edit: Wood A-framed. Like this |/|\/|\|

[markiver54]

When I had my tiny shop built, One of the most expensive things was the concrete slab.
Personally, I would go wood. Probably more aesthetically appealing on your property too.

[Sir Henry]

When I had my tiny shop built, One of the most expensive things was the concrete slab.
Personally, I would go wood. Probably more aesthetically appealing on your property too.

Wood would sure be better if I wanted to have a barn dance.

[markiver54]

When I had my tiny shop built, One of the most expensive things was the concrete slab.
Personally, I would go wood. Probably more aesthetically appealing on your property too.

Wood would sure be better if I wanted to have a barn dance.

With the friends you've made, I think that might be a good idea!

[BrokenolMarine]

For the barn we added, we went with the steel pole barn style, with a feed room, and gravel / dirt floor, but it was for the cows and actual feed. The cost was significantly lower than the wood structure and they welded the frame. This wasn't a tossed together carport. They used the old tubes from Drilling. This is strong. We had winds blow thru in the 75 to 85 mph range last week. Didn't phase er.

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Electrical was run last week... now we are cooking with gas... ... um, so to speak. A long run to the barn, some 250'

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They set up the bank of switches. Interior lights in the feed room, stall lights, flood light for the paddock.

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Feed room lighting

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Stall lighting

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This run in barn works well, and you may be able to see the heavy drop down tarp on the front to keep the critters warm in the extreme cold or high winds at night. Something like this might work well for you and is popular here for tractor and RV parking all over the state. A gravel base for the floor is easy to maintain and oil, dirt, or other leaks don't stain. Just add more gravel as needed with the tractor bucket.

[BrokenolMarine]

The gravel is actually granite dust... drains well and stays put.

[Sir Henry]

Thanks. I think I want a hard floor. Wood would be nice but I think concrete would fit my needs better. Your roof pitch wouldn’t work here as I would need the snow to slide off.

The 24x40 foot size isn’t all that big and if I go 30 feet wide it really increases the cost. Square feet is more important than the actual floor shape so I might go 24x60 as it would save money plus the view from the road would make it appear larger.

[Luv the lever]

Pole barn is the best bang for the buck. You can always design and close up the inside as you go.

[graywolf]

If you staying at 24' wide, then I would go with 60' long. Don't think you will regret going bigger.

[Sir Henry]

Pole barn is the best bang for the buck. You can always design and close up the inside as you go.

I will most likely only do the exterior this year and the interior next year.

[Sir Henry]

If you staying at 24' wide, then I would go with 60' long. Don't think you will regret going bigger.

A long narrow building would also fit where I plan to put it.

[BrokenolMarine]

I just showed the building we designed for our needs so you could see the pole barn idea. Of course they will build them in any shape or form you desire, but the pole barns are about a third to a fifth of the cost of Wooden structures but if correctly built, very wind resistant. We added the extra overhang on the front to shade the barn from the Oklahoma sun in the summer and the rains when they come. It has worked out VERY well so far. Concrete has gotten extremely expensive for some reason, so we didn't go that route for the feed room floor, and wouldn't have in the stalls anyway. The rubber mats visible in some pics? Discarded industrial conveyor belting from the concrete plant here in Oklahoma, one of the longest continuous belts in the country. When they replace the belt, they cut it up and sell off the pieces. Thick and useful for so many applications.

I would recommend going with the heavier welded steel frame rather then a cheaper bolted frame on skids just "screwed" into the ground like the carports... All our posts are cemented in the ground and the main frame is welded together. This puppy doesn't move.

[Hatchdog]

My pole building is 30 x 40 with 12 ft lean to’s on each side. That’s a lot of square feet to collect snow. My roof pitch is 4:12 so the snow slides off nicely but it sure does leave a berm. When it goes it’s loud. If you ever think you might finish the interior I would expect a framed building would lend itself to that better than a pole building. Around here some folks are starting to build shop/homes called “shohomes”. Many years ago at another place I had a smaller shop built and due to HOA covenants it had to be built the same as the home. So I did a regular framed building on a foundation. It sure was a nice building but today it would be so expensive.

I’ve had good luck with my metal pole buildings over the years but they all have been more of a storage building than a work in building.

My son recently bought a place with a large metal building on it but it has a gravel not concrete floor. It’s very moist inside so for us folks in the north I recommend concrete. Big difference between my building and my sons.

[Sir Henry]

My pole building is 30 x 40 with 12 ft lean to’s on each side. That’s a lot of square feet to collect snow. My roof pitch is 4:12 so the snow slides off nicely but it sure does leave a berm. When it goes it’s loud. If you ever think you might finish the interior I would expect a framed building would lend itself to that better than a pole building. Around here some folks are starting to build shop/homes called “shohomes”. Many years ago at another place I had a smaller shop built and due to HOA covenants it had to be built the same as the home. So I did a regular framed building on a foundation. It sure was a nice building but today it would be so expensive.

I’ve had good luck with my metal pole buildings over the years but they all have been more of a storage building than a work in building.

My son recently bought a place with a large metal building on it but it has a gravel not concrete floor. It’s very moist inside so for us folks in the north I recommend concrete. Big difference between my building and my sons.

I hear you on the cost. I mainly need a cover area and don’t need to heat it. My current small garage would lend itself more to an insulated shop.

[Mike_S]

Gotta love Westies! Big loving personality in a tough fairly compact body!

We had one for 14 years, he was our little boy - loved going for a ride anywhere, loved camping, always on the alert for anything when we were away from the house. After camping for a three or four day weekend, as soon as we rolled off with the camper, he would plop down on Ann's lap and sack out - he knew I had everything in hand the rest of the way home. Funny little boy!

Rollie

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[BrokenolMarine]

Thanks Mike. That's Princess Fiona. She's spoiled rotten and a joy. Sorry for your loss.
Fiona doesn't know she is a little dog. Actually, I don't think she knows she is a dog.

[GeoBoy]

Gene, take a look at Morton buildings.

[Steve51]

We have a wood frame 3 car garage close to house and I use one bay for my shop and it is heated. When I needed more sheltered storage space, I went with a pole barn that has 3/4" tuff R insulation and a concrete floor. It is 26 X 40 and has two 9 X 7 garage doors. A few years ago I built another pole building 30 X 32 with a concrete floor but I made the garage doors 10 X 7 and now I wish I had made all my garage doors 10 X 7.

[Ernie]

Built mine 22 years ago. 30X48 and I knew it was going to be too small, it think they are all that way. Back then lumber was reasonable so I framed mine with 2x6 then sheathed it and covered with steel siding. Insulated and drywalled with insulation in the attic, concrete floors and it is cheaper to heat than my smaller house. Nowadays I couldn't afford all that for a shop. Just wish I had put a bathroom in it.