What Should We Do With The Pole Barn??

Tractor Time with Tim gives a tour of our new shed. We are very thankful to have it but there are some issues that need to be addressed. Give us your comments if you have experience with pole barn rehab.
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[@28cruzin]

The barn problems are not as bad as you may fear. I have been researching pole barns for about 2 years. First I would address the "mulch area". A great job for Casey! Remove the mulch and plan a corner bathroom. It's too far to walk back to the house when nature calls. This area could also be a good space for the furnace. While prepping [or not] for the bathroom cut the posts off above the finish floor height. Extract the under ground posts but leave the hole. Pour cement down the hole to finish floor height under the cut off post. Purchase the floor mount pole brackets and bolt them to the floor and post. The rest of your posts can be cut off flush to the floor and pole brackets installed. End of rotten pole issues. I like your overhead door idea to replace the slideing door. You need to ask yourself " Do I need another overhead door or should I remove the siding from the door, frame it in and cover up with the door siding.? You might add a walk door in that space too. Nothing beats the "R" value of closed cell foam sprayed in, but will the extra expence be worth it? No matter what you decide the inside of the roof will need something to prevent sweating and condensation. Are you sure you want to heat and cool that whole building? We drop a 4 mil sheet of polyethelene to block off the storage area of our 50 X 30 building and just heat and cool the work area. Make sure the LED lights are for a high bay instalation and make sure there is full voltage and amps at the breaker panel. 100 amps is a bear minimum. I would consider bumping that up to 200 if feasable. Sorry to be so long winded, but you gave us a few issues. God bless and see you in the next one.

[@larrykillebrew2675]

This guy knows what he is talking about. Follow his advice.

[@flick22601]

I agree.

[@arnteriksen5773]

I think you should contact a fellow youtuber, RRBuildings he is only building barns like your.

[@RKHarm24]

Yes sir. I watch his videos all the time.

[@josephkidwell9216]

Yesssss

[@robatwork4157]

yes i agree

[@sixosixo]

Yep, RR Buildings are experts on pole buildings!

[@jfrancis8481]

I was gonna suggest R & R Building too I'm betting he will have a good solution too all your problems

[@robertproteau4113]

I think that if you pour a concrete footer then tie the support beams together on the footer, you will have a much stronger foundation for your barn. The post spacing isn’t an issue because your going to frame the walls between them. But pouring that footer and finishing the floor would be the first thing I would work on.

[@wesleyjackson1036]

3 yrs ago, I put up a 40x72 building (bought through Menards). After materials and construction costs, I was about $40k in (concrete floor included). I did all the math beforehand and found out you will burn a lot of money trying to heat the whole thing. No matter how good the insulation, those big doors can't be sealed tight enough and unless you have rigid foam underneath the concrete it's a large heat sync. It will pull the heat out of your barn and warm the ground below. I have 2/3rds of the building insulated w/o air conditioning and heat and 1/3 with air/heat for my woodworking shop (rigid foam beneath the concrete). I did insulate the entire building. In the uncontrolled part my inside temps with doors closed is as much as 20 degrees warmer than outside air temp (I'm in the Greater Cincinnati area for comparison). I use a portable propane heater when I need to work on the tractor or cars in the cold. Spray foam is big $$ but it's the best, if you can rent the equipment to DIY I'd go that route. I used standard fiberglass (barn size rolls) and I'm not complaining. You can get higher R values in barn insulation too. If you are going to go so far as to care for each post, you may as well rebuild, but I wouldn't do that. I would inspect for termites and if they aren't there, leave it as is. Those posts are thick and unless they stay wet from poor drainage, you shouldn't see structural issues from them for many years. I have high bay lights from Menards ($100 ea.) and used 12 total. I hate dark spots in the barn. You could use less, 6 would be minimum recommendation. There are newer LED styles of lights but when I priced them last year they were still $130 ea. To protect my insulation I put 2 courses of 1/2 plywood around the bottom of my barn. This also gives a perfect material for hanging tools, etc. on. Covering the walls all the way to the trusses is very costly and unnecessary. Message me if I can add more clarity, I love this kind of stuff and have experience. I may be able to lend a helping hand too!

[@michaelanderson3063]

No matter what you do, make it so you are happy with the space. Also as you use the space you will find that there will be changes. Happy to see things are good from you and yours, God Bless.

[@scragmanw]

I find it so refreshing to watch your channel. You continually give God the glory He deserves as He works in your lives. Tim, you’ve been blessed with a like minded “Helper Suitable.” Keep your vids coming as I enjoy them very much. In Him, Bill (South Carolina)

[@TractorTimewithTim]

Thanks Bill!

