In a nutshell, a pole barn is simply a rectangular building consisting of a series of poles and an extended roof over them. Most pole barns before do not make use of any exterior walls, but nowadays, walls are added to the structure not only for structural integrity but for protection as well. After all, pole barns are no longer used for farm sheds alone but for a variety of other uses.
Uses of Pole Barns
The most common use of pole barns, the open-walled types, is to provide a shed in farms. The shed provides decent shade from the sun where agricultural products and livestock are kept prior to transporting them to their respective storage buildings. This can also serve as a place where your farmers can rest and relax.
Since most pole barns nowadays have walls, the uses for pole barns have become much more varied. Today, they can be utilized for just about any type of purpose. You can make use of it as you would any typical barn, and you can even use it to store your agricultural equipments and machineries such as farm tractors, cultivators, ploughs, seeders, spreaders, among others.
Pole barns, depending upon its size, can also be used to house a single-seat aircraft used for your farm. If you need additional space for your livestock, hay and feeds, fertilizers, farm produce, etc., then you can easily covert your existing pole barn into a full barn or a storage shed.
Do you need space for your workers? If you do, then convert it into living quarters or guest houses. How about a greenhouse? You can also easily convert a pole barn into a greenhouse, a pottery barn, a woodworking shop, or maybe even a retail store.
The possibilities are endless since pole barns can be used for a number of purposes, making it one of the must-haves in any farm.
Wooden Pole Barns Versus Metal Pole Barns
The most common material used for pole barns is wood. However, because wood rots, needs regular maintenance, and is more prone to pest infestation, wooden pole barns have been replaced by metal pole barns.
The biggest advantage of metal pole barns is that they are much more durable and superior than wooden pole barns. Metal pole barns are designed to withstand even the harshest condition. In fact, they can easily bear the weight of snow during snowstorms, so you don’t have to worry that much about the livestock or products kept inside the barn. You need not fear that that roof will collapse over your property since the poles are made from high-quality steel that is able to withstand strong winds and carry heavy amount of weight. What’s more is that the poles are anchored to the ground, lending strength and durability to the whole structure.
Aside from this, metal pole barns also last longer than wooden pole barns. In time, it will prove to be more cost effective. Look at it this way; wooden pole barns need regular maintenance such as fixing loose boards, replacing rotten poles, refinishing and repainting, and a whole lot more. You don’t have to do this with metal pole barns. You only have to give it a good washing or two each year, and that’s that. In the end, you’ll save money with a metal pole barn than the wooden type.
Citations:
- creativecommons.org
Jennifer Dalcour writes for one of the top pole barn construction companies in the country. She specializes in writing about metal buildings such as metal carports, garage, storage shed, etc.