Concrete walls strengthen post-frame farm buildings

Sanitary and durable, the typical 4-foot-high walls are easy to form

Concrete panels cast in place between standard post framing members. Metal roofing and partial siding combine with wood and concrete in a farm structure which uses all materials to best advantage.

Placing concrete in wall forms between posts of typical farm building. Most modular wall forming systems are suitable for this purpose. Full sheets of plywood may also be used with loose hardware forming systems.

imple construction techniques can easily be applied to strengthen pole and post-frame farm buildings. Basically, the idea is to use 4x8-foot sheets of 34-inch exterior grade plywood and necessary hardware to form weatherproof, impact-resistant concrete walls between the poles or posts of new or existing buildings. Simple, readily available form ties and brackets are used to hold the forms securely in place. Any one of several modular form panel systems could be adapted for use in place of the plywood. The 4x8-foot sheets of oiled plywood are placed with the long dimension horizontal to form a 4-foot-high wall that fits neatly between posts with the standard 8-foot spacing. The thickness of the wall depends on the intended use of the structure. A minimum thickness can be used for buildings where little impact is expected, such as machinery storage and multipurpose buildings. Eight inches is a practical thickness for buildings framed with 6-inch posts and 2-inch girts. By including an inch or more of polystyrene sheet in the center and using two-step construction, a very rugged insulated wall can be built. This type of wall is ideally suited for hog farrowing houses and confinement structures where temperature control is vital. Walls may be constructed flush with both sides of the poles or posts, or wrapped around one or both sides of the posts to prevent air seepage. By extending the walls 10 or 12 inches into a narrow trench below grade, an effective rat barrier is formed.

No reinforcement is required in the walls since the plain concrete wall will support its own weight. A common practice is to drive metal pins into the posts or to insert short lengths of reinforcing bar in holes drilled through the posts to hold the concrete panels in place. A regular framing system with wood truss roof and metal skin completes the structure. As little as 12 cubic yard of ready mixed concrete is required for each panel in this type of construction. A minimum of six panels should be poured at one time for economical ready mix delivery. The plywood forms can be stripped the day after pouring the concrete, then reoiled and reset using new ties. Thus the wall can be built in easy stages with only a minor investment in forming material. With reasonable care, forms can be reused many times.

Farmers find that concrete walls in combination with their post-frame buildings provide a sturdy, rugged structure that will withstand the hard blows of machinery and livestock.

Acknowledgment Thanks to the Indiana Concrete Council for pictures and information presented in the article above.

PUBLICATION #C810477
Copyright 1981, The Aberdeen Group All rights reserved