Designing Barns
The first step: Define the barn's purpose.
The design of the barn can accommodate many needs, and the design will vary depending on how you intend to use the barn. If you intend it for livestock, vehicles, or horses, or if you want a workshop or simply storage, you will want certain features. Define those needs first.
- Stalls: Horse barns are typically based on stall design, with the standard stall size in the industry being a 12' by 12' stall. (Photo 0)
- Aisle: Most people also want an aisle to provide access for vehicles to deliver hay and grain and to provide a space where they can groom and tack horses. As a result, horse barns are typically 24' wide with stalls down one side, or 36' wide with stalls on both sides.
- Storage: Other ingredients to consider are grain storage, tack storage, a wash stall, and access to the second floor if a second floor is desired.
- Second floor: Generally a 36' wide barn with a reasonable pitch (anywhere from 8/12 to 12/12 pitch) generates a large amount of useable space on the second floor. Consider, do you want to use this space for hay or horse drawn vehicle storage, an apartment (which depends on your specific local codes), workshop, or leave it open to above? Because all of the weight of the structure is carried on the points (point loading) or posts, you can configure the second floor in a variety of ways: it can be the same area as the first floor, or just an area around the sides, or really any size you want.
- Access: Whatever you want, remember to consider access from both the inside and outside.
We generally frame barns with a common rafter system. This means there is a rafter every four feet or four foot on center. The sheathing that you apply to the rafters depends on the roofing materials that you choose. We recommend a 2x6 tongue and groove planking for sheathing under asphalt shingles. This provides adequate structural support, plus you don't see nails protruding through the sheathing.
A metal roof can be applied to 1" boards since the material is relatively light. It can also be applied to 2 x 4s nailed onto the rafters at 2' on center (see the roof manufacturer's specifications). Wood shingles can be attached to furring strips nailed onto the rafters with spaces between them, again depending on the type of shingles being used.
Building Basics
The barn's foundationWe recommend digging a foundation for your barn. We typically use a 4' frost wall. We then apply a 4" x 8" sill to the foundation and then frame our posts into that sill. See photo 1.
Bents and bays
Most barns are framed in bents and the area between the bents is
referred to as a bay. Each bent is constructed of posts and girts that are on each gable end and then found parallel at other points throughout the barn. For instance, a barn that is 36' x 48' would generally have 4 bents 36' long and bays at 12' on center. Bents are preassembled and are each then raised as a unit with a crane. See photos 2, 3, and 4.
Plates and cupola
Once the bents are raised, the plates (members at the eaves that the rafters sit on) are connected to the bents (see photo 5). The rafters are then installed (see photo 6). At this point the cupola that has been preassembled is raised. The cupola is our signature that we like to have on the barn. We typically curve the rafters on the cupola. (See photos 7 and 8.)
Sidewall purlins and sheathing
Next the sidewall purlins are installed (photo 9). These provide the nailing surface for the vertical sheathing. Most people use shiplap pine boards for the sheathing and these are nailed directly to the sidewall purlins. The purlins frame the windows and doors and therefore are placed to accommodate your choice of doors and windows.
Partitions
Stall partitions can be fastened to posts with cleats or channels.
Custom height and pitch
Remember that within these parameters, the barn can be just what you need. We can adjust wall height, ceiling height, and roof pitch to design a barn that meets your needs.
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