[@davefontaine5816]

I’m a little late to the party here, but my brother in law and I had a similar problem with post rot on my father in law’s small pole barn. We put temporary supports in place, dug out the rotted posts, then replaced them with laminate posts made from 3 2x6’s laminated together, then stuffed into a post protector, back into the hole, concreted. Reattached the posts at the support points on the top with through bolts and flat galvanized brackets. Once the concrete was cured, we removed the temporary supports and voila, new supports. It’s a bit time consuming, and a lot of work, but a heck of a lot lower cost than starting over. Good luck. 🍻

[@chiefmik9108]

Tim, the way to go with the insulation is to have it sprayed on.. Had our exterior sprayed on it gave us a R-21 value which i could not match with the fiberglass, not to mention the different spacing of the prior installer... As for the calling ck out the Big Ass Fans and Lighting which is made for the higher bays and is LED... One of their fans would give you some nice ventilation in that building... Go with the roll up doors you have the height, and gravel for now where the dirt is, until you can pour some cement... God Bless... Chief{NYS/ADK}... PS Congrats on the new house and Land...

[@karlcarnevale4948]

Tim and Christy you could portion parts of the pole barn. That way you could heat and cool smaller segments of the entire floor plan. Also any walls you put up won’t be load bearing. That will also allow you to move the walls if a room change is needed. Also all wood can be replaced. As I once replaced rotten wood of a bout house. I had to do a complete roof tear off of the bot house. All the work was done as the boat house was still floating on the lake. Only lost one hammer in the water. GL and enjoy your new chapter.

[@Alanschmalzried]

Led lighting and a steel ceiling is a must. It would give that building an incredible boost! Over the course of late summer/early fall I installed a steel ceiling and led lights in my new shop. It was a lot of work, but time and money well spent. I went with Barrina 5k led shop lights that I purchased from Amazon. They were easy to install and they light the building up like daylight. A floor coating in your building would be nice too. I did a Rustoleum rock solid floor coating. The glossy finish of the floor really plays well off of the light put out by the led lighting overhead. And, with any shop build...the wish list and to do list are only limited by your imagination. Good luck with the building!

[@kenlitherland6065]

Tim, you know that you will be here for quite a long time and going with that thought I would tear it down and create your dream shed. Everything you pointed out can be fixed over time but your still left with the same structure, same rotting posts, doors in the wrong locations and all the mice entrances. You do have a great Big Ass Fan thought.

[@als2797]

I am excited for all the coming videos you can do with your new place. Really like your videos

[@vintagetrk]

I think that pole barn is in alot better shape than you might think. Definitely worth saving.I think if ya used casey to run some proper drainage around the barn and fixed the side door you will be in great shape.

[@mlcmzy659]

Hey Tim, I live in Virginia and just built a new 30x60x15hgt pole barn, we're almost finished with it. Carl in the comments above pointed out an awesome idea for those post, basically building interior walls just like framing a house that will take up the load, secure those to the concrete floor with bolts. That would cover wind shear. I'm sure this is a nagging primary concern, it would be for me and was when we built. I am adding unfinished storage and a 10x10 bathroom with water heater and exterior faucets as well before were all finished. As for insulating, I highly recommend removing the exterior tin and rolling out the solar bubble insulation between the pearlings and the tin. My builder didn't do that and I'm burning through duct tape, staples and spray foam to get everything sealed up. Also, for upgrade on service, check on upgrading your house service to 400amps, one leg to the house and one to the garage that's what we just did. Local power company upgraded that for me for free, I just had to dig the trench. When then laid 200' of 4/4/6ga mobile home service cable (ground contact cable) to the garage for the power. For you that's not an issue considering the equipment you have. It saved me about $1,500 -vs- having the power company add a second service, paying them for the cable, paying them to hook it up, paying for the extra meter at $35 a month and still digging the ditch. You will need 200amps, I promise...lol.Also if you end up to a point where you can add a 1' over hang I would, helps keep water away from the structure a little betterI hope this helps on the contributions for ideas! Beautiful house good luck guys!Matt

[@VintageFarm1086]

L E D lights are the way to go. Either make the basket ball court a heated shop and leave the pole barn the way it is or only fix up half of the pole barn as a heated shop. It’s going to cost a lot to keep the hole building heated or cooled. Just my 2 cents. Keep the videos coming and thanks for sharing.

[@jsygrovehpi1]

First off, I am super jealous of your barn/shed. You can never have enough space! If you plan on keeping the barn and address the rotting posts, I would look at blown in insulation for the area above the ceiling. If you put an attic access door in the ceiling it would make it easy to get up there to blow in cellulose insulation. It's probably your least expensive and easiest option to insulate above the ceiling and you can make it as deep as you like for R-38, R-50, R-60, etc. as most heat loss is lost UP. As for lights I would look at T-5 High Bays. The output on those lights is absolutely incredible but they are pricey. The other option would be to go with some commercial LED shop lights. Don't mess around with the cheap residential LED lights. The benefit of LED is 4 fold. No ballast issues so the lights will fire when they are cold, long life without needing bulb changes or service, very little electrical draw so you save more of your electric service for welders and large air compressors without taxing the service, and lower electrical draw means money saved in the long run. Congrats on the new house and I look forward to new videos of the projects around the property!

