Pole Building Vocabulary

All of The Pole Barn Terminology You Need to Know

In the world of pole building, there’s all sorts of terminology thrown around that you may not be familiar with. If you find yourself scratching your head when you hear words like “purlin,” or “gambrel,” we’re here to help. 

Take some time to look over this list of pole building terms before you invest in a building of your own and you’ll have the confidence to talk shop like a seasoned professional. 

Pole Building Glossary

Accessory

Any architectural features added to the structure of the building, such as a cupola or hay door. 

Addition

An extension to an existing building; usually an addition will increase floor space or height.

Awning 

A projection from the roof that is attached to and supported by the building, also known as a porch or a lean-to. 

Bay

The distance between structural posts along the building’s length. 

Beam

A horizontal structural member that provides support.

Building Code

Regulations put in place by a city or county to describe design procedures, loads, and other construction details.

Chords

The top and bottom of a building’s roof truss. 

Cladding

The exterior coverings of a building, i.e. metal cladding, wood, stucco, or brick.  

Clear Height 

The vertical distance between the floor and the bottom chord of the truss. 

Clear Span

The horizontal distance between structural posts, for example, from one exterior wall to opposing exterior wall with no posts in the middle. 

Closure Strip

A foam strip that contours to ribbed metal panels to close any openings between the metal and the framing. 

Cupola

The small structure on top of a roof that holds a weathervane. 

Dimensional Lumber

A piece of lumber that has been cut to a specific size, such as a 2×4, 2×6, or 6×6. 

Door Guide

A track that stabilizes a sliding or rolling door during use. 

Dual Pitch Roof

A gable roof where the slope on one side is steeper than the other. 

Eave

The line where the sidewall and the roof plane intersect. 

Eaves Light

A translucent panel that is installed on the top of the wall underneath the eave to allow more natural light into the building. 

Entry Door

Also called a man door, a walk door, or a personnel door, this is a standard hinged door that allows for access to a building by turning a doorknob (or lockset). 

Fascia

A flat piece of material running horizontally on the end of the trusses. 

Flashing

Components used to create weather-tightness at breaks or openings and enhance a building’s look. 

Flying Gable

A triangular shaped overhang of the roof on the gable wall of the building. 

Frame

Primary members of the pole building structure. 

Frame Spacing

The distance between the primary members of the post frame. 

Gable

A roof with two sloping sides. 

Gable Wall

Also referred to as an endwall, this wall is perpendicular to the ridgeline of the building. It is typically the triangular shaped wall on the building. 

Galvanized

Steel that has been coated with zinc to help it resist corrosion. 

Gambrel

A “traditional” barn style roof. This style is similar to gable, except the pitch changes from being very steep at the eaves to being less steep between the eaves and the ridge. 

Girts

Horizontal structural member (usually a 2×6) that runs between posts. 

Grade

The elevation of the floor of the building. 

Hay Door

An architectural feature to simulate an active hay door, most recognizable as the elevated “double x” door on the gable wall of a building. 

Headers

Beams used to support roof trusses over door openings. 

IBC (International Building Code)

A unified set of standard regulations based on years of industry experience and expertise. 

Insulation

Material used to cut down on heat transfer. 

Jamb

Vertical framing members at the sides of an opening, like a door or window. 

Lean-To

An extension from a building with a sloped roof that “leans” on the structure for support, such as a porch. 

Length

The distance from gable wall to gable wall. 

Loft

A second story of a pole building, usually supported by beams and posts. 

Man Door

The same thing as a personnel door, walk door, or entry door. 

Metal Cladding

Metal exterior coverings, usually made of steel, which are fastened to the frame of the building. 

Monitor

A building with a standard gable roof that features a raised center section, and two enclosed lean-to’s on each side. 

Nominal Size

The named size of a framing member, which may be different from the actual size. For example, a 2×4 is actually 1 ½” x 3 ½”. 

On Center

The spacing from the center of one post to the next post center.  

Overhang

The portion of the roof that projects past the edge of the sidewall. A standard overhang is 12” wide. 

Overhead Door

Doors installed on vertical tracks that open upward, otherwise known as a garage door. 

Personnel Door

The same thing as a man door, entry door, or walk door. 

Pier

Also known as a pier footing, a 24-36” vertical column that is poured in concrete that allows the post load to be dispersed below the frost level in the ground. 

Pitch

The angle of a roof. A standard pole building has a 4/12 pitch. 

Plumb

Vertically straight up and down. 

Post Frame

A structural frame of a building made of wood posts. 

Post Height

The height of the non-buried portion of a post. 

Purlin

A framing material (usually a 2×6) that runs from truss to truss to support the roof. The roof cladding is attached to the purlins. 

Radiant Barrier

A type of building material that reflects thermal radiation and reduces heat transfer. Radiant barrier is also used to minimize condensation in a pole building; it is typically installed between the cladding and the purlins. 

Rafter

A truss. 

Ridge

The peak of the roof. 

Skirt Boards

A pressure-treated 2×8 installed at the bottom of the wall in place of the bottom girt. 

Sliding Door

A door supported by wheels in a track that moves horizontally along the face of the building, also known as barn doors. 

Soffit

Covering for the bottom of roof overhangs. 

Treated Wood

Dimensional lumber that has been treated with a preservative to prevent rot and termite damage. 

Trim

Metal pieces that trim out the edges of steel cladding.

Truss

A pre-manufactured rigid structure that spans the width of the building from one post to another; a truss is what forms the slope of the roof. 

Vented Ridge

Component that allows air to escape through the peak of the building. 

Wainscot

Material on the lower section of a wall used mainly to add to the look of a building. 

It can be overwhelming trying to navigate a topic you’re not familiar with; hopefully this guide to pole building vocabulary makes it easier to discuss your potential project with confidence. 

Once you’ve got the hang of all the lingo, contact Beehive Buildings to test out your new knowledge!