Alright folks, Albert Barnwright here, and today I want to talk about something that’s foundational to keeping your pole barn standing tall and true through all kinds of weather. When you’re putting up that pole barn of yours, you want those big posts to stay put, right where you plant ’em. No shifting around, no lifting up, and certainly no leaning like they’ve had a bit too much cider. That’s where something called “uplift cleats” comes into play, and let me tell you, they’re a mighty important part of making sure your barn stands strong for the long haul, no matter what Mother Nature or the ground itself tries to do.
Here at DIY Pole Barns, we like to keep things simple, strong, and easy enough for any dedicated do-it-yourselfer to handle. So, let’s talk about these uplift cleats: what they’re for, why you absolutely need ’em, how some folks do it, and why we stick to our way with parallel treated 2×6 cleats – and no concrete mixing involved.
Why Your Posts Need These Uplift Cleats
These uplift cleats are real important for fighting off two main kinds of trouble: “uplift” forces that try to pull your posts right out of the ground, and “lateral” forces that try to push ’em sideways.
Now, where do these forces come from?
That Pesky Wind
When a strong wind whips over and around your barn, it can create a kind of suction that wants to lift the roof and tug those posts upward. Wind also pushes hard against the sides of your building, which can try to make your posts lean over or even slide up out of their holes.
The Ground Itself (Heavin’ and Shiftin’)
It ain’t just wind, though. The ground can heave upwards – that’s when the soil swells up and pushes things, often ’cause of water freezing and thawing, or just big changes in moisture. This is a particular bother in clay-heavy soils or places that see big seasonal changes. If your posts aren’t anchored down good and proper, your whole barn could shift, tilt, or even get yanked out of the ground over time. Uplift cleats help stop both that upward pulling and any sideways scooting by locking those posts firmly in the ground.
How These Cleats Actually Work Their Magic
It’s a pretty straightforward idea, really. Uplift cleats basically create a flat, horizontal surface down near the bottom of each post. When you attach a cleat – say, a piece of treated 2×6 lumber – across the post, the flat face of that board goes against the post, and the ends stick out a bit past each side, maybe about 3 inches or so. That part stickin’ out acts like a hook or an anchor.
Then, when you backfill the hole with good compactible gravel, that gravel packs in real tight all around those cleat ends, making it awfully hard for the post to get pulled up or shoved sideways. The cleat pretty much “locks” that post right in place, using the packed gravel and that anchor effect to fight off any upward or sideways push, even from that ground heave we talked about.
Different Ways Folks Try to Anchor Posts
Now, there are a few common ways folks try to get this anchoring job done:
- Rebar Pins: Some will drill holes through the bottom of the post and stick steel rebar through it. After the post is in the hole, they’ll pour dry concrete mix in around that post and rebar before they backfill the rest.
- Metal Uplift Plates: These are galvanized steel plates, sometimes with sharp barbs or teeth on ’em, that get hammered into the base of the post. Once the post is set, dry concrete mix goes in around the post and plate, and then they backfill.
- Notched or Grooved Posts: Other builders will cut notches or grooves into the bottom of the post. This creates a sort of “key” that’s supposed to get locked in place. And again, after the post is set, dry concrete mix is poured in around the post and into those notches before backfilling.
The DIY Pole Barns Way: Parallel 2×6 Treated Cleats (And No Concrete!)
Here’s where we do things a bit different, and I think a bit smarter for the DIY fella. For each post, we give you two 12-inch long, pressure-treated 2×6 cleats. You nail the flat face of each 2×6 to opposite sides of your post, down near the bottom, so the cleat sticks out past the post on each side – that’s your anchor. When you backfill that hole with good compactible gravel, it’s those overhanging edges of the cleats that grab ahold of that gravel and give you excellent holding power against both uplift and those sideways forces – and you don’t need a lick of concrete.
Why We Swear By Our 2×6 Cleats and Gravel Backfill
There are some real good reasons we like this method:
- No Concrete Needed, Period: You can skip lugging those heavy bags of concrete, no mixing, no waiting for it to set up. Just nail your cleats on, set your post, and backfill.
- Compactible Gravel is Your Best Friend for Backfill: We always tell folks to backfill their post holes with compactible gravel instead of just dirt. That gravel drains water away beautifully, it packs down real tight around your posts and cleats, and it helps stop things from settling or moving over time. Plain old soil, especially that sticky clay, doesn’t pack as well and can lead to your posts shifting or heaving up, particularly when it gets wet or goes through freeze-thaw cycles.
- Simple & Fast to Do: It’s easy to install these cleats with just your basic tools – perfect for do-it-yourselfers.
- Strong Holding Power: That bit of the cleat stickin’ out acts like a hook, locking your post in solid and fighting off both upward and sideways forces, including from wind and that sneaky ground heave.
- Keeps Things Drier: Using gravel for backfill helps keep extra moisture away from your posts, and that means less chance of rot and less trouble with frost heave.
- Built to Last: All the materials we use are rated for ground contact, so they’re built tough to last you a good long time.
How to Install Uplift Cleats the DIY Pole Barns Way
It’s as simple as this:
- Cut two pieces of your 2×6 treated lumber into 12-inch lengths.
- Nail the flat face of each of those boards to opposite sides of your post, down near the base, makin’ sure the cleat sticks out past the post on each side.
- Carefully lower that post down into your hole, cleats at the bottom.
- Backfill around the post with your compactible gravel, tamping it down good in layers as you go up.
That’s pretty much it – no concrete, no big mess, just a solid-set post ready for you to start framing on.
So, What’s the Long and Short of It?
Uplift cleats might seem like a small detail, but they’re a vital part of any pole barn, protecting your investment from those powerful forces of wind, weather, and the ground itself trying to heave things around. They keep your posts anchored against both upward and sideways movement, making sure your barn stands strong and proud for years to come. Now, every other way of doin’ uplift cleats – those rebar pins, metal plates, and notched posts – they all need you to pour dry concrete mix around the post and cleat for them to work right. That means extra materials to buy, more steps in your build, and a bigger mess to deal with.
Here at DIY Pole Barns, our way with the parallel 2×6 cleats gives you all the holding power you need against uplift and lateral forces, with none of that concrete hassle. Plus, using that compactible gravel for your backfill means better drainage and a foundation for your barn that’s going to last you even longer.
Want more tips and tricks for your next project? You stick with DIY Pole Barns – we’re here to help you every step of the way!
You take care,
Albert Barnwright
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