# Building A New Barn- Floor Plan Layout Questions



## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

My preference is separate. Just always made more sense. If it is large enough so feed can stay on one side and tack on the other then if you plant on heating or cooling, even dehumidifying then there is benefit to one space. How rodent tight will the space be?


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

We have corrals off both horse entryways to the barn. Makes it handy to be able to shut them into a smaller lot when vet or farrier is coming. We don't really have stalls just an enclosed lean-to that has gates I can close to divide them at feeding time. Any other time the gates are back against the wall and they are free to come in and out at will. I find this set up very convenient. Yes to dividing feed and tack room, especially if you are going to store some hay in it. It will keep your tack a lot cleaner. I might steal a couple of feet from the feed room and add it to the tack room if it was me but I have a lot of tack. LOL Nice barn!


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## Cliodona (Mar 4, 2021)

QtrBel said:


> My preference is separate. Just always made more sense. If it is large enough so feed can stay on one side and tack on the other then if you plant on heating or cooling, even dehumidifying then there is benefit to one space. How rodent tight will the space be?


For the tack/feed rooms we are going to have them completely enclosed with a combo of steel/tile on the walls, floor and ceiling to prevent anything from chewing through along with actual doors that can properly seal. Any food will be in airtight containers as well.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

I have a combined tack , feed room. I hate it. Feed spills and if you miss some it encourages mice. My had shed is separate away from the horses by 20 or more feet, But I do not get snow. You will want room to maneuver that tractor, and if you have to drag or use the bucket to get into the stall you will find it a tight fit. I like the ideas of corrals off a stall, but I would make them wider for the end pens and have a gate large enough to get the tractor into the pens so you can drag and add dirt etc.


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## puff (Jan 18, 2021)

What size stalls? My barn is 60x80, tack room, wash rack with hot/cold water (doubles as a groom rack with cross ties), feed area (all grain is in 55 gal drums with lids so no critters can get in the feed. Have six 12x12 stalls and two 12x22 stalls one with a closed circuit camera for foaling. Don't have any attached runs as I don't like them. Light over every stall and down the alley way.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

_First off... _* WELCOME to the Forum!!*
I'll offer my opinion at each question in your post.


Cliodona said:


> Hi everyone! We just moved to our new 30 acre farm in Iowa and it is pretty much a blank slate other than the pre-existing house and 32x60' workshop. We are in the process of getting quotes for a 42'x70' barn to be built this summer and I have a couple things I'm not sure on since we are still in the planning stages trying to figure the floor plan etc. I have included a picture of the floor plan we most likely will base the barn off of and an exterior design we liked.
> 
> 1. We found a pre-made floor plan that we like, but it has a seperate 16'x14' tack room and a 16'x14' feed room. Since this will be our own private barn I'm wondering if there are any real benefits to a separate tack and feed room? Has anyone found with their private barns that they loved having them separate? Should we maybe just combine the two for a larger 32'x14' tack/feed room? My family's barn growing up didn't even have a tack or feed room so I'm not 100% sure which one I would prefer😅
> _I would keep the areas separate so you can "de-humidify" the air if needed to prevent mold on your tack and more importantly, it is amazing how much dust and dirt is associated with feed that will then make filth to your tack._
> ...


_The only part of things I will say is the layout to me is unfriendly.
A feed stall needs in middle of the stall location so shorter distance to travel carrying feed scoops/buckets makes it easier on you...add in mess of hay dropping is less distance traveled.
If you can incorporate hay drops into your stalls from the hayloft it might be something to think about if you would have very easy access of a staircase not ladder and a large enough loft to not cover the drop doors and prevent use...a expense to incur but can work and also offer ventilation of heat rises when using those cupolas you like.

Your wash stall for me would be on a corner of the barn so if it floods it not flood the barn but out the door..unless you are doing shows during winter though in your climate a outdoor wash rack is what I would want and not in my barn at all.
Few times in winter is it necessary or advisable to soak a horse to the skin bathing does.
Heated water access might work if that is a goal too better from that location.
Here your window idea would offer you extra natural lighting.
A wash stall could also double as a vet/farrier use area.
Strategically placed electrical outlets in this area to me are a must for injury site prep cleanup makes most sense to do in a area where supplies are easily at hand.
Placing wash stall on outside wall with adjoining feed stall wall allows use of plumbing centrally located and to the hydrant close by too...but winter cold needs to strongly be addressed or frozen & busted pipes you shall have in your bathroom shown.

Water hydrant of frost free if you live where it freezes would be placed center of the barn so hoses are kept to minimum length and or piping of water to spigots is also shorter distances. Ability to shut off and drain away is a must for you.
All electrical inside conduit so no chewing by vermin happens.
Many outlets all GFCI so no extension cords are needed in the barn is safest.
When you get to the stall fan issue, hard-wired and sealed motor are non-negotiable to me but a must..

When you discuss location of the barn, find high ground and then make it higher to gather the cooling winds and catch the suns rays warming wanted in winter. Your local AG department should be able to offer great insight about this.
A high pad, and would be larger than the structure itself so water drainage is away and not tempted to stand close to the barn creating mud in warm weather and icing in cold allows your horses to go outside in near any kind of climate conditions.You don't need a high pad, but a graduated slope works to carry away the wet year round..if money is no object I would do a 50' perimeter of the barn exterior dimensions to assure good sloping drainage away...

Fencing is a must and with property of this size perimeter fence is a must and then a second fence inside so if a escapee they not get off of but get contained within your land safe till you get to them to bring home where they belong..
Gates connecting pasture to pasture large enough to take a brush-hog or other needed implements, trucks & trailers can be accomplished easily but do also include some walk through smaller so not needing to always open 12'+ gates allows you to control the horse herd movement safely and easier.
Because you have a 26HP tractor does not mean that is what you shall keep....that is 5' maybe 6' implements.
Kind of think you will be upsizing to around 40HP, that means large implements in width so larger size in aisle and gate openings plan for now or regret.
If you bought a bucket loader, you will be glad for the extra width clearance in the barn and around the property doing farm chores.

These are some manufacturers who might give you some other