On Jan 20, 2:51*am, wrote:
On Mon, 19 Jan 2009 14:28:43 -0800 (PST), coloradotrout

wrote:
I need something for a few goats - two or three, and maybe a couple
llmas, etc. *I'm thinking 8x8 or maybe 8x16, if I include a place to
keep food dry.

I have no experiene with this type of construction, but I do have some
woodworking experience and tools. *I've just never built a shelter/
enclosure.

Is the pole (4x4) barn the way to go? *I don't think I"m ready to
spend $s on a concrete footing, and perhaps in time we decide to move
this structure.

I've built many of these. *An 8x8 is really small for even a few
goats, and if you add a couple llmas, you're way too small. *An 8X16
is better, but if you want feed storage space, still too small. *I'd
suggest this. *Put treated posts every 8 feet. *That means you need 6
posts for an 8X16 shed. *Yes, 4x4 posts will work, but 4x6's are
better. *Put them in the ground at least 3 feet deep. * Make the rear
wall 8 foot high, the front 10 ft high. *If you make a door smaller
than 8 ft wide, you will need one more post.

Then put 2x6 boards horizontally around the whole thing at 2 foot
spacing. *Make the bottom ground level 2x6's TREATED. *On the angled
sides, use a 2x6 to follow the roofline. *Now frame in the roof,
putting a 2x8 from front to back on the center posts. *Put 2x4's ON
EDGE every 2 feet for the roof, using the center 2x8 to overlap the
2x4's (get 10 foot 2x4s) *To nail them on edge, buy hurricane straps
(metal fastners made for this). *Then cover the whole shed with steel
siding (pole barn steel). *Use the approved neoprene washer nails or
screws to prevent leaks, especially on the roof. *The supplier of the
steel will provide all the information you need.
This is one manufacturer (sold at Menards). *They can furnish you with
all the details, and what trim to use to finish the job.http://www.midwestmanufacturing.com/...groupTypeID=2&...

The door can be hinged, or sliding, your choice. *A sliding door is a
little tougher to install, the seller of the door tracking can provide
that help too.

OK, so you finished the animal shed. *Now, on the rear of the shed,
build a 6x6 (or larger) leanto. *The roof will go from your 8 ft
height down to around 6.5 feet. *Do everything the same. *You can
probably get by with only 2 foot depth on those posts, and just 4x4s.
This will be your feed room. *NEVER keep the feed in by the animals.
They can AND WILL eat all of it, and get sick or die. *Plus animals
need ventilation (like under the door), and that will attract rodents.
With your feed in a separate feed room, you can put a regular solid
door on that room to keep rodents out (you may also need to concrete
the floor, or get cheap patio blocks, or rodents will dig under the
walls.

Put a window in your feed room if you wish. *I'd put some sort of
window in the animal part too, but be sure it's high enough to avoid
broken glass and thus animal injuries. *Be sure to put in some sort of
ventilation (which could be a combined opening window HIGH on the
walls). *

This should get you started. *There are books and websites for pole
barn building, as well as free brochures from the lumber yards. *

PS. My barn, has 9 foot spacing of the posts. *I built it that way
because the steel siding comes in 3 foot wide (coverage). *That way I
did not have to cut sheets of steel. *I used 6x6 posts because of the
wider spacing. *Of course I built a much larger barn. *I'd recommend
using the 9 foot spacing, and make a 9x18 shed, with a 6x9 feed room,
to match the post spacing. *A 9 ft. roof needs a little overhang on
the roof steel, so that way a 10ft sheet of steel is perfect for the
roof. Always overhang the roof steel or water will run down the walls
on the inside, and rot the wood, ruin your feed, etc.

As a final note, I originally built a 6x6 feed room on my barn. *That
was way too small. *Now it's 6x12 after I moved the end wall and added
on. *I know you want to save $, but dont cut too many corners and
later have to rebuild. *

Dont forget to install a few lights too. *In my case, I built the barn
about 16 feet from my garage so I just used the garage breaker box to
run 3 circuits over to the barn (in underground conduit). *I use my
barn for horses, and I run some heated water tanks in winter, so I
needed 3 - 20A circuits. *Also, dont forget you'll need a nearby water
source for the animals.

Consider all of this before you begin.

Good Luck

LM


LM,

So for your barn, the design would be to drop in 3 rows of posts..
Row 1 at something like 9' high; 2nd row 8' high, and 3rd row 7'
high. They would be spaced 9' apart. The 9' to 8' area would be for
critters, the 8' to 7' would be for feed. It would be one continuous
roof and should be 19' - 6" so the 10' sections overlap by 6" or so.
From what I've seen it's easier to set the posts close to ideal
height, and then later trim them to fit.

Can I use a 4x4? Or must I use 4x6 or 6x6? It seems that is a load
bearing question.