Snow loads may not be a issue, but up where I am the wind load is a bigger concern.

For you guys who have built a pole barns what did you use for trusses and what was the spacing OC for your area?

Here you have to have an engineered drawing for all trusses over a certain span, do you?
Here prefab trusses come with this drawing no extra cost.

I used box steel with self tapping bolts to secure 2x6 nailers to.

I mention things like snow load and wind shear because this happened to a friend of mine a mile from me. This week.

Detached garage at his cabin. Built by previous owner in 1989 without a building permit. Not sure if that was disclosed during the sale as required, but friend (current owner) is an attorney. We'll see how it plays out with the insurance company? Lots of damage inside to snowmobiles, quad and motorcycle.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1455714676.jpg

Ouch...
That's why I wanted to know, high snow and wind loading adds cost, more trusses, cleats on base on poles and pole spacing, etc.

As far as hay storage with open sides, around here I see a lot of them listing after a few years. So framing and siding is still very important. Personally I'd never build a pole barn with vinyl siding, but don't expect poor framing beneath steel to work good either.

Wow, Bob, I hate it when that happens. Getting a lot of snow up there? It's weird that it lasted fine for 26 winters and then did that. :eek:

No snow to worry about where I'm looking but wind is a major factor. A couple weeks ago, there were 90 mph gusts.

I went with conventional construction for my shop( stud walls on a stout foundation 26 X 32 IIRC). Not cheap but sturdy.......$20K at the time.
It's only been built for 15 years with NO problems. 50 or 60 more years more would come as no surprise long as I keep the roof up to snuff.

Yes, if things are built right in the first place, no reason they should not stand for ages. :cool:

I built a 10 X 10 garden shed (for lawnmowers & what not) about 25-30 years back. it's next to a 6 foot tall wall. Oops..... bad site, rain water splashes on the siding & access sucks. It's just a mater of time........The good news is it might out live me, but it has had 2+ feet of wet snow on it & hung in there.

There is a guy near me that you might call. Golden State Buildings. Check them out. They let me use one of their garden sheds for free (it was a trade for my pumpkin patch). Nice folks, and probably cheap enough to be competitlve with DIY.