Building Components
What goes into a Sherman post-frame building — from the columns in the ground to the cupola on the ridge.
Engineered Parts, Built as a System
A post-frame building is only as good as the pieces it’s made of — and how those pieces fit together. For 50 years, Sherman Buildings has sourced, stocked, and installed the same proven set of components across thousands of pole barns, garages, machine sheds, commercial buildings, and barndominiums in Minnesota.
Below is a walkthrough of the major components that go into a typical Sherman build. Every project is custom-engineered, so specific sizes, gauges, and packages are dialed in when we quote your building.
Structural Frame
The skeleton of the building — engineered for your site’s snow load, wind exposure, and frost depth.
Pressure-Treated Columns
Laminated pressure-treated columns form the backbone of every Sherman building. Set below frost depth and engineered for upper Midwest wind and snow loads, they give post-frame its signature strength without the cost of a full foundation.
Engineered Roof Trusses
Prefabricated, site-specific trusses give you wide clear spans with no interior posts — ideal for machine sheds, garages, and open shop floors. Each truss package is engineered to the local snow load for the build site.
Wall & Roof Purlins
Kiln-dried dimensional lumber purlins tie the frame together and provide the fastening substrate for roofing and siding. Spacing is engineered to the load, not to a one-size-fits-all package.
Concrete Footings
Columns are anchored in concrete footings sized to the structure and soil conditions. Optional full slabs, thickened edges, or approach aprons can be scoped at design time.
Roof & Wall Envelope
The weather-facing layer — steel, trim, insulation, and ventilation that keep the inside comfortable and the frame dry.
Steel Roofing & Siding
Sherman installs heavy-gauge steel roofing and siding in a wide range of profiles and colors. Panels carry long manufacturer warranties and stand up to Minnesota sun, wind, and ice.
Trim & Closures
Matching steel trim, ridge caps, eave closures, and gable flashing seal the envelope against weather, pests, and wind-driven debris. Clean detailing is part of why Sherman buildings age well.
Insulation & Vapor Control
From basic vapor barriers on storage builds to fully insulated shops and barndominiums, we spec insulation packages to the building use — including spray foam, batts, and reflective systems.
Ventilation
Ridge vents, gable vents, and soffit systems manage moisture and temperature so your roof system, insulation, and stored equipment last.
Openings & Accents
Doors, windows, and architectural details that make the building work for how you’ll actually use it.
Overhead Garage Doors
Insulated and non-insulated overhead doors in sizes from single-car to aircraft hangar scale. See our garage door page for options, operators, and service.
Entry Doors & Windows
Steel entry doors, service doors, and energy-efficient windows placed where they actually help: natural light, ventilation, and code-compliant egress on residential builds.
Sliding & Bifold Doors
Classic sliding barn doors and wide-span bifold or hydraulic hangar doors for agricultural and aviation applications.
Cupolas, Dormers & Lean-Tos
Optional architectural upgrades that add character and usable space — from decorative cupolas to functional lean-to bays along either side of the main building.
Why Component Quality Matters
Post-frame buildings are often judged on their steel color or square footage — but the things that decide how long a building lasts are mostly invisible from the driveway. Column embedment depth, truss engineering, purlin spacing, fastener pattern, and flashing details all compound over decades.
Because Sherman operates its own lumber yard, we control the supply chain on most of what goes into your building. That means fewer substitutions, more consistency between jobs, and a crew that knows exactly how every piece is supposed to go together.
Have Questions About a Specific Component?
Tell us what you’re planning and we’ll walk you through the options — door sizes, insulation packages, trim colors, the works. Free quotes, no pressure.
Explore More Building Types
Sherman Buildings has been building quality post-frame structures for 50 years. Browse our full range of homes and pole buildings.
