Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Hanging Signs in a Pole Building

I am finishing up building a new pole building and will probably start hanging up some signs later this spring.

Wondering if anyone has any experience with hanging signs from the trusses of a pole building? I am concerned with the potential weight load on the bottom of the trusses.

Anyone have experiences or thoughts to share?

Bryce,
I have been hanging signs from the trusses on my barn using heavy eye bolts screwed into the bottom of the truss. I have no real concerns but then again I don't have a lot of big signs (yet). If you think you have too much weight on your trusses, I would be happy to stop by and relieve you of several of your signs so that you don't have to stay awake at night worrying about it.

BrianH

I'm not a structural engineer, but I would think if your trusses aren't safety factored higher than the weight of a few signs, you better hope you don't get a big wet snow.

Steve... that was my thought as well. But after reading, it seems the bottom cord of a truss isn't usually designed for much additional weight.

Cause snow weight would be on the roof & distributed to the posts, not necessarily putting much strain on the bottom of the truss

I have had signs hanging from my truss's for 20 years and so far no problems. And we get mucho snow around here, so the snow loads they must support are factored into my truss's. But I have often wondered if I was creating a problem?

I've never had a problem using the screw in eye bolts for signs that are 48" or smaller. For bigger heavier or neon signs I lay a piece of 2"x 2" square tubing in the attic across 3 trusses and loop the chain around the tubing. Although this requires drilling a hole in the ceiling to fit the chain through.

Bryce -check with the manufacturer if your really worried. Honestly Im thinking there should be no problem.Are you going to hang drywall as well? If you get the ones with the walls built in (Queen Truss??) then you have floor/ceiling joists, plenty of strength and a storage area. Worth the extra$$ IMO. Those are the type I would like to use if I ever get my building built.

the trusses are just the standard pole barn truss on 8ft centers. not sure who the manufacturer as the trusses were already up on the building when i bought it... it was an previously an open-sided hay barn that was built about 10 years ago, and I'm just closing it in and finishing it. you can kinda see the trusses in this picture...

Bryce,
I would think for metal porcelain signs, you really shouldn't have a problem. My 48" Shell is the biggest, heaviest sign I have and I be it's only 50 pounds or so. So even if you hung six of those across the same truss, that's only 300 pounds. Plus, the ones near the walls won't put as much strain on the truss since some of that weight would be transferred to the poles I would think. Now, if you had some large neon signs, I would be careful not to put those on the same truss and would span them across to distribute the weight better.

I see you didn't take me up on my offer Bryce...

BrianH

thanks for the opinion Brian... it helps. thats what im looking for, people with experience or stories of failures so that i dont experience the same, ha!

ill take you up on your offer, but at this point you have to buy the building too!

If it was permitted the building department should have the stamped approved truss calculation on file. It looks like you have 2x6 bottom cords. That should be plenty strong.

Bryce, for what it's worth your truss design is very similar to mine which you have seen and to date all is good. Hope I didn't just jinks myself?

My trusses are 2 ft OC and I have 6 ft porcelain signs hanging from them plus snow but they are within 8ft of the wall

No winter in Peoria Bryce? Looks like you'll have plenty of room for your "stuff"

actually the opposite... way too much winter here in Peoria! we've been seeing temps dip to -20 windchill for several days in the past week. here's the project currently, too cold to even work on the garage doors so i opted for tarps, ha.