Barn/shop

S Chamblee

New member

Equipment
6 foot tiller, land plane, 6 foot bush hog, 2 row hipper
May 10, 2017
22
0
0
Mississippi
Wanting to build something to store equipment and have an enclosed shop for working.. I’m thinking 40x40 with half closed in, so would have 20x40 pole barn and 20x40 shop. Those of you that have built in the past what are things you wished you had done and wished you had not done.

What about structurally? Wood frame vs metal?
 

skeets

Well-known member

Equipment
BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,094
2,755
113
SW Pa
I went 30x40 pole building all open,, snuck in a truck load of crete finished the floor and hung 3 garage doors. It seemed large enough at it's concept, but nature hates a vacuum and it filled up with stuff mostly not my own,,, None the less, I would figure what you THINK you want and go 20% larger
 

mickeyd

Active member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
2014 L3200 DT w/LA524 FEL, 2019 Kubota Z121S w/ 48" Pro Dec, TG1860G w/RCK54TG
Mar 21, 2014
1,192
17
38
Guin, AL
Like Skeets said, it doesn't matter how big you build it, it will fill up fast and will always think that it should have been bigger.
 

Roadworthy

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L2501 HST
Aug 17, 2019
1,649
525
113
Benton City, WA
Pole barns are easy to extend or add on to. The best bet in my mind is to build it tall enough that the entrance doors are on the eave side not the end. It's easier to extend from the end than the side. Build what your can reasonably afford. It won't be big enough.
 

North Idaho Wolfman

Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Jun 9, 2013
28,286
4,853
113
Sandpoint, ID
Tall doors!
20x40 is a good size but a tractor with a loader and a couple implements will eat that in a quick hurry. ;)
 

shootem604

Member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L245DT with Kubota (Arps Model 22) FEL and Kubota B/L4520B (Woods 650) BH
Apr 23, 2018
875
18
18
British Columbia
I have a 21'x54' space with a bay door, hoist, and wood working area, plus mezzanine and it isn't big enough. Go 50% over what you thing you need.
 

Poohbear

Active member

Equipment
L3301 HST, LA525, LP shredder, BB1566 box blade, QH10, Worksaver pallet fork
Jul 6, 2018
469
132
43
Gilmer,Tx,United States
I went 30x40 pole building all open,, snuck in a truck load of crete finished the floor and hung 3 garage doors. It seemed large enough at it's concept, but nature hates a vacuum and it filled up with stuff mostly not my own,,, None the less, I would figure what you THINK you want and go 20% larger
I had a new 30/40 built last May. Clearspan metal, closed cell foam, 12 ft sidewall, (2) 10/10 oh doors & passdoor. My budget dictated the size . If money was no problem would have built 50/100 + with taller walls for 14 tall door.
Concrete is the most expensive part . I contracted all but the electrical and spent just at $30K. I was going to go pole barn & build myself but the Wife said I was too old to be walking the plates & setting trusses.
My L3301 with bushhog & Fel attached still has plenty of room to store stuff & walk around on the 30ft .
 

bearskinner

Active member

Equipment
BX25D, snowblower, PHD, Grapple, Snow blade, land Plane
Sep 1, 2014
924
237
43
N. Idaho
Always go bigger than you “think” you need. Much bigger. It is also nice to have extra partially open space, like lean to’s to park trailers, equipment etc under to keep out of the weather. Snow, sun and rain degrade everything.
Think about door height, you may need a 12’ tall door for a trailer, motorhome, large piece of equipment one day? Room for a lift or 4 post vehicle stacker? How about storage in a mezzanine?
 

tthorkil

Active member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M9540HDC12 / LX2610HSDC / ZD1011-48 / Bobcat S250
Jan 1, 2011
305
76
28
Bagley, MN, United States
I had a 42' x 64' - 14' walls - 18' wide(max implement width for M9540) x 12' high doors(one on each end lined up with each other for drive through) - offset the doors to one side to allow room for workshop/storage on one side and machinery/implement parking on the other side with concrete floor with center drain - and now I wish that I had gone 50' x 70'. It is nice to have the drive through option especially if working on machinery/implements - no worry about needing to back up to exit. Like everyone has been saying, build as large as you can because you will eventually wish that you would have built larger.
My attached garage is 30' x 40' with two end and one side overhead doors that are 8' and now I wish that I would have had 9' high doors for the future purchase of a new Kubota with cab.
 

GreensvilleJay

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
9,672
3,921
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
put PEX in the workshop concrete, even if you don't use it now..you will !
leave electrical OUT of the walls, use conduit on the walls.
make every 'outlet' TWO duplex receptacles, cheap and easy now
run TWO conduits to run power,water,alarm, CAT5 from house,keep 3/8 pullcords in them for 'dang...I forgot to run.....'
white tin for walls and ceilings,adds TREMENDOUS 'free' light.
south walls, add windows...always nice to see Mother Nature...
separate 'mechanical' room, to put furnace, air compressor in.
LED lights, especially 'high bay' areas.
easy access mezzanine to store stuff(usually others, of course)....
2' high concrete walls then 2by6 walls. 3 courses of block or poured,saves wood from damage(water or hits)