[@bradcoddington1679]

Once you get the building issues figured out I suggest for an hvac system would be a Geothermal system. We built our house 10 years ago around the Geothermal hvac system and it was the best decision we ever made. Heats in the winter and cools in the summer. After all Water furnace is pretty much in your back yard. They are in Ft Wayne In.G They are a pretty big investment but actually pay for themselves by the energy you save over other conventional systems. Congrats on your new Homestead and may you guys continue to be blessed in what ever you choose to do. To GOD GOES THE GLORY

[@danvanf]

Tim, while your barn is empty, I'd highly recommend putting an epoxy coating down. I did a 30' x 45' floor 10 years ago, it cost me around $800 if memory serves correctly. I didn't get fancy with chips or really shine, just a flat grey, almost concrete color. I used a system by ucoatit.com, it was fairly easy to apply and has worked just as well as friends who had it installed professionally. No epoxy seems to like big wide vehicle tires, the heat the tires bring in cause it to orange peel. It makes an awesome floor. I can store anything on the floor, cardboard boxes are no problem, no water comes through the concrete. Even where it's chipped, the seal seems to remain. It is great stuff!

[@harvey50ok]

Tim ..if one post is put in the ground without protection they are all likely put directly into the dirt.I had to do that on a some what smaller pole barn that i bought ,the only way to replace them is one at a time and its not an easy or cheap way to go. I wish you folks all the best with your new home and i know that your faith in God will get you through any challenge.You have a wonderful supportive wife and daughter and with such support your battle is half won already.We Pray that our God will continue to Bless your family............

[@martinadamczewski3975]

Put up another building decided or close to it that you're going to air condition and heat but keep the larger building for all your equipment and if you need to work on a piece of equipment you just take it and put it in the air-conditioned building and work on it that's what I do.

[@JustJayC]

Martin Adamczewski That sounds like the best solution to me. Let this building be aside from a few updates for convenience sake (lighting and door) and use a smaller building to heat and cool for a shop.

[@lowercherty]

That basketball half court looks the right size for a heated shop.

[@ronmack1767]

Nice shop Tim & Christy. You do have a few upgrades that need taking care of, the post issue being the biggest. LED lighting would be great and a taller door would be nice as long as you have the width to replace the sliding door, also concrete the rest of the floor. An office/studio would be great with bathroom etc. I could go on and on and the sky's the limit as long as the funding is there. Thanks for the tour. Looking forward to more. Y'all take care and God bless.

[@connorbarnett7494]

So excited to see the finished product!

[@carlflegle6382]

Tim, I have a solution. It looks to me that those posts are 6 inch posts. What I would do is frame between the posts as if it were a house built on a slab. Between the posts on the concrete put a treated 2x6 and the bolt that to the concrete. On top of the plate on each side of the post nail a 2x6 all the way to the top plate. Then you can finish framing up in between the two posts. You can put the studs between the posts on either 2 foot centers or 16 inch centers. If it were me I would put 16 inch center because it would be easier to insulate. Do that between each one of the posts and you would never have to worry about the posts.

[@mlcmzy659]

Very good idea! Since they are going to frame and insulate anyway. Load will be supplemented by the new walls and secured to floor via bolts. So much cheaper than cutting and extracting each post. I just built a 30x60 and post rot was one of my main concerns... sure wish I new about those post protectors when we started.

[@daved7024]

Tim, Keep that barn for equipment storage only. Seal up all nooks and crannies, put a gutter guard on those gutters, never clean gutters again. Build another pole barn that is built correctly. The guy who built that was a big time cheap skate. Insulate walls and ceiling they use a wrap before they put the siding and roofing on. Install an LP heater. Pole barns are not real expensive. I did all electrical , LED lighting myself and put up shelves. Nothing gets in my barns, sheds, or garages. I made sure every thing was sealed up during the construction phase. You have a beautiful place. May the Lord guide and bless your paths. Thanks for sharing.

[@thistledrawfarm]

Hi Tim, Congrats on the new place. I looks like you have a lot of work ahead of you, and I wanted to take a moment to tell you that I think your thoughts about spray foam are dead on target. No other insulation will air-seal your structure the way a 2 part sprayed-on foam will. Period. It forms a monolithic seal unlike any other. Also, because it is applied directly to the surface there will be zero opportunity for condensation because there is no air space between the insulation and the metal. Be sure to use a closed cell foam. That means 2 lbs or higher density. Anything less can absorb water like a sponge, so don't be temped by lower cost alternatives. You are in this for the long haul, so I strongly recommend that you spend the extra bucks now and eliminate problems down the road.

[@roybracy5074]

I would keep the barn as it is,you can't have enough storage space,and maybe you might get a horse or animals in the future. Build a shed like you had only little bit bigger as not everything needs a warm draft proof shed as long as it's dry. I would love a shed that size. I've seen a barn that size here in Wales that they split in two,so one part sealed while rest left as it is so get best of both worlds.good luck with the project

[@KD7CAO]

One of the ads on this video was for a product called PermaColumn. They apparently Jack the building up a little, dig new post holes and pour a colu,n that the post sets back down on. Rotted section removed of course. LED definitely the way to go, look at different Kelvin temps. The daylight bright lights are great for work but if you wanna hang out in there you will want just a warmer light.

[@mikewilson4141]

Hi Tim So in my old barn , I hired D &J construction the workers where all Amish or Mennonite, they cut the post off close to the ground, dug out lower post, put in Sona tubes, filled with concrete and attached a Galvanized steel bracket, then recut the post to fit into the bracket. This was NOT an inexpensive procedure however the barn was worth keeping 60’ x 120’ x 20’ tall inside,free span. I have since built a new building for my new shop 50’x 100’ with the same company . My final bit of advice would be to figure YOUR future needs for the building .

[@johndeno562]

Leave it as is for now and build a new one for maintenance and office. Don't need to heat and cool all the Implements.

[@mwoelmer]

I agree. The concrete pad under your basketball court would make a good spot for a heated shop. Leave the big barn as cold storage until it dies.

[@JustinHEMI05]

I agree with John, I think leave this one as is and start fresh. I wouldn't tear it down, it has plenty of uses as is.

[@22521245]

We just had a pole barn built 2 years ago. Luckily we had the pad poured first and the poles are on top of the pad. I used 6- 80 watt LED street lights. Best decision. I was an electrician for many years. You also probably need a 50 amp breaker for you welder. We insulated it with 2" bead board and then 1 1/2" fibreglass insulation on top of it.

[@ffc3476]

Lots of work I have faith that you guys will blow us all away looks like fun

[@chadder19k]

Hey tim, need to get your self led 4 foot shop lights!! We have them in our pole barn garage and wow do they light it up wonderful!! And they are super bright!!!

[@2naturesownplace]

yep home depot has some good ones for under $20

[@ProjectsWithPat]

I agree! 4 ft led shop lights.

[@isabellekremer]

Agreed, I put 8 of these in a 40x24 shop and its extremely bright. Typically only have 4 of these on for most times I am in there grabbing anything. www.amazon.com/LLT-Garage-Vapor-Proof-Fixture/dp/B01BW7HHOQ

[@matthewerwin4677]

They're garbage. When they burn out you have to buy a new fixture.

[@simonforget280]

You can replace rotten posts but it's a commitment. To be honest, I'd have to agree that tearing this building and raising a new one would be easier than fixing it. All outbuildings that I raised so far had a 6-8" concrete knee walls to isolate wooden walls from the ground (mouses aren't fan of concrete either...). Unless to be used as a passthrough, don't install any other wide door on another side of a barn. Plywood should be installed near workbenches, other walls should be covered with metal sheeting. Windproof is key for good insulation in these buildings. 200A service is a minimum. Consider adding running water and a bathroom: you won't regret it. Keep up your excellent work!

[@ritterjon]

I’m so happy for you two! You’re going to put a lot of work into that place but eventually it’ll be just what you want! My favorite part was at the every end. Kubota side by side!! 👍. Great idea!

[@TheCritterWindow]

About your post problem. Fill in the missing concrete. Then when you frame your walls put them flush with the posts with treated bottom plates. Attach the bottom plates to the concrete. When you plywood the walls even if the post rot away the building cant move.

[@smasherforward]

Hi Tim, two years ago I built a 40 by 60 pole barn it is insulated. It is used for storage, tractor mowers and such, and work shop. I heat with wood. I installed 12 8 foot LED lights that illuminates the building very well. It was a fun project. Enjoy.

[@matthewheld8577]

Tim, we are in the process of building a 40x60 barn. With a 12 covered porch. It will be insulated and our builder is installing modern led lighting, security (very important), insulating, etc. I can tell you everything you want to do is what we wanted and it’s not a small number and I can only guess fixing a bad build might cost even more. Ours is all new construction. Let me know if you want to come down and take a look at what we are doing. We are in KY. About 6 hrs from you. From what I have seen in issues you have pointed out; I have to agree it might be better to keep the pad and demo everything else. All those minor issues can run up to major bills when you start adding in new electric, insulation, structure issues, etc.

[@Bbque79]

Stand up walls from the concrete to the truss and the post will not be holding anything anyway. Put purlins the oppisite direction on 2 foot centers and put your metal up. When you get the metal up spray cellulose in the attic.Pour concrete where the shavings are to the level of the original concrete. The plan for the garage door that you have sounds like a winner.

[@boboslickjohn1471]

I built a metal shop 2 years ago. For lighting I used Big Ass Lighting's 10k lumen, 2ft long lights. I purchased through Home Depot on-line and had them shipped free to the HD near me. I designed for a minimum of 40 lumens/sf and it is as bright as daylight inside the barn. I had 2 inches of closed cell spray foam for insulation. The closed cell foam makes the building siding much more rigid and the particular brand I used is R-11 per inch. I also spray painted the foam white for light reflection. There is a fire concern with spray foam though, in residential applications it's between the outside wall and drywall and doesn't have any direct exposure to fire.

[@jasonbertrand3295]

I would do a little fixing up on that building (roll up door, lights, minor things) and build a smaller shop that is heated and cooled for you to actually work in. That building should last many years as it is as a cold storage building. And yes you need a Gator not a golf cart! Can't wait to see the progress no matter which way you two decide to go.

[@johnbates7424]

Congrats on new place. Looks like a great place.

[@scottfoster2487]

Build a wall on the edge of the concrete to the ceiling and seal off the mulch area for items not really needing conditioned space,later on poor a slad and make it a office. As for the post rot brace the post to reduce weight then cut off post and add a new 24'x24'x28' Deep block.

[@austinbales5569]

Big a** fans makes some awesome led shop lighting. Keep up the great work. Can't wait to see what is in store. God bless

[@beardmantimbergrassjmisch1977]

Hi Tim, spray foam to heat. Sheet metal to make inside look nice, LED lights on motion sensors instead of manual switches that way when you walk in they turn on and when you leave they turn off all automatic. Pallet racks for all you storage needs and keeping floor space available and able to move around building. Nice place with plenty of space for you to grow, keep the great videos coming god bless. Jeffrey Misch

[@sethacker2898]

Tim well said... Just think of all the great content you will have for the future.

[@TractorTimewithTim]

Yes, indeed! The reception to this video is proving viewer interest in this topic.

[@bedspread02]

I would suggest that you section the barn off so that the section with the concrete floor is one section that is insulated and has plenty of lighting and the other section gets an overhead door like you suggested and is used to store items that don't need to be kept warm.

[@richardm1631]

Johnny, casey, and Vinny gonna like thier new home

[@rangstng1]

If the concrete is thick enough along the edge you can mount brackets on the side of the poles. You then bolt threw the poles and anchor the brackets to the concrete.

[@chrisgeorge4172]

leave the old pole building there with minimal upgrades. Then build a new one on your property somewhere. It would cost a fair amount of money to tear that one down also. love your show by the way. I just bought a Kubota b2601 love that thing. We are getting a pole barn built this spring thanks to the link you left in your video. keep the videos coming. thanks

[@Zach_Miller]

Take the mulch up and pour a concrete slab with radiant in-floor heat and wall that off as an office/bathroom/etc area. Try out the high power high-bay led lights from Big Ass Fans (not the consumer grade garage light). For garage door opener I'd go with one of those that mounts directly to the shaft rather than overhead so that you don't lose any ceiling space in case you want to add a vehicle lift or something

[@georgecostanza9387]

For those posts I’ve seen people cut it off a few inches above ground and put a sleeve in the ground that they fill with cement and the post gets bolted to that sleeve so it’s sitting on concrete but also secured to the ground. They are usually done when the floor is poured but it can be don’t after it’s just a lot of work. I can’t think of what they’re called right now but I think you’ve probably seen them before

[@yellowjeepcj]

I would build a wall at the edge of the concrete and treat the horse stall area as additional storage unseated. As far as the post the building is 20 years old. So expect to replace those post in contact with the ground. One option is to cut the post 4 to 6 inches above the ground remove the post from the ground pour a round concrete pier and buy the aluminum post foot and bolt it to the pier and the bottom of the post to the foot.

[@kealangolden235]

Im 15 year old from North Yorkshire England and you've inspired me to learn more about farming

[@TractorTimewithTim]

Thank you for your comment. Farming is a fascinating field, with many potential careers surrounding it.

[@kealangolden235]

@@TractorTimewithTim I'm in my final year of high school and a agriculture college came in for a talk and I've learnt so much but am gonna do a apprenticeship in joinery instead and learn more about agriculture as I age

[@floydferguson5366]

Great video! Congratulations on new place!

[@colinratcliffe2454]

Tim, Buy the time you fix all the posts properly, (you might even find that are already rotten down deep) install insulation walls and ceilings, new lighting and pouring new concrete, you will spend probably the same amount for a new shed built to your specifications. The new shed doesn’t need to be as large as the existing one does it and you could place it closer to the main house. God Bess.

[@moose5.9]

Cant wait to get some land and get a pole barn kinda like this but maybe a bit smaller. Definitely needs a roll up door to replace the slider, not sure about the rotting posts other than the ones in the concrete shouldn't be that bad. Maybe dig out each post in the dirt to the very bottom, cut a 3 foot section and cover it with that plastic cover and then slide the new piece under the old post and join them together. Also led lights are the best, loved mine

[@treeclimbing7798]

Yes, convert old 4’ Florescent lights to LED rather easy to do. KZbin vids on that. Used/new motor oil mixed w diesel 50/50 or similar mix, to preserve wood. Between post wrap & posts. Brass/Copper door weather stripping around doors Will Keep Out mice. I did that. On sides near the bottom 1 ft high should do. A solid bottom seal is necessary too. Best of everything.

[@vinnyscarpellini4507]

Can’t wait for some of the vids coming up

[@peterkober6758]

Tim Christi good luck with your knowledge it will work out. You got nice place but change is hard my pole building has some poles in ground new additions are wright on cement have know problem been in them from 1984 God Bless PaK

[@cjjack-qk9qp]

Hello Tim You havent answered the first question yet! How long do you plan on living at this place? If your plan is 5 years, fix up cheapest you can. If over 5 years use the shed for cold storage. With 10 acres you have room to build a new shop. Remember that shed is about 30 years old, not worth spending that kind of money, that would be a bad ROI. Remember no matter how big a shed is they are never big enough, you dad can probably agree with that. Best of luck with your adventure.

[@davidcaughman4044]

God has blessed your family and I love how you look opportunities for growth. Wow I am excited for your family.

[@landinfrasher1153]

Spray foam will be really efficient for you love the new space

[@joeyshofner639]

Can’t wait to see what you do, awesome video!

[@slamsshenanigans2296]

Awesome place with great potential!

[@mitchp350]

Tim, I am afraid as I see it the posts will require some work. Probably the best way to go about it would be to dig them out, and pour a concrete pad in their place, 3 ft below grade. Come up a foot above grade, and place saddles on them for what is left of the post to sit/attach on. Probably not the easiest to do, but you could do 2 or 3 a year, and after a few years problem would be solved. But if you are planning to finish the shed right away, then you would have to bite the bullet, and get it done before any finish work is done. Much of the work could be done by your self, and a helper, and probably in the long run, not break the bank. As far as the door goes, ask yourself if you really need another door, the cost of that door, could almost fund the cement, and rebar, and probably hire a helper, for a few days. LED lighting is the only way to go now, I would check out the newer lighting that is coming out. It seems every other month something new is coming on the market. I have found, the older 4 ft Fluorescent fixtures are very cheap now, and you can buy the LED bulbs for them, and the Ballast can be taken out. But in some cases you can buy the LED shop lights complete, cheaper than the 2 bulbs required for the older fixtures. In the end do whatever you see fit, you in the end are the one that will be living with it, and using it, so Good Luck.

[@chrisuscilla2606]

With the problems you pointed out in the video, I would start fresh. Pour a nice slab and footings and se5 the whole building on top of the concrete. Also in a new building I would not go nearly as high. It will be more efficient to heat and cool it.

[@WelshRabbit]

My 30' x 50' shed has two big pairs of sliding doors and with the large air gaps, it is impossible to heat or cool my shed. Replacement with a roll-up door is definitely a better solution. As for the rotting post columns, Midwest Perma-Columns has the perfect retro-fit for the existing in-the-ground-posts with a much better, durable solution. They call it the "Perma-Column Post Repair System."

[@tbirdracefan]

Since it's not my money, here ya go. Make a small bay trimmed out with insulated walls and such as well as HVAC (mini split?) easier cheaper to heat and cool, just pull in your project and get to work. Pour a slab in the horse area with considerations for a 2 post vehicle lift. Polyurethane foam was more money on my barn but after 20 years I am still impressed with it. Cool enough to work inside in the Texas summer with a couple of small ceiling fans. The fan part you already have covered. Spray the whole barn, ceiling and walls. Extra insulation of any type in your conditioned work bay/ man cave. The metal reinforcements look like just the ticket for the posts in the horse area. Put them in before the concrete of course. The posts that are in the concrete area of the barn might end up being fine since water or wet soil/mulch is not in constant contact.

[@ThomasPaine71]

Hi Tim. Congrats on your move. Your new place looks awesome. I would suggest to take the pole barn down. I wonder if you could salvage the steel? It looks to be okay, but it might be tricky to put it back up with the existing screw holes in it. Next, I would pour a better cement pad for the barn. It seems like you want it a little bigger. Pour around it and then dig in a good footing all around it and then you will solve the issue with the posts in the ground. You might be able to salvage some of the wood, but by the looks of things, you need to make those modifications to make that better. I replaced a sliding door with a roll up door and it was the best thing I did this summer. Your electrical in the barn is not that good, so if you are rebuilding, you will be able to improve it as well.

[@mlow5026]

It is ludicrous to think of tearing that building down. It’s a building... there are some projects to do that’s for sure. It’s more content for you/us! There are plenty of ways to shore that place up. Separated out into storage and or office space/maintenance area seems like the best idea. Cold for the implements/warm/insulated for the shop.

[@brianwebber7168]

Id have the pole barn contractor out for an inspection and estimate. Id probably start over on the end where the useless door is. Support the roof trusses with a temporary wall or posts and tear that whole end off. Salvage what you can and set new posts. I wouldn't trust a bigger door and header there the way it is now. Congrats on the new place.

