Post-Frame Construction & Barndominiums

Post-Frame Buildings (aka "Pol

e Barns") are buildings characterized by primary structural frames of wood posts as columns and trusses or rafters as roof framing.  Roof framing is attached

to the posts, either directly or indirectly through girders.  Posts are embedded in the soil and supported on isolated footings, or are attached to the tops of piers, concrete or masonry walls, or slabs-on-grade.  Secondary framing members, purlins in the roof and girts in the walls, are attached to the primary members to provide lateral support and to transfer metal or wood panel sheathing loads, both in-plane and out-of-plane, to the posts and roof framing.

Post-Frame construction is an incredibly efficient method of building in that it gives you the greatest amount of space for the least amount of materials, and there are no highly specialized skills and equipment required.  However, this efficiency comes with a challenge, Design and Engineering!  Post-Frame design and engineering requires knowledge of complex principals not found in stick-framing and other types of conventional construction in order to utilize all the structural capacities of the members while eliminating expensive "overkill", which is even more important in today's economic reality where construction costs are sky-high and we're becoming more aware of the earth's limited supply of resources.   These complex principals must then be packaged up into a design that is simple and easy to build.

King Engineering is a member of the National Frame Building Association and has designed multiple projects utilizing post-frame methodology, from agricultural/storage buildings to commercial/manufacturing facilities to custom homes (aka "Barndominiums").  In our quest to push for smarter ways to construct buildings, we appreciate the opportunity to help you with your post-frame questions and design needs.