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+ The foundation system · Perma-Column®

The foundation
is where cheap
buildings fail

Wood in the ground rots. Concrete doesn't. Century builds post-frame on the Perma-Column® precast concrete foundation system — ICC-ES code-certified, engineered to keep wood out of the soil entirely.

Get a Quote →How It Works
The problem, the fixConcrete below grade · Wood above
Diagram comparing a traditional buried wood post to the Perma-Column system: the precast concrete column elevates wood up and out of the ground, away from soil elements that destroy wood
How the system worksDiagram: Perma-Column®
The weak point, engineered out

Up and out of
the ground.

Every traditional pole barn shares the same weak point: a wood post buried in the soil, sitting exactly where moisture, microbes, and freeze-thaw cycles do their work. In Fargo-area clay that holds water, it's not a question of whether buried wood deteriorates — it's when.

The Perma-Column® system fixes the flaw instead of treating it. A precast concrete column goes in the ground; the laminated wood column bolts into a steel bracket above grade. Concrete handles the soil. Wood stays where wood belongs — high and dry.

In the ground, step by stepFrom soil to structure

Engineered, not improvised.

Four steps from the soil up — concrete where the ground is, wood where it isn't.

STEP 01

Concrete lower in the soil

A precast Perma-Column lower handles ground contact — concrete where the moisture is.

In the ground
Precast concrete10,000 PSI
Steel reinforcement60,000 PSI rebar
vs standard concrete3× stronger
BracketPowder-coated ¼" steel

Manufacturer specifications — Perma-Column® precast foundation systems. Brackets are robotically welded to reinforcement running the full length of the column.

Certified, not claimed

Code-certified.
Backed by
performance.

ICC-ES certified

Meets international building codes.

  • Evaluated by the International Code Council Evaluation Service (ICC-ES)
  • Certified compliant with the International Building Code® (IBC) and International Residential Code® (IRC)
  • Quicker permits and approvals — inspectors know the system is code-compliant
  • Confidence the foundation isn't a question mark on your project
Perma-Column Permanent Solutions shield
Manufacturer warranty

Guaranteed for generations.

Perma-Column® precast columns are engineered to protect the structural integrity of the building for generations — and backed by the manufacturer's limited lifetime warranty. Warranty terms are in the product guide below.

See it for yourself

Watch the system work.

Why Perma-Column: the permanent foundation — video thumbnail

Why Perma-Column: the permanent foundation

Installation: how the system goes in — video thumbnail

Installation: how the system goes in

Guides + downloads

Paperwork worth keeping.

Cover of the Perma-Column 2025 Post-Frame Products guide

Perma-Column® Product Guide

The full foundation system: models, specs, engineering data, and warranty terms — straight from the manufacturer.

Read or download →
Cover of the Rotted Posts repair guide

Rotted Posts? Repair Guide

How an existing pole barn's deteriorating posts can be repaired and restored with Perma-Column.

Read or download →
Steel building frame under erection beside a finished post-frame shop on a flat prairie site

Steel or Post-Frame? Buyer's Comparison

Cost, foundations, clear spans, insulation, lifespan — the complete guide to choosing your building system.

Read the guide →
Cover of the Project Planning Checklist

Project Planning Checklist

Site, use, budget, timeline — what to have in hand before your first call with any builder.

Read or download →

Got rotted posts right now? Talk to a builder — repair and restore is a real option, and we'll tell you straight if it isn't for your building.

Perma-Column questionsNo pressure. Just answers.

Foundation FAQs

Foundation questions, answered by the crew that installs the system — no sales script.

A Century builder talking through a project with a customerPrefer to just ask?701.371.6604Talk to a builder, not a salesperson.
Q.01What is a Perma-Column foundation?
It is a precast concrete column set in the ground with a laminated wood column attached above grade by an engineered steel bracket. The concrete handles the soil contact, so no wood is buried — eliminating the rot that ends most traditional pole-barn foundations.
Q.02Why put concrete in the ground instead of treated wood posts?
Even treated wood eventually decays where it meets soil and moisture, and a rotted post is expensive to fix once a building is up. Perma-Column keeps the wood above grade entirely, so the part of the structure most prone to failure is precast concrete rated at 10,000 PSI instead.
Q.03Does a Perma-Column foundation cost more than standard post-frame?
The foundation itself adds cost up front, but it removes the single most common long-term post-frame repair. On a building meant to last decades, Century specifies it as the standard foundation rather than an upsell — every Century post-frame building is engineered on it.
Q.04Can Perma-Column repair an existing pole barn with rotted posts?
Often, yes. The system can be used to repair and restore the foundation of an existing post-frame building with deteriorating posts. Whether it makes sense depends on your building — talk to a builder and we will tell you straight if it is not the right fix.
Q.05Is the system certified?
Yes. Perma-Column is an ICC-ES certified engineered product line installed to manufacturer specification — not a field-improvised concrete pour. Full models, specs, and warranty terms are in the product guide download on this page.

Building questions — cost, timelines, the full post-frame process — are on the post-frame buildings page.

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Planned down to
the last detail.

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