If you want to understand what makes post frame construction so practical, you have to go back to the days when it was not called anything at all. Just a few poles in the ground and a roof overhead, built with what a man had on hand and whatever time the weather allowed.
What we now call a pole barn did not start with blueprints or building codes. It started with resourcefulness, born out of the need for shelter, and shaped by the era’s limitations. The very first post frame buildings were not planned. They were repurposed. And the material at the center of it all was the wooden utility pole.
The Great Depression and the Rise of Rural Infrastructure
In the 1930s, America was in the thick of the Great Depression. Farm income had plummeted, dust storms plagued the plains, and families across rural America were doing everything they could to hang on. Around the same time, the federal government launched infrastructure projects to electrify rural areas and expand telephone access. That meant crews were installing long, pressure-treated wooden poles across thousands of miles of farmland.
These poles were typically made from durable species like southern yellow pine, western red cedar, or Douglas fir. They were treated with creosote, a tar-based preservative that helped the poles resist moisture, rot, and insect damage. The poles averaged 25 to 40 feet in length, and they were plentiful. This was especially true when sections were replaced, trimmed, or abandoned as lines were upgraded.
For farmers with limited means but unlimited determination, these used poles were a gift.
From Poles to Posts: A New Way to Build
Early adopters of this idea did not write down what they were doing. There were no manuals, no kits, and no product numbers. A man might see a stack of old poles near the rail yard or ask the utility crew if they had extras, then load up his wagon or truck and bring them home. Once on-site, he would dig a hole with a shovel or post-hole auger, drop in the pole, and tamp the soil tight around it. If the ground was soft or prone to frost heave, he might add gravel or brace it with timbers.
He would do the same every eight to twelve feet, more or less, and begin running horizontal boards across those vertical posts to support siding and rafters. This system created the skeleton of what would become a barn, a shed, or a shelter for livestock or equipment. The technique spread fast. Not because it was fancy, but because it worked. It was:
- Fast to build, with minimal materials.
- Affordable compared to masonry or timber framing.
- Strong enough for the job, especially with a low-slope roof and simple bracing.
These were the original pole barns. Built not from a catalog, but from know-how and sweat.
The Shift from Round Poles to Sawn Timbers
As the idea gained traction, so did the headaches. Those old utility poles were inconsistent. They were round, tapered, and uneven. No two were alike, which made it difficult to attach girts or sidewall framing. Creosote also made them sticky and toxic to work with. If a man sunk a nail or tried to drill into one, he might come away with a ruined bit and a sore arm.
Builders began seeking more uniform alternatives. That brought in sawn timbers. These were square-cut posts, often 6×6 or 8×8, treated with newer preservatives such as CCA (chromated copper arsenate). These timbers were easier to notch, brace, and align with other framing members. The move from round to square was one of the first major steps in formalizing post frame construction.
Innovation Takes Hold: Laminated Columns and Engineered Trusses
By the 1970s, another major innovation changed the game. The laminated post, also called a nail-laminated column, began to replace solid timbers. Instead of relying on one heavy 6×6 post, builders started assembling columns from three or more 2x6s or 2x8s, nailed or screwed together. Laminated columns were stronger, straighter, and easier to produce at scale.
These laminated posts were:
- Straighter, reducing twisting and bowing during or after construction.
- Stronger, since defects in one ply were offset by the others.
- Lighter, making them easier to handle and set in place.
More versatile, allowing buildings to go taller or wider with consistent load paths.
Around this same time, pre-engineered roof trusses became more common. Trusses could span wide distances without needing interior support posts, making the inside of a pole barn open and usable from wall to wall. With laminated posts holding the walls and engineered trusses spanning the roof, the modern post frame building had arrived.
Why the System Took Root
Once the system matured, its advantages became undeniable. Farmers, contractors, and even municipalities began using post frame construction for a wide variety of buildings, including:
- Equipment storage barns
- Livestock shelters and loafing sheds
- Commercial shops and fire stations
- Garages, hobby barns, and even houses
Post frame buildings were efficient to build, handled wind and snow loads effectively, and could be customized with lean-tos, overhead doors, insulation, and slab foundations. Instead of continuous perimeter footings, builders could anchor posts in the ground, use pier footings, or install posts atop concrete with bracketed stem wall systems.
Post frame construction became the go-to system for anyone who needed strength, space, and value.
From Depression-Era Ingenuity to Engineered Building Kits
Today, we do not build with discarded telephone poles. At DIY Pole Barns, we supply fully engineered kits designed to meet modern building codes and live up to today’s standards. Our laminated posts are structurally rated and pressure-treated. Our trusses are prebuilt. Our steel siding and roofing come with a limited lifetime warranty on both the structure and the painted finish.
Still, we carry the spirit of those first builders. The ones who made something out of nothing and built with care because they had to.
What started as a post in the ground and a roof to keep the rain off has grown into a building method trusted from the Carolinas to the Rockies. From hay barns to barndominiums, the legacy lives on.
When you’re ready to build with a team that honors that history while providing the confidence of modern engineering, give us a call at 800-622-4242 or visit diypolebarns.com. We will help you create something strong, smart, and made to last.
Albert Barnwright
Historian in the Shop, Builder in the Field
Design Your New Pole Barn Today – Get an Instant Quote Online!
Call our knowledgeable staff at 800-622-4242. If you’re ready to build your pole building, lock in a quote with DIY Pole Barns using our Instant Quote tool!
Connect with us on social media!