DIY Builds
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Do you need footings for a pole barn?

Soil is not usually able to resist applied vertical loads through a post alone. Pole barn posts should therefore be set on footings to provide additional support. Footings must be large enough in area to prevent the pole barn from settling under the weight of the building, snow, and minimum live load requirements.

Is Aluminium foil a good insulator?
Is Aluminium foil a good insulator?

Foil does not work by preventing the conduction of heat as other insulators do. It works by reflecting radiative heat back towards the source. So...

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Can I use cardboard instead of landscape fabric?
Can I use cardboard instead of landscape fabric?

CARDBOARD: A BIODEGRADABLE ALTERNATIVE A free, biodegradable alternative to landscape fabric is to use simple old cardboard. The idea is derived...

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Are shed plans easy to follow?
Are shed plans easy to follow?

These are! They guide you every step of the way to complete your dream shed.

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Pole Barns and Concrete Footings

If you are planning to build a pole barn on your property, you need to be sure that the poles are anchored securely in the ground in order to support the weight of the building, roof, and possible snow. Soil is not usually able to resist applied vertical loads through a post alone. Pole barn posts should therefore be set on footings to provide additional support. Footings must be large enough in area to prevent the pole barn from settling under the weight of the building, snow, and minimum live load requirements. The footings also need to be thick enough to keep the posts from punching through them. Concrete is usually the best material to use for footings because of the size of the footings that will be required to support the weight of the building and other loads. Some people are concerned that setting pole barn posts in concrete can cause them to rot. However, this should not be a concern if the wood is pressure-treated with preservatives. The International Building Code requires that pole barn posts be treated in accordance with AWPA U1. Be careful when choosing pressure-treated wooden posts to build your pole barn. Not all wood that is treated with preservatives meets the requirements for pole barns set by the International Building Code. When you are shopping for lumber, check the tag to see the level of pressure-treating that was used for that wood. Using wood that has not been adequately pressure-treated with preservatives and placing the poles in concrete footings can lead to rot. If you use properly treated posts backfilled with pre-mix concrete in a monolithic pour with six to eight inches of concrete below the posts and eight or more inches up the posts, you should not have a problem with rotting poles. When you are ready contact CHA Pole Barns to talk about your pole barn project.

Are you allowed to sleep in your shed?
Are you allowed to sleep in your shed?

The short answer is no, if you're talking about a traditional garden shed. A garden building that is to be used as a 'granny annexe' or regular...

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What are ADA requirements for ramps?
What are ADA requirements for ramps?

2. What Are the Ramp Requirements of the ADA? The ramp must have a 1:12 slope ratio. ... Minimum width of 36 inches, although this can be higher in...

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How deep are electric lines buried?
How deep are electric lines buried?

On average it's usually anywhere from 900 mm to 1800 mm of 18 inches to 36 inches deep. Not everyone will need to dig deep, and they may have less...

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What is barn paint?
What is barn paint?

Barn Paint is a water-based paint coating which is ideally suited to provide protection to exterior wooden, metal and plastic cladded buildings....

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How can I save money building a house?
How can I save money building a house?

Value Engineering Reducing Square Footage. One way to dramatically reduce costs is to just reduce the square footage of the entire home. ......

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Are shed plans easy to follow?
Are shed plans easy to follow?

These are! They guide you every step of the way to complete your dream shed.

Learn More »
What fits in an 8x10 shed?
What fits in an 8x10 shed?

According to LP's Shed Size Calculator, an 8×10 shed would be able to fit only about 2 fuel cans, 2 garden tools, a generator, a propane grill, a...

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