"Pole Barn Kits,"
A History With A Man Who Defined A Future.

Pole Barn Kits come in a wide variety. If you're thinking about purchasing any model, then you already have an idea as to what type of pole barn you will need. As well as what it will be used for.

You may be in the agricultural business and need to have one for housing livestock, or putting machinery in such as your tractor. It is also is a great place to store hay and the harvest. My personal favorite is the once a year family reunion with a huge BBQ and a hayride! Yee Haw! That’s just me though. I love a good BBQ.

"History Of The Pole Barn"

I try to do a history of the subjects that I bring to you so of course this one is no different. I can honestly say that I believe the first pole building was put up by the first person on earth, when he or she felt the first raindrop start to fall.

It probably was in the form of a lean-too but did the trick with a few branches and some sort of greenery such as grass or pine tree limbs. Necessity will certainly bring forth creativity.

For quite a few centuries, buildings that have been erected along the coasts and areas that tended to flood, were built up on poles to raise the structure above the water line. In the 19th century, Americans used poles to put up storage sheds or a pole barn in order to keep the cattle and other supplies out of the weather. With the poles buried in the ground, they would not last longer than a few years before they would rot out so it really didn't provide a great solution.

"Howard Doane"

A man by the name of Howard Doane was the first person credited with the innovation of the pole barn kit. When the depression hit in the 1930’s he knew there had to be a more practical way of building a structure on a farm that would meet the needs and cost a lot less to put together.

The pole barn was the best solution in his mind and he was right. The poles were the primary support for the structure with the sidewalls being covered with galvanized steel.

This would eliminate many of the materials that were normally used, so of course it saved the farmer a ton of money. The poles were generally made from red cedar until the mid 1930’s, when red cedar started becoming relatively scarce, so they started to use creosote treated poles instead. I’m not sure if they were aware of it at the time but they really were on to something with the creosote poles. (Old converted pole barn below)

These were meant to last and were going to for a much longer period. They ended up being the poles of choice. Doane was a hit with the U.S. Government, which were given limits as to the amount they could spend on constructing barns during WWII. The pole building kits fit right into that budget, due to the elimination of up to two-thirds of the lumber needed to conform to other building blueprints.

Doane received a patent on the pole building kits in 1953 but didn’t capitalize on it the way that he could have. Instead, he decided to share the secret and plans, worldwide with anyone that was interested. He spoke to farmers across the country, educating them on the pole kits and they were appreciative of his doing so.

With time, pole barn kits proved their capabilities and all doubts were put to rest about the structures ability to withstand the elements. By the 1960’s the pole barn kit began popping up all over the country.

"What Are Your Needs?"

You can get a pole barn kit and other related pole building kits, and put them together yourself for somewhere in the area of $3500 depending on your needs.

Make sure that no matter which company you purchase your pole barn kit from, you ask all the needed questions. Find out what type of prep work needs to be done before it arrives. What are the proper permits that you will need from the building inspector? How everyone likes his or her steaks cooked?

If you need me, you can contact me through our contact us page. Feel free to check out other stories and items throughout the site. All of the building kits can be found through the links scattered on the pages and a couple here on this page as well. Good luck with your purchase!

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