Are Double Stringers Necessary on a Pole Barn?

Pole Barn Foundation

• The foundation for a pole barn is a vertical pole that supports the walls and roof trusses. The pole is buried 32 to 36 inches into the ground and rests on a small concrete pad, which is poured into the foundation hole before the poles and walls are erected.

Pole Barn Wall Framing

• A pole barn's walls are framed with 2-by-4 studs, called girts, which wrap around the building horizontally. The girts pull the poles into a vertically plumb position, and are used to connect the steel panels used as siding when the building is complete. The poles and girts are visible on the inside of the building, which makes mounting equipment inside the building simple.

Pole Barn Double Header

• A double 2-by-12 stringer wraps around the interior and exterior of the building, at the top of the pole building walls. Standard wall construction creates a platform over which the weight of the roof trusses are distributed. So with standard construction, the walls are topped with a single plate, which lies horizontally on top of the wall. However, because pole barn walls are framed horizontally, a double stringer, also called a double header, is required at the top of the wall to support the weight of the roof trusses.