Pole barn frame is not square, would it be bad?

[MARKTAKACS]

I have read the previous posts on squaring the building, etc., and figure that I can get alot of sleepless nights worrying about perfection that will never come. If I stick to the basics, I figure I will never get it perfect as a first time amature.....I can do anything I put my mind to but it may not be perfect.....that is just the way it goes. I dont have alot of time to build this so it just needs to go up with out alot of time sweating the small stuff.....just do it.

What problems could a less than perfect pole building frame cause as far as squareness, etc.?

I figure it may lead to some needless sheetmetal cutting but that could happen anyway and wouldn't the trim cover-up some problems?

The real knowlege comes from the mistakes of th experienced...so I ask for your help

Mark

[beenthere]

A lot depends on what kind of 'pole barn' construction you are planning to do, and what you want to end up with.

Getting a pole barn square isn't a big task, but just means figuring out what to do ahead of time. Because I don't know how 'not square' you might allow it to be, then I have no way of responding to the 'would it be bad?' question.

Round poles do not have a flat face, so making the walls plumb and in a straight line will either need some planning or will be 'out of square' so to speak. If you have wall purlins to hang the steel on, then there are some methods that can make the walls plumb and square, if you plan to do that from the beginning. Without planning, some frustrating things may have to be worked around. Your indication that you don't want sleepless nights now worrying about being 'square', may turn into nightmares later on. If you can handle sleeping at night regardless of what the pole barn 'shapes' up to be, then that is good. I like to at least try to keep from making the 'hard to cover up' mistakes (although that is a rare happening too [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] ). I find things go much quicker (fewer tear downs and start overs) if I do the planning up front and don't make the time-consumming mistakes to begin with.

I haven't helped your dilema, but hope I've eased your mind.

Everything will be wrong if the polebarn isn't square by even a half inch. Please please trust me on this. If you can't get it square get someone that can. You will spend thousands more in time and materials getting the building to work out of square than you will getting it right and getting it square from the get go. Alot of things you can screw up on a polebarn and make it work but nothing and I do mean nothing is worse than trying to work on a building that is out of square from the get go.

Funny how there's never time to do it right in the first place but there's always time to go back and do it right. [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img] Grandpa spoke those words to me 30 years ago and now 30 years later I'm finally starting to listen to him. [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img]

[MARKTAKACS]

I totally understand what you are saying.....but even a 1/2 inch? I would think a small amount out of square would not be that bad....would it not be covered up the trim?

I usually spend alot of time trying to headoff any potential project halting problems to only have them occur anyway.

What might some of the problems be that occur from a unsqaure building?

Mark

First of all depending on the length of your building a 1/2 inch turns into 6" at the end. It's near impossible to make that look good with the roof tin. Your trusses will be twisted. Your girts will be off. You won't be able to your corners to match up right. You will probably have leaks because the metal isn't going to line up right. You will have to cut each piece instead of just the end pieces. Your roof line will look like crap. Windows and doors won't fit right. Do what you want but I guarantee you will have headache after headache if you try and speed through this and do everything half-cocked. I don't know about you but when I'm done with everything I want it to look nice. Your building will look like crap when you are done if you take the approach you are taking with it. [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

[em14]

Squaring your building is not as hard as you think it is. If you have never done this before’ don't let it become such a large obstacle. Just take your time and it will be done before you know it. It does not require the use of any high math nor engineering. You can do a very good job with a lay out string, stakes, and tape measure (the longer the better like 50 ft or 100 ft, at least a little longer than the building to keep it simple, if possible). Understand and use the 3,4,5 right triangle. There was a time that a great tool was a pocket watch which was used to sight in straight lines and to plumb the corners of walls or equipment. You simply tired a string to the “pocket Bob” and used the watch as a plumb bob. You can still do that today but not many people are carrying pocket watches now days. When it comes to plumbing the post it is hard to beat a good carpenter or masons level or even a plumb bob. It is important to use off set stakes for your corners. Just take your time and use the 3,4,5 right tri-angle and you will be just fine. You can beat Cowboy Doc’s ½ inch!
Leo

[em14]

I also sent you a private email ...
Leo

[Pat]

Getting it really close to square is NOT HARD and doesn't cost anytihing but just a few minutes time. If you don't INVESTthe time to get it close to square in the beginning you will SPEND a lot of time making up for it later when nothing fits. It will cost a lot more effort to try to recover from a slipshod start than getting it right in the first place will. Coyboydoc is about 2000% right on this one!

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[AndyF]

If you don't have a lot of time, but want it square have an experienced crew set the poles and maybe do all of the framing. It will be less than a days work for a good crew to do a garage size building and they'll have it square and plumb for you to side and roof. If you're planning to pour a concrete floor, you should also have the site work (scraping topsoil and preparing the base material) done by a pro.

[LazyJ_Arabians]

Spend $60 for a laser level and measure, these devices are the ticket for this application.