Pole Building Design: Pole Barn Trusses

One of the decisions you’ll need to make when planning your build is what pole barn truss option will best serve your needs and design aesthetic. Not sure what your truss options are or what a truss even is? 

We have you covered (roof pun intended). 

What is a truss?

A truss is a pre-manufactured rigid structure that spans the width of a pole barn from one post to another. By definition, a truss “consists of two-force members only, where the members are organized so that the assemblage as a whole behaves as a single object.” 

Layman’s translation: a truss is a structural element that creates the slope of the roof. 

Pole Barn Truss Spacing

Depending on the pole barn design, the trusses are spaced anywhere from 10 feet to 12 feet apart. When compared to conventional stick frame buildings – which have a standard roof truss spacing of 2 feet – the wider spacing of pole barn trusses helps reduce material and construction costs. 

Common Pole Barn Truss Design

There are three main pole barn truss options, each with its own design and cost advantages.  

Standard Trusses

Standard trusses – also known as common trusses – are the most common option for residential projects and pole barns, and they’re what we typically use for our customers’ pole buildings. The most economical truss option, standard trusses have a flat bottom and a 4/12 pitch for the roof. 

Pole Barn Scissor Truss

If you’re looking for a vaulted ceiling or extra clear space inside your pole barn, scissor trusses are your best design option. Unlike a standard truss’ flat bottom chord (the part that makes up the ceiling in a house), a scissor truss has a bottom chord with a 2/12 pitch that creates a little more interior clear space. 

Gambrel Trusses

When many people think of pole barns, they envision the iconic multi-pitched gambrel roof. This beloved barn aesthetic can be achieved with two different truss options, the choice of which depends upon the desired design and use of the pole building. 

Pole Barn Lean-to Trusses

Lean-tos are an incredibly popular pole barn accessory thanks to their simple construction and low cost to functionality ratio. As a lean-to is simply an additional roofing structure that extends from the main body of a pole barn – in other words, a covered porch – a lean-to has its own trusses that span between the barn exterior and lean-to posts, providing support and creating the slope of the lean-to’s roof. 

While these are all general examples of common pole barn trusses, your pole barn design and truss pitches and can be easily customized to meet your preferences for an additional cost. If you have any questions about trusses, pole barn design or the construction process, or if you’d like to speak to the Beehive Buildings team about planning your build, please contact us today!