How Do You Stabilize a Pole Barn?

Reinforce Your Post-Frame Buildings

As durable and long-lasting as pole barns and post-frame structures can be, they have their own issues. For example, the columns of a post-frame building, the primary structural support, can be susceptible to moisture and deterioration, causing the walls and frame to lean. Needless to say, your building is at risk of collapse if you cannot correct issues related to its frame and structural support! When asking how to stabilize a pole barn, Anthem Built has the answer. Talk with the post-frame construction experts at Anthem Built to learn more.

Cross Bracing Between Columns

The first and simplest way many contractors correct issues of sagging of post-frame structures is to secure columns with cross braces. Locking columns to each other keeps them snug in place, minimizing the chances they begin to lean. When installing cross braces, they are typically constructed of the same materials used for your columns. Hence, for wood columns, wood cross braces are the best option. Thanks to the addition of a cross brace, your structure’s frame can better withstand increased compression and tension. To maximize the strength and effectiveness of cross braces, they should be installed near the top or bottom of a post-frame column.

Steel Cable Bracing

If the gaps between columns are too wide for wood cross braces to be effective, steel cable bracing is another alternative for reinforcing your post-frame structure. Steel cable bracing works similarly to cross braces, utilizing the same X pattern to hold columns in place. However, steel cables are used instead of wood due to the length of a brace (when wood braces would be overly long). Additionally, steel is stronger than wood and more resistant to moisture and deterioration, meaning your steel cable bracing can last longer than wood cross braces.

Column Replacement

If your post-frame structure is sagging and swaying in the wind, the integrity of your columns is the likely culprit. However, as much as you brace your columns, your structure’s stability will continue to decrease if the columns are already compromised by wood rot. As such, column replacement is one of the only options available to building owners. By ensuring new wood columns are set with correctly installed concrete footings, you can guarantee the longevity of your structure. But, as effective as column replacement is, it’s perhaps the most expensive and time-consuming method to stabilize your post-frame building.

Anthem Built Products

Thanks to the innovative post-frame products produced by Anthem Built, contractors don’t have to rely on methods like cross braces or column replacement to stabilize a pole barn. Instead, your structure’s wood columns can be preserved and secured using Anthem Built’s Repair Sleeves, Column Covers, and Galvanized Grade Boards. Each component works in conjunction to create a durable system that protects, strengthens and restores the structural integrity of your pole barns.

• Repair Sleeves – Made from 100% galvanized steel, Anthem Built’s Repair Sleeves affix seamlessly to columns afflicted with wood rot. The sleeve wraps around the affected portion, creating a shell that restores the strength of the column without requiring replacement.
• Column Covers – In addition to the Repair Sleeve, Column Covers fit onto a column to completely encapsulate the deteriorating portion of the wood. The post is further reinforced and protected from deterioration due to moisture and outside influences.
• Galvanized Grade Boards – After securing the sleeve and cover, grade boards are attached to the bottom of columns, connecting and straightening them. However, standard wood grade boards aren’t nearly as effective as Anthem Built’s Galvanized Grade Boards (made from galvanized steel).