OT— Laminated Pole Barn Poles...what bonds them together?

[641Dave]

In all the pole barn pole talk, I was back tracking a bit and like what Paul and a few others were saying about the poles.

Laminated posts made of 3 2x6 or 3 2x8 nailed and glued together are much better these days. I sure wouldn't use a 4x4 or 6x6 any more, the wood is so poor it twists, and any sort of pressure treating - ot the much poorer soaking you mention - doesn't get in real far. The skinnier 2x material will soak much closer to all the way through.
Then with 3 different timbers put together, any knots or warping will not be an issue.

Also, you can spend mone on the well-treated stuff that is in the ground, and use untreated stuff above ground, putting the money where it is needed.

Going to auctions and looking around at the various pole barns, see a lot of the solid poles having issues. The laminated ones don't look so bad as I see things.

--->Paul

My question is, what is the best way to bond the boards? ...I suppose a fella would have to let the boards dry good since they've been saturated with CCA.

I always figured liquid nail would be the trick but I don't know what the BEST method would be and especially with treated lumber.

So, if anyone has some experience on the subject,

 

[Dean]

Mine are simply spiked together.

Dean

 

[Goose]

I didn't see that thread or post, but a civil engineer type buddy of mine designs, markets, and manufactures laminated wood power transmission poles, so I'd guess laminated wood pole barn poles would be available commercially somewhere. I would suspect they would be kinda pricey.

Same fella has a pole barn with the poles consisting of two 2X6's screwed together with deck screws to form 4X6's. It eliminates warpage. I've never asked him if there is any glue or other bonding agent between the 2X6's.

I'm looking at adding a lean-to to my shop, and thought I'd do the same. I'll have to ask him if he has glue in his pole barn, or if the 2X6's are just screwed together.

 

[Fern(Mi)]

I'd suspect treated lumber used from a couple feet above grade through the buried end, well tamped, or (back filled) pea gravel for drainage even better.
Maybe screws (optional) might be better at and below grade, nails above grade should suffice. Once the poles are set where will they go.
Plus a no-no I've been informed, I counter bored my barn posts slipping a 1' rod through post's bottom end. Then set post on dry mixed concrete mix backing filling with same another foot or so in the bottom of hole. Concrete under pole to prevent settling, concrete around posts installed rod to prevent lift. This's worked for me. Haven't lost a barn yet.
Fernan

 

[641Dave]

Yeah, I suppose once their set, they aren't going to pull apart while in the ground.

One thing that I got to wondering about was maybe a marine grade epoxy for the below ground parts. Not so much as a bond for strength but for sealing between the laminated boards.

My reasoning is, if a fella is going to go through the trouble of adding gravel around the post to "wick" away moisture, I suppose I don't want moisture harboring between the boards.

Fern, that anchoring method sounds pretty good to me.

Goose, please do ask your friend what they do.

 

[rustyfarmall]

Laminated pole barn poles are the standard today. If you go out and buy a pole barn package, it will come with the laminated poles.

I have a Morton pole building with the laminated poles. The poles are simply spiked together. No other bonding agent is needed.

 

[MSD]

We can get them either spiked or glued. I prefer the glued ones.
They use a dark brown colored glue that must be put on by machine
as it has rows of it showing on the odd end. I've seen the spiked
ones where there is a gap between the boards so I would think it
looses some of it's strength that way. Also, the glued up ones seem
to have a better grade of lumber in them. More of a structural
grade. They are run through a planer when done which makes them
pretty uniform also.

 

[OH - 961]

Anyone contemplating putting together your own laminated poles needs to check the treatment level of the lumber before purchase. Most treated dimension lumber on the market is NOT rated for in-ground use.Only the "squares" (4x4, 6x6, 8x8,etc) are normally treated to a level of chemical retention for ground exposure.

Myron

 

[Leroy]

From simple work around I would not go with nails only. Wood glue and then nail. Even for something simple as a toung for a steel wheel hay rake I glued things together. That was just 3 1 x 4's together to make a 2 1/4" x 3 1/2" piece. But make sure the grain is different in each piece you fasten together.

 

[rustyfarmall]

(quoted from post at 20:31:25 04/13/12) Anyone contemplating putting together your own laminated poles needs to check the treatment level of the lumber before purchase. Most treated dimension lumber on the market is NOT rated for in-ground use.Only the "squares" (4x4, 6x6, 8x8,etc) are normally treated to a level of chemical retention for ground exposure.

Myron

No, that is incorrect. My Morton building uses a section of laminated 2x6s that ARE rated for ground contact, and then the section that continues on up is "sandwiched" onto the ground rated section.

 

[OH - 961]

rustyfarmall,
I referred to the lumber normally available at your local lumber supplier - not what Morton or other builders may use.
They can order whatever treatment level they want, but unless you special order from a treating company, it is normally not stocked locally at Lowes, Home Depot, Menards, etc.

Myron

 

[rustyfarmall]

(quoted from post at 09:17:52 04/14/12) rustyfarmall,
I referred to the lumber normally available at your local lumber supplier - not what Morton or other builders may use.
They can order whatever treatment level they want, but unless you special order from a treating company, it is normally not stocked locally at Lowes, Home Depot, Menards, etc.

Myron

That is probably correct.

Before I had my Morton put up, I did check prices for comparable building packages at Menards, Home Depot, etc. Surprisingly, those discount building centers were NOT any less expensive. Morton came in at the same price for the materials (but better quality), and then the price basically doubles for the erection of the building. Considering THEY furnish all the equipment needed, including the tractor for lifting the trusses into place, there was NO way I could buy a package from Menards, hire a crew to put it together, rent a crane to lift the trusses into place, and spend less money.