A Look at How Long Post Frame Building Foundations Can Last
Well, the answer depends on what method you use!
The typical options we see most builders using are as follows:
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Treated wood post in ground
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Post Protector Sleeve (or some other sleeve/wrap)
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Perma-Column (or other full concrete post base)
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Perma-Column wet/dry-set bracket
You can see our video breakdown that we made a few years ago of each of these options by clicking here or scrolling to the bottom of this post.
Treated wood post in ground
This method used to be the most common and is still used quite often as it will last a very long time in the right conditions. A well treated post is supposed to last 50+ years without any significant rot and in well drained soil/sand, that is common. However, if you have wet, heavy soil around the post or moisture and bacteria from inside the building from animals, rinsing the floor or hay packed up against the exposed base of the post, that life span can be drastically reduced and you may see significant rot within 10 years or less, depending on the conditions.
The cost efficiency is the best for this method for obvious reasons, but saving a buck now may not always be the best option. If you are using this method, make sure you have ideal conditions for it and realize that the lifespan won’t be as long as other methods.
Post Protector sleeves
Here at Milmar, we have encouraged our buyers to use Post Protectors on all buildings. Post Protector sleeves are not thin wraps like you may have seen that allow rot to continue. Post Protector sleeves are meant to last well over 150 years and if installed properly, they will keep any rot from happening on your posts. Simply put, no soil/bacteria contact, NO ROT! They are full 60″ HDPE sleeves that are durable and look much better than dipping your post in tar or wrapping it in a plastic product. This is a great option if you don’t want any of your posts to be in direct contact with the soil, but also don’t want to spend a huge chunk of money on a full concrete foundation system. They also can be trimmed back for aesthetic appeal fairly easily, if desired.
Perma-Column concrete post base
Perma-Columns are ideal if you want a full concrete foundation for your building and can be especially helpful for Barndos because bank funding for a Post Frame Home can sometimes be restricted without a full concrete foundation system. The life span on these 10,000 PSI concrete bases is warrantied on their website to last for generations. With full rebar reinforcement and 1/4″ steel brackets that the post sits in well above grade make this a solid choice for a lifetime and beyond product. These do come at a higher price than the other options, but when building your home or a commercial structure, you might want to consider using the highest grade foundation option for peace of mind.
Perma-Column Wet/Dry-set brackets
These options are essentially just taking the top 1/4″ steel bracket that makes the Perma-Column post connection so strong and incorporating them into use on either a pre-poured traditional foundation with the dry set brackets or drilling posts holes, filling them with concrete and inserting the wet-set brackets before the concrete fully sets with welded on pieces of rebar on the bottom of the U-bracket. Lifespan for these would be just as long as a typical concrete foundation wall for a house which is anywhere from 80-150+ years depending on how it is built.
In summary:
At Milmar Buildings, we are always adapting to the best methods of protecting your investment, and we highly recommend people use some form of foundation upgrade to keep soil contact away from your posts whether that be Post Protectors or Perma-Column products.
If you need help planning out your post frame project, feel free to reach out to us and we'll be happy to assist you.
Originally posted on Dec 20, 2022
