My buddy, the crane guy, has been talking about building a barn for as long as I can remember. He finally pulled the trigger and this is what we came up with.
The building is about 12,000 square feet. First floor is offices and parking for the cranes. Upstairs he is going to display his antiques collected over 35 years.
This is probably the scarriest building I’ve done. I couldn’t sleep the night before we lifted the gables and the trusses were a real adventure.
Greg in Snowy Connecticut
The Paslode cordless siding and fencing nailer drives fasteners reliably without the hassle of hoses or compressors.
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Replies
Now that's a freaking barn! Nice work Greg.
They won't sell you a gun if you are crying.
http://thewoodwhisperer.com/
Gunner
Thank GOD winter co-operated, I would hate to shovel the roof or floor off if we had gotten snow.It was a short drive from my house, and a great learning experience.
Greg in Connecticut
With the size of that thing you'd have to use the state plow truck.
Looks like the trusses were field spliced? Doesn't look like much of a connection, but it's hard to tell from the pics.
Bosshog
You are correct they were field spliced, 10 -1/2" bolts and a lot of plywood and nails.The company that made these told my buddy these trusses would be stronger than a piggy back. I don't know if they are any stronger, but they were a pain field splicing a 50 x 21 foot truss.
I will say one thing about the company that built these trusses, they were consistent. These were designed as 50' trusses , but after we assembled them they ended up being all 50 feet 1/2", all 62 pieces.
This building took over 2000 feet of bracing for X bracing and lateral.I don't think I want to do another for a while.
Greg In Connecticut
I'm glad to hear that they were consistent. With something that big that has to be built cockeyed in the jig, it's awfully hard to get everything perfect.The story about field splices being stronger than a piggyback is BS. Either one would have to be designed for the same loading, so it wouldn't make any difference.
How many people thought of the Post-It note before it was invented but just didn't have anything to jot it down on?
gzajac,
Nice proportions, he got that part right. Sure wish it had been timberframed instead of stick built, but that's just me..
Frenchy
We got another one to build in the future. This one has 20 foot walls, 60 feet wide and a 160 feet long. The building is proposed to store 120 cars. Maybe he will timber frame that one.
Greg in Connecticut
gzajac,
Please ignore me.. I'm a timberframing guy and I understand that not everbody has the same perspective or desire.
As I said the proportions were perfect and you are correct it needed the dormers!
Nice touch!
Frenchy
I didn't take offense at anything you said. I have the same sort of feelings when I see the metal monsters going up.Thanks
Greg in Connecticut
That's a project and a half. How many carpenters? How many weeks?Remodeling contractor who once visited the Glass City.
Jim
I didn't have a lot of work lined up so we took our time on this project. The three of us worked about 8 1/2 weeks .My 66 year old uncle pitched in on weekends.
We poured 14 -36" sonotubes, and erected two steel beams 122' long. We drilled 300 1/2" holes in the steel beams to mount wood plates.
Al the 14' walls are 2 x 8 16" oc, everything else is 2 x 6 walls.The gable ends were built one shot, including overhangs, 50' x 29' tall.Probably not a good place to torture test your wall jacks or my proctors.All the walls on the first floor were set by crane. The largest being 50' x 14' -2 x 8 16" oc., heaviest wall we've ever built.
The roofers took four days to do 90 square.It would have taken us two weeks at least if I could summon up the courage.
Greg incold Connecticut- last week it was up near 60-today 20
Now that's the wyat to buidl a barn! He'll never be in want ot space after that. Did you use a mag drill for the wholes in the steel or do it by hand?
Awesome pics gzajac.
It was interesting to see you using two cranes. When I read the title of this thread and the description, I envisioned a guy with heavier cranes. MOre power to him though...he's obviously done a good job getting to this point.
I've flew in a few finished walls myself, so I can relate to a lot of the stuff I'm seeing. We would have taken a different approach on those 50x 29 gables though!
blue"...
keep looking for customers who want to hire YOU.. all the rest are looking for commodities.. are you a commodity ?... if you get sucked into "free estimates" and "soliciting bids"... then you are a commodity... if your operation is set up to compete as a commodity, then have at it..... but be prepared to keep your margins low and your overhead high...."
From the best of TauntonU.
Truly amazing build!Would love to see some finished pics.
Looks great. WAY too big a project for me. Sheez, you framers really tackle big projects - heroic even.Remodeling contractor who once visited the Glass City.
Nice lookin' but what the heck is the purpose of that dormer? Could have saved an awful lot of money if that's just for show, like it appears to be.
Jon
Yes the purpose of that dormer is just show, it was pretty ugly without it. Money had no bearing on this project, this is fulfillment of 35 years of dreaming.
Greg in Connecticut
DANG that's a big space! Like the gable for the perspective.
I'd be infested with vertigo on that roof.
My first job building (helper) was a barn (smaller, much smaller) that had a woodshop in top and an auto repair (frame to body) shop downstairs. Stick built.... wished for trusses and cranes.
My only wish at the time was that rain turned to snow at 35 degrees. Every da** day was 35-40 and drizzly.
been slippery and wet
Troy Sprout
Socialism in general has a record of failure so blatant that only an intellectual could ignore or evade it."
-- Thomas Sowell
Like Gunner said, that's some freakin barn. You sure had enough cranes. Looks good Greg.
Very nice barn!
Thanks for sharing the pics.
I agree, the dormer is needed, regardless of the cost.
Doug
Great pics, Great job! Great design!
Like the Van with the utility body compartments as well . Yours?
wish I had a buddy with a crane!
lotta wasted space, being trussed ...
but looks like there's still a bit of storage space left, huh?
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa