Concrete poles

just checked with local concrete company for price of concrete for our new home....quoted $150. a yard

Another option, Scrap or Seconds Pipe Sales.  We have one in Owensville MO.  6x6 or 4x6 Square Steel pipe or even tube(Thinner wall) set a mounting bolt square in a concrete pier, drill pads and weld to one end of pipe, set pipes, can add plates with drilled holes for Girts and still build pole barn style., "L" Saddle at the top for truss nailer plate.  Set them 6 or 8'OC at the ends diagonal brace reverse from each end and will be solid, secure, square.

IF determined to go Wood, expand on some considerations.  Wood post generally do not rot off Below Grade, they rot At grade where the Biologic critters live, treating only preserves the post against insects, not fungus or bacteria which essentially is what creates the rot.  Wrapping the Wood post with tar glued plastic and are post wraps available to do same thing, well above grade line will reduce the problem just not eliminate it.  Are several new materials to fill the holes instead of conventional stone millings or screenings(IE Concrete Foam), can even set Piers some 30-48" into soil with a Post anchor on top set to Height where the post themselves will not be wetted or available to munching microbes.

Edited by DMiller - 21 Sep 2021 at 4:37am

Why not get used telephone poles? Heck, buy new ones?

Yep, the price for lumber today after hurricanes is too high. Using concrete poles instead of wood 6x6ms is more complex than lumber poles. I don't know much about building a shed with concrete poles. You might need to use the concrete contractors' company at least for planning your building. When I met this kind of problem building a new shed for my car, I went to professionals in my area fremontconcretepros.com, this company solved my problem, after the hurricane I needed only to do a small repair on the roof.

Edited by Donaker - 22 Sep 2021 at 2:37pm

You can also laminate the post.. build them out of 3 or 4  2 x 6.. PT in the ground, above  ground can be pine.

YEP..... concrete has very little STRENGTH in bending... Only in compression ( down ward force)... Its the REBAR that does all the STRENGTH part.

well, there are a dozen movies on you- tube about building concrete posts... almost every one is from overseas... and they tend to be 10 ft or shorter.... but here is the idea.. cheapest version seems to be a wood form ..... oil the inside ( or have screwed together so you can take it apart) ... put down 1 inch concrete, drop in a couple rebar... add 4 inches concrete... more rebar.. and an inch of concrete on top... as Coke said, you need to put a wood knock off form on the top to eventually set a rafter onto, etc..

Current pricing for treated 6x6x16 is $100 each. A 6x6x16 concrete post contains 4 cubic feet. I can mix my own concrete for less than $50 per yd. So that means I can make a 6x6x16 concrete post for less than $10 in concrete plus rebar. I’ve got a pile of rebar I got off a job they were going to throw away. That is what got me to thinking about it.

Concrete in structural form is used every day in building both in columns,  floors, walls , and even poles .  Might check with a pre-stressed concrete supplier on what is out there . 
 I did several house basement excavations where superior wall product was used , precast concrete with nailer's set in concrete and insulation cast into it also - bolt flanges on end of each 8' section to join to next section . these were set on a trench or compacted rock so no footing except rock trench . 
 Full building both below and above ground portions use similar systems . 
Another building I worked on used 8' x 20' x 6" prestressed concrete slabs stood vertical on a concrete footing so the slabs were buried 3' into ground so interior ceiling was set on bar joists allowing 16' height inside . .
  My tuck under garage on this house has a prestressed concrete ceiling that is also the floor to the room above interior of the garage is free span of 25' with the 3' planks topped with 3" of concrete . 

Edited by jaybmiller - 23 Dec 2020 at 10:50am

It's been a few years since I saw it but in Fl. not very far from where the Florida Fly Wheelers grounds is a place that makes very large concrete power poles. They tapered and hollow. 

Edited by Dusty MI - 22 Dec 2020 at 8:04pm

Then the huricanes hit the south and the lumber price made another jump up by it should settling down now