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dormer frameing on pole barns?

moonmlns | Posted in General Discussion on January 3, 2006 10:31am

I am building a pole barn  for a home owner who wants a gable dormer in one of the bays. I’ve built over 20 pole building, but never with a dormer. I’m trying to figure out how to best do the frameing. None of my framing or pole building books cover dormers in this situation. does anyone have any drawings or a reference I can access that has a good frameing diagram. thanks

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  1. User avater
    razzman | Jan 07, 2006 10:07pm | #1

    Greetings moon,

    This post, in response to your question, will bump the thread through the 'recent discussion' listing again.

    Perhaps it will catch someones attention that can help you with advice.

    Cheers

     

    'Nemo me impune lacesset'
    No one will provoke me with impunity

  2. stinger | Jan 07, 2006 11:12pm | #2

    How is the roof framed in your typical pole barn?  If it is done with engineered trusses, a truss designer will be able to give you a dormer.

  3. davidmeiland | Jan 08, 2006 01:23am | #3

    Lotsa pole barns around here. Usually I see the dormers brought to the site completely built, on a truck, and when the roof is sheeted the guys lug them up there, nail them down, and cut a hole thru the roof deck. I assume the pole barn companies have yards full of dormers, ready to go. I have never seen any allowance made in the roof framing for a dormer. In fact, I'm not even sure they cut that hole thru the roof, now that I think about it... might just be for looks.

    1. Framer | Jan 08, 2006 04:40pm | #5

      "Usually I see the dormers brought to the site completely built, on a truck, and when the roof is sheeted the guys lug them up there, nail them down, and cut a hole thru the roof deck.I have never seen any allowance made in the roof framing for a dormer."How can you not allow any allowances for framing of a dormer? What if and when they cut the sheathing out after the dormer is in, the outside walls of the dormer land in between the rafters, what's going to hold the dormer up?Joe Carola

      1. User avater
        BossHog | Jan 08, 2006 07:11pm | #6

        I don't know if the OP is coming back to read this thread or not. It's been almost a week since he posted and he hasn't read any of the responses.My first thought was - Is this dormer functional or decorative? That would make a world of difference in the framing. If it's just decorative and not too big, it could just be set on top of the existing framing. If it's functional, that depends on the size of the dormer and it's location. It should probably be discussed with the truss designer. Keep in mind the the top chord of the trusses under a dormer or valley have to be braced. They're in compression, and have to have something to keep them from buckling.
        On my tombstone I'm going to have them put: I didn't know pushing up daisies was this difficult.

      2. davidmeiland | Jan 08, 2006 08:18pm | #7

        They're not cutting out any framing, just sheathing, if they do any cutting at all. I've watched at least two of these go up near my house in the last year, and never seen any doubled trusses or rafters, headers, etc. I know it's not what you or I would do.

        1. Framer | Jan 08, 2006 08:22pm | #8

          Dave,I didn't say that they were cutting out any framing. I was saying that when they do cut out the sheathing the width of the dornmers outside walls and they land in the center of the rafter bays. What do they do there? It doesn't make sense.Joe Carola

          1. davidmeiland | Jan 08, 2006 09:39pm | #9

            I guess there are two possibilities. One is that they make the dormers roughly the width of the framing increments, and align the edges of the dormers over the framing. Two is that they pay no attention to  this and put them wherever they want, and who cares about blocking or edge support. I've never gone inside to see what they're doing, just driven by. I did see one recently where I know for a fact that the dormers are just for show outside, not cut thru to the inside.

            Bear in mind that these are semi-disposable buildings. They throw a bunch of 6x6s in the ground, throw on plywood siding and a light gauge metal roof with exposed screws. It's not the same stuff you're building.

          2. moonmlns | Jan 09, 2006 06:06pm | #10

            I've been out of town and then sick for a few days so I have not had a chance to read your responces untill today. This pole building is tip-up frame using 6x6's and metal brackets. This uses 6x6 posts with a 7-12 pitch bracket at the top of the post. From there to the ridge is another 6x6 that is backeted at the ridge. the rest of the framing is normal girts and purlins. the bays are 8'. there are 3 bays and the dormer is in the center bay. all framing(girts and purlins) are 2x6.My plan is to make the dormer (doghouse style) 8' wide setting the side walls on the 6x6 members. I figure that the purlin that the dormer ridge ties into I will double or triple up, glue and nail. the dormer weight is not a lot. for the valley i will run doubled up 2x6 on end from the tripled purlin to the 6x6 frame. the dormer will be conventional framing not girt and purlin. sence the bay and dormer are only 8' wide, from ridge to dormer is only 4'. the pitch will be 7-12. I welcome your feedback.

          3. User avater
            BossHog | Jan 09, 2006 07:00pm | #11

            Sounds like you basically have it figured out. I've heard of the brackets you mentioned, but have never actually seen 'em or talked to anyone who used them. I'd be interested to hear what you thought of them once you're done with the job. BTW - If you break your posts up into paragraphs they're easier to read.
            Hillary's got this huge book, it's a memoir of her life and times at the White House. In the book she says when Bill told her he was having an affair, she said "I could hardly breath, I was gulping for air." No, I'm sorry, that's what Monica said. [David Letterman]

  4. Brian | Jan 08, 2006 04:14pm | #4

    If you are using 2' or 4' truss spacing, I think it would be a matter of adding a few double trusses around the dormer(s)

    Actually the same would work for 8' truss spacing, you would just have to add 3 extra trusses (unless you are building 8' wide dormers)

    If the spans are small enough, you could probably sister some lumber alongside the trusses or hang headers in joist hangers for the load.

    I would discuss the plan with your truss manufacturer - they are used to designing trusses for crazy house roof - this should be no sweat for them.

     

    Treat every person you meet like you will know them the rest of your life - you just might!

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