[@richmanor8001]

Regardless of what you do with the pole barn, I’m looking forward to watching it happen!

[@noc8076]

If you have the space and the funds, consider setting up a new shop. Don't tear down the old one. You can NEVER have too much storage space! Trailers, implements, lumber, soil, fertilizer, just about anything can be stored in the old building. It will stand for 20-30 more years.

[@frankirwin1445]

I think the barn is a good start. Just improve on it like you invision. I like cement piers for the barn posts. Auger holes down & fill with cement with metal brackets for the posts. Similar to RR Buildings of their pole barn projects. A tall door on the end of barn for those taller equipment entries. Foam insulation and heat that barn with your Geothermal project as your home heating project. Good luck and will be following along.

[@jeffd4984]

Tim you can replace the florescent bulbs in those lights with LED bulbs and get rid of the ballast and not have to replace the whole fixture. Great building & fun project!! Have fun!

[@JoeSoslick]

Congrats on the new place Tim! I appreciate your videos and look forward to the new projects you'll be taking on. And I vote for a Kubota side by side!

[@j.hankinson7803]

Big project for you. You didn’t mention how thick the cement floor is. You would need 6” to 8” at the edges of a floating cement pad at least, if such things are permitted in your state. Since you need structure to hold up the roof trusses on two sides, you could consider getting a contractor to build 2”x 6” x 12ft walls inside the existing side walls to support the roof. Tie those to two new end walls and you’d have a new wall structure resting on concrete away from the pole problem. Cement over the mulch area. In time the walls could be taken off from the outside, poles removed, and tin reapplied to the 2 x 6 walls with wider soffits as $ permitted. Insulate the walls with Fiberglas or rockwool and add a vapour barrier. Drywall or OSB later as $ permitted. Blow-in insulation for the ceiling is probably cheapest, is easy to do yourself and makes a huge difference to heat retention. Others have mentioned sectioning off an office since machinery doesn’t need to be heated. Even out of the weather the things would be easier to start. A small wood stove can give enough heat in an insulated utility building for comfort for all you’d be in it but would add to insurance costs I’d imagine. You’d definitely need a couple of barn cats since mice love sheds. Feed them out there and build a small cat door with a flap so they can get fresh game in the spring. Good luck.

[@airyfast]

I ran 2x4,s around the inside like the outside is on 24 inch centers , the same on the ceiling that way you can insulate and put metal over the insulation. I used insulation from a discount place 4'x8'x1 1/2" white metal. My building is 40x60x16 and it is extra easy to heat. Also to fix the post cut them 4 foot above ground level and also 1 foot than you will be able to pull the rotten part out with a chain and a 3 point hitch on the back of a tractor than put a 7-8 foot piece in and sandwich the splice on either side with 2x6's. ( do one at a time ) and you most likely wont even need a jack. This will not be a bad job at all and it will go fast. good luck

[@alvinguy567]

Use Casey and dig each post from outside of building. Dig to bottom of post and seal with spray foam.

[@lukehansen9185]

I spray foamed my 100’ by 100’ shop and I heat it with only in floor heat unless it is -30 degrees or I open the 20’ by 35’ door or the 18’ by 30’ door then I use the little heater to get the temperature up. It is very efficient

[@robertreinhardt3518]

Tried spray foam kits and that was too costly. We had a contractor finish the job. Before the sun shine would cook you, but the spray foam makes a huge difference. Support the post, cut it off, use C or J to dig post out. Fill hole with concrete, rebar, L bolt and anchor plate.

[@nielsp914]

For the wall insulation get the 2 or 4 inch rigid foam and put that in the walls making sure to use Great Stuff to seal all around each sheet, r10 for every 2in. It also works as a vapor blocker. The spray foam is awsome but pricey, I was quoted 2600 for only the ridge area in my basement which is 56 x 28.

[@roberthenrymatthis]

Even with its problems I would love to have that building on our property

[@petermavus4131]

Glad you explained at end the old saying you get what you pay for Good luck on the repairs and avoid the money pit

[@TractorTimewithTim]

It is funny, when shopping for a house, we define 'perfect' as about twice as much as we can afford. The same thing was true when we were shopping for our first house with a budget of $100,000. I think this is a corollary to the rule that defines "wealthy" as someone who makes twice as much money as you.

[@joefinger5148]

Finish pouring the rest of the slab, build some heavy L brackets and anchor poles to floor and divide pole barn and make a cold storage and make part heated, to bad the big door is not on the end snow is going slide off roof and make a ice mound by the doors

[@dwayneloftice2326]

You may have already issued an update on your new location and the updates or fixes you mentioned....sure would like to see it. Being in the "building business", there are many options available. Of course...budget is always a consideration.

[@darthdrk]

It will be a little work getting the poles out the ground but it can be done. Doing them one at a time, You can dig down around the pole they are probably in the ground 4 feet . Cut it off at ground level and pour concrete up to the base of the pole. You can pre mount a wet set brace before pouring the concrete . Its actually not that bad..

[@zach_hewitt]

Tim, What are your plans for the barn? Simply equipment storage, woodshop, tool shop etc? In the end it's your shop and you need it to meet your needs. Get yourself a sheet of graph paper, and start marking it up with different ideas on how equipment storage will be laid out. No matter what can't wait to watch the future episodes.

[@hawkea567w]

I would keep it. An idea you may want to do is petition off the barn and have an implement section. With this you will not have to heat this part of the barn. Implements do need the heat and the only time you are in there is hooking implements to Johnny. This barn has a lot of potential. Also, put a hoist in case you need to lift things.

[@turbo_veryfast4388]

My dad said about your post problem to put post right it and bury it deeper and bolted together. I hope it helps!!!! Option to jack up the building and replace the post

[@cathyroe3799]

I do not have any suggestions, but I am enjoying watching as you work on these new projects. Nice property.

[@Tom-ej8bb]

You have some good comments below about another building. Maybe improve the old one slowly but I personally wouldn't invest much in the one with foundation problems! Too bad ur not in W Branch Mi. Max and his grandson would take care of it for ya. He built a 24' x32' pole barn for 1st owner and 15 years later he added for me the new owner , 10' on the side and 10' at the rear for a 34' x 42' Done with perfection and you couldn't tell. And there isn't a place where you couldn't put a level on and it's perfect! Todd Luck and God Bless!

[@stevenrichey5068]

On the post in the dirt. ..can you dig down around them like every other 2...and pour concrete around them. .?? The spray foam is the best way to go. ..on insulation. The same type of tin for the ceiling would be a good idea. .it will hold insulation better. The old door. ..I wouldn't go any higher than my ceiling. .. Have you thought about getting a semi refer unit to cool with..?? They have there own motor and can pull a trailer down below freezing. ..so it will cool the shop...

[@AndersonFarms]

Build a smaller building like 30x30x16 or 40x40x16 with concrete and in floor heat . Big enough to pull a pickup in and keep the tractor warm in the winter. Dont have short sidewalls because you will never regret that you build it to big. Have a concrete floor drain too.

[@jman-dv6vq]

I like the new barn. great storage space, and when weather is nicer, work space as well. I am also in agreement with one of the previous comments made , get in touch with RR Buildings and see what he would recommend for those posts. If it were me, and those were the worst of the damage currently present, I think i would just enclose what is already concrete, move forward with new door on the side (perhaps just a 10x10) or just open that side up as a "lean-to" for trailer storage or items that don't necessarily need to be stored in a total enclosure. All in all I think you have a wonderful new property and hope y'all get to enjoy many years there.

[@dukesnyder3607]

I agree fix the posts first, it's do-able as I have seen old sagging barns fixed and given a new lease on life. Why try to heat & cool the whole building? I have a 20 x 24' shop, half is insulated and heated when I really need it, the storage side is not insulated or heated. You can park equipment on gravel nicely and avoid the cost of an expensive slab just to store a brush mower, box blade, etc. Heat & cool a nice area where you want to work year around, but leave the storage area cold. A very nice shed overall, eager to see the improvements!!

[@Jimwho77]

I’m excited to. Love these kind of projects. Do you really need the second door or is it better to close that up and re-do the main door? Work on buttoning up the building, new led lights ,insulation and ceiling and of course the pole solution. You can always frame the second door so it could be added in the future. Kubota 4 seater Utv that converts to a 2 seater with pick up bed sounds very practical. Golf cart will require more electrical installation for charging. I’m sure you have a priority list. Look forward to the future episodes.

[@timirish4892]

Lots of comments on this one! Put 4 I beams in the corners from header to concrete,new insulated doors with Windows, insulation, tin ,L.E.D. lights, furnace, air conditioning,& little concrete should be go !

[@josephwyse265]

I would suggest not tearing it down! I wish I had a pole barn that size! It would cost much more to tear it down and start over. Replace the sliding door. Add led lights instead of the fluorescent ones that are there (I did this in my pole barn that is 30x50 in a linear fashion and it is wonderful lighting-Grandlumen 150 watt UFO LED high bay lights at $128 each). Complete the concrete floor. Add two wall mounted fans for summer cross ventilation (iLiving ILG85F20V 20 inch fan wired to a Ventamatic XXFirestat 10-amp thermostat). Add your shelving for implements. Put in garage door openers. For probably $5,000 investment you will have a wonderful pole barn. If the poles start to rot in 15 years most of what you have invested can be re-used in the next pole barn...and I would think with improved drainage around the structure the rotting problem will take longer than that. My two cents. Thank you for such wonderful videos and for taking us along on your journey! God bless you and your family.

[@richardp3628]

Hi Tim. you could take and put up a wall at the edge of the concrete and use the dirt side as cold storage/ implement storage.