Steel tubing for barn??

[Herefordcross]

I've been around building all of my life but, I saw a new one today and I had to stop and check it out. They are using 4" square tubing, 1/4" wall, sunk 4' in the ground with concrete around it, plate welded on bottom to keep it from sinking into the concrete footer and a couple pieces of strap steel on the top of them to allow a triple 2x12 beam to sit down in them. This is a roof only hay building and it got me to thinking it was a pretty good idea. They had 'em set on 10' centers. Concrete=Moisture I wonder if the 1/4" wall tubing will last as long as the wood posts will. They were primed and the guy whom got tired of my twenty questions said it was the new and upcoming thing. The building looked like it was going to be 17' from floor to truss bottoms. No bracing between poles. We're getting ready to put up another one this winter. So, I figured I would consult with all of the resident engineers on here to seed what they thought of this. Plus you guys are cheaper than a certified engineer. Main thing is do you think they will last?

 

[backhoeboogie]

So, I figured I would consult with all of the resident engineers on here to seed what they thought of this. Plus you guys are cheaper than a certified engineer.

Well I do mostly instrumentation and controls engineering. INPO certified Mechanical Engineer too; calling 2 inch pipe "2 3/8" inch or 2 & 1/2 inch "2 & 7/8" inch irritates me. No such thing.

I work with metalurgicals and structural engineers. So I do know their take. No wood. You have to bear in mind that calculations for A-36 metal are a given. Wood has mass variations. It can be calculated but the calcs figure in a lot of conservatism. Structural steel is much easier to conclude loading.

EASY D is a metalurical engineer. You ought to see his place. It will make you drool.

I use as little wood as possible. You have to bear in mind that I lost my ASSETS in 1990 when a brush fire broke out about a mile from my home. I lost three buildings and all contents. They saved my house. Wood posts were all gone. Steel posts were steadfast. Anything metal held its ground. That is, except for aluminum. I had three huge puddles of aluminum that I couldn't figure out what they were. Months later I remembered bro-in-law returned some water skis and I put them in the shed in lieu of in the boat. Thats what the aluminum puddles were.

I have purchase 2 ea 40 sea-land containers. I bought the pristine ones. I am going to set them 20 feet apart and weld 3 inch agle down each side. From there I will build steel trusses to span across the whole tamale. When I got through playing with the numbers, the steel will be on 5 foot centers, lighter than wood, and much stronger. Once it is covered, it ought to last forever in this dry climate.

I put in T-Posts on my land in Marshall about 6 years back and they are totally rusted. No paint showing. I put in T-Posts here 27 years ago and they are still green. So when you start considering steel, consider your climate.

I use as little wood as possible. One good fire and your barn and all fencing is gone.

 

[dj]

bhboogie have you seen that ceramic paint they are using on structures like that? It's supposed to have a R-22 value if I remember right?

 

[Caustic Burno]

Every one is going steel here, steel houses and barn's.

 

[backhoeboogie]

bhboogie have you seen that ceramic paint they are using on structures like that? It's supposed to have a R-22 value if I remember right?

No I haven't. Do you have to use hardener with it?

 

[jp]

We've built em with 3" and 4" galv. pipe and some with ol oil pipe. On the floor around the pipe base poured concrete usin split 5 gallon bucket or form tube slopped the top,to keep water and equipt away from pipe.jp

 

[dj]

backhoeboogie you might find this interesting.
chapter 4 tells about the ceramic paint
http://www.bobvila.com/BVTV/Bob_Vila/Vi ... -03-1.html
this is a link about the product
http://www.new-technologies.org/ECT/Civ ... rtherm.htm
I've never used it, just saw the show.

 

[backhoeboogie]

backhoeboogie you might find this interesting.
chapter 4 tells about the ceramic paint
http://www.bobvila.com/BVTV/Bob_Vila/Vi ... -03-1.html
this is a link about the product
http://www.new-technologies.org/ECT/Civ ... rtherm.htm
I've never used it, just saw the show.

Holy smokes DJ I only have $3 a square foot in mine. That is why I bought them.

A guy was headed to Comanche with a couple of 20 footers on a semi trailer. They were to be used for deer camps. The buyer said he couldn't take them for 2 more weeks so they guy called me. They had been built 2 years earlier and came to America on a trip from China. They still had chalk lines on the floor. I got them both for $1500, what he had invested in them. I traded one for a pure bred charlais bull and angus cow.

The two 40 footers I have came out of Dallas. Some OK City contractor had bought them to hold supplies and finished the job. A friend bought several for $600 a piece. I took two of the nicest ones and paid $300 each to have them delivered.

So the prices Bob Villa is talking is way out there.

 

[backhoeboogie]

You can find the 40 foot shipping containers on eBay for as little as $2100 "buy it now". I know a lady who had bought two from a friend of mine. She was transferred to Tennessee. You could have bought those for about $800 a piece and they were in perfect shape. I already had two so I didn't need them. I don't know if she sold them or not. They were just south of Granbury, TX.

 

[Herefordcross]

I can see where the sea containers would work ok but, this is for storing rolls/equipment about 40x80x17 tall, wood frame with my labor and the permapost concrete post bases $83.50/each. Material, crane, concrete came to about $22,500. An Amish guy materials and labor is only at $25,000 even. Same roofing/siding material and he put's his post 8' on center.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Termites won't eat steel and fire doesn't burn it. If you want to hang something on a column, you can't just drive a nail.

You can make the center alley height as tall as you want to. Don't forget I have a big backhoe. To get it in a barn, the barn better be pretty tall. My 125 horse tractor has a cab but it doesn't have to be quite as tall as the backhoe.