Author Archives: Jack Cripe

About Jack Cripe

Sales Manager and partner at Pacemaker Buildings.

How to Choose the Best Flooring Options for Your Post Frame Building

Leave a reply

How-to-Choose-the-Best-Flooring-Options-for-Your-Post-Frame-Building-700

Flooring options for a modern post frame building depend on how you plan to use your building. Post frame building purposes have now evolved beyond the simple pole barn. Now post frame structures are commonly used for fire stations, auto dealerships, retail outlets, warehouses, schools, and churches. Let’s look into how to choose the best flooring options for your post frame building.

For any purpose, you must anticipate your needs and accommodate all the ways in which you will use the building. If heavy equipment and vehicles are moving in and out of the building, you must ensure the flooring option is able to sustain the stress of massive weight.

Pre-Prep for post frame building flooring options

Post frame floors of any kind will last much longer if the footprint is level, compact, and allows for proper drainage. In many instances, a gravel base and supplemental subflooring material may be required. Local building codes may also dictate the minimum thickness and other attributes for your post frame flooring.

Options for Flooring

Concrete

Concrete flooring is the most popular option for any post frame buildings that are not being used for housing animals. This material is best for machinery and vehicles. Concrete is easy to clean and also reduces the accumulation of dust and moisture. Long-lasting, concrete is perfect for workshops, garages, and structures where people will congregate. Incorporating insulation in the concrete flooring system can also improve the comfort level of the building.

Asphalt

Since asphalt often less expensive than concrete, many building owners opt to use this material for vehicle and equipment storage. However, since this material is softer, it tends to break down sooner. This can leave large gaps and crevices that can sprout weeds unless adequately patched. Asphalt requires maintenance and may not be adequate for heavier machinery. Consider the weight of your vehicle and how often you will be moving them.

Also, remember that newly spread asphalt has a strong odor that may remain during the early months following application. Proper ventilation is advised when choosing this flooring option.

Stone

Natural or cultured stone is available in many sizes, shapes, types, and weights. Make sure the stone you select can sustain the usage and weight you might expect before you commit.

Stone flooring types can be marble, limestone, travertine, or more. Stone is an attractive option for residences and buildings where people will be congregating. This type of flooring can also help to keep the structure cooler in the summer months.

Gravel

Gravel is relatively clean and will prevent any erosion issues from developing within the building. Over time, the material will become compacted, so it does require some maintenance. You’ll need to supplement regularly to maintain the floor level at the original height and to keep dust from appearing.

Dirt

If aesthetics are not a primary concern, dirt represents the least expensive and softest flooring material. For horses and other livestock, dirt is a natural option and is most comfortable for them. Be aware that the soil and moisture within the building can shift to make footing unstable. So you may choose to regrade the surface periodically. Or you could easily upgrade to another material if you begin to use the building for other uses.

Be aware that during rainy periods, your dirt floor will become muddy in places, particularly near the entrances.

Livestock Matting

Dirt flooring alone will quickly become rutted and uneven with heavy livestock traffic. Mats made from rubber or aggregate materials create a comfortable surface and keep stalls and tack areas from eroding. These can be applied to specific areas of your horse barn or other buildings.

Contact Pacemaker Post Frame Buildings

Pacemaker has been at the forefront of post frame construction development for over three decades. As a designer, supplier, and builder of high-quality materials and construction, Pacemaker Post Frame Buildings, located in North Webster, Indiana, has far-reaching experience with each type of post frame application and process.

You may visit Pacemaker’s Gallery to view many of the company’s past accomplishments in post frame innovation.

To learn more about your flooring options for your post frame building, contact the professionals at Pacemaker at 1-888-834-4448.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exterior Porch Options for Your Post Frame Building

Leave a reply

Exterior-Porch-Options-for-Your-Post-Frame-BuildingHave you considered an exterior porch for your post frame building? Whether the addition is meant to be functional, decorative, or both, adding a porch to your post frame plan is easy to do. Here are porch options for your post frame building.

Your post frame building can be used for whatever you want. Whether you are building a barn, equestrian center, commercial building, or residence. Just about any exterior feature that you may want can be added to your building. As a highly versatile and practical building solution, post frame structures have minimal limits on exterior cladding or most other architectural elements.

Porches can be included in the design at the time of construction or as an easy remodel to an existing post frame building.

Porch Options for Your Post Frame Building

An exterior porch can serve several purposes. Here are a few ideas for uses:

  • An aesthetically pleasing entryway and access.
  • Overhead protection from the rain and snow for equipment that you must access frequently.
  • Entertainment and relaxation space away from the interior storage area.
  • Exterior screened workshop, office, or maintenance area.
  • Outside product display area for commercial enterprises.

4 Porch Design Solutions

Entry Porch

While size and shape options are virtually limitless, positioning is important. You should position your porch on the front or most visible side of the building. A well-designed porch will break the monotony of the rectangular structure. Additionally, it can provide an aesthetically pleasing impression of the overall architecture.

An entryway porch focuses and invites access into the building. By using creative styling of the roofing and vertical supports, you will also give the building a more appealing appearance.

Inset Porch

An attractive option for porch placement without increasing the building’s footprint can be as an inset. An inset works by using one of the corners of your post frame building and reversing it inward toward the interior of the structure. The ceiling of the porch becomes the upper level inside. Thus use that space above for storage, as an office, or any other purpose.

The vertical post at the corner will remain in place to support the overall building. Thus you can choose a finish option that compliments the aesthetic of the post frame building.

An inset porch is a great option when land space has limits.

Recreation Porch

Often post frame buildings that are used for equestrian or agricultural purposes are situated in locations that have amazing panoramic views. A shaded, screened-in porch is a great solution for year-round activities. You can then add comfortable seating, a wood stove, and other accessories to make it the spot to relax, reflect, and entertain.

Wraparound Porch

Another practical and attractive option is to add a wraparound porch that encircles all or three-fourths of your post frame building. This option is not only aesthetically pleasing but highly functional as well. This style of porch provides a sheltered space at every access point. It can also be an area to stage incoming materials and provide exterior dry storage for equipment.

For equestrian centers, the additional shelter provides a place to saddle or unsaddle horses and also provides a cooling area away from the sun.

Additionally, you can include a sheltered seating area anywhere around the perimeter of your building.

Contact Pacemaker Post Frame Buildings

Pacemaker Post Frame Buildings, located in North Webster, Indiana, has been at the forefront of the post frame building industry for four decades. As an industry innovator, the company has implemented many of the breakthrough technologies and materials that have evolved the business. Post frame construction is no longer just simple pole barns. The construction method has become a practical, economical, and attractive solution for many commercial, civic, equestrian, and agricultural structures.

Check out the Pacemaker website to view some of their past outstanding projects.

For information about adding a porch to complement the functionality and beauty of your post frame building, or for any other application, contact the experts at Pacemaker at + 1(888) 834.4448.

Top Tips for Adding an Addition to Your Post Frame Building

Leave a reply

Top-Tips-for-Adding-an-Addition-to-Your-Post-Frame-Building-315Post frame buildings are undoubtedly the easiest for adding on a new addition if you have the available real estate. The efficient use of materials and labor result in shortened design and build time. Therefore, a new addition to your post frame building will complement the existing structure, add space, and functionality in less time.

Considering a New Addition

It happens – you build your structure, and it is perfect for your needs. But, over time, no matter how far ahead you planned, your business or farm needs to grow, perhaps even faster than you expected. You realize you must add more space for work or storage.

Is adding on to your existing building a practical and affordable solution? It can be. Working with a reputable, experienced post frame company, you are able to sketch out your dream addition. Making sure to incorporate all additional storage, operating space, offices, and spare rooms that you now need.

Note that a post frame addition can also be a sensible and economical solution for adding on to other types of construction.

Adding an Addition to Your Post Frame Building

Here are three considerations to discuss with your design professional regarding a new post frame addition:

1. How will the addition best fit on the existing lot?

To determine which direction your addition should be facing,  consider how the existing structure is placed on your lot. As well, consider how it will be accessed.

First, understand local codes and regulations to determine how closely your building can approach your lot boundaries and other possible restrictions

Next, identify the optimal connection point of your existing building and the addition. Ideally, the new addition will require minimal rearrangement in your current buildings.

Connecting your existing structure to the addition is much simpler than with other types of buildings. Due to the wide spacing of post frame vertical posts.

What about access and approach? With the new addition, will trucks and other equipment still be able to access the overall structure without excessive maneuvering?

Finally, drainage is an essential factor. Assure the ground around the new structure is appropriately graded to ensure moisture drains away from the entire building.

2. Putting Additional Stress on the Existing Structure

If the addition is dependent upon the existing building for support, you may be creating undue stress on the original support system. Lean-to’s or additional openings that are not built with support elements can redistribute weight and pressure that can cause problems.

Consult a structural engineer to determine if your design might create a bigger issue. In most instances, your post-frame building addition design should integrate its own support elements.

3. Upgrading the Appearance of Your Overall Structure

Your enterprise has grown, and you should present an attractive appearance and image for your building. A well-designed post frame addition should not only enhance the original structure but also improve the appearance of the entire combination.

The new section should blend seamlessly with the existing structure. Rooflines, exterior materials, colors, and patterns should coordinate to make the entire building appear that it was built at the same time. You might also consider upgrades to the original exterior during the new construction.

Post frame buildings can incorporate features, materials, colors, and styles similar to other types of buildings. While you are upgrading the functionality and appearance of the interior of your building, consider upgrading the exterior a priority as well.

Contact Pacemaker Post Frame Buildings

We are headquartered in North Webster, Indiana. Therefore Pacemaker Post Frame Buildings is ideally situated to provide materials, design, construction management, and equipment for professional post frame buildings in Northern Indiana and Southwestern Michigan. In addition, we have over 40 years of experience in the industry. And Pacemaker has been instrumental in the evolution of post frame materials and techniques that encompass far more than pole barn construction.

Today, post frame buildings are an economical choice for businesses, municipalities, schools, churches, equestrian centers, warehouses, residences, and more. You may view several of these applications in the Gallery section of Pacemaker’s website.

Speak with an experienced professional about your building needs or regarding an addition to your existing structure. Contact Pacemaker Post Frame Buildings at +1-888-834-4448.