The History of Pole Buildings

The concept of using poles placed into the ground as a method of structural support goes back 100's of years. However, the problem with putting a wooden pole into the ground is that it will only last a few years before it rots, and then of course the pole is unable to support any form of structure.

Obviously the time it would take for the wood to rot varied depending on the general weather conditions; poles in wet ground would rot considerably faster than poles in generally dry ground. It also made a difference depending on the type of wood used; hard wood lasts much longer than soft wood.

It was in the 20th century that pole buildings got a new lease of life. A development took place which would change how long wooden poles would last, even in wet conditions. The development was the ability to heat and pressure treat wooden poles. It meant that they were more resistant to moisture and therefore didn't rot. They were also more durable and much stronger so they could support more weight if necessary. However, this treatment was actually developed for the electricity industry; they needed poles in the ground so they could fix overhead electrical cables.

It was partly because of this development that a new revitalized era for pole buildings came about, but there was also another important reason. Technological advances had meant that large, flat, thin, metal sheeting could be manufactured. It was lightweight, but strong and meant that it could span much greater distances resulting in less supporting poles being required. This lightweight metal sheeting could be used for the roofing and sidings and would never rot and was practically maintenance-free

However, it was really the 1930's depression that transformed the way certain buildings were constructed. Until the 1930's farm buildings were built traditionally; this meant that barns and outbuilding often could cost a similar amount to building the structure for a basic home. It was not cost effective, particularly in view of the depression, yet farmers still needed places to house their crops and livestock.

Round poles, similar to those used in the electricity industry, were considered the answer. The round poles were used as the supporting structure; no foundations were needed. The poles used trusses for strength and the roofing structure was built on the poles using rafters. The buildings were considered a success.

Pole buildings could easily be constructed almost anywhere and the cost associated with building them was much less than building a structure using traditional methods. Of course, it also meant that a pole building could have many other uses besides on farmland.

Additionally, because of the simple design, it meant that anyone with a reasonable tool kit and fairly proficient DIY ability could construct a pole building.

Today, you can buy pole building kits that get delivered to wherever you want and come with full instructions. It's estimated that a couple of people can generally construct a pole building in a couple of days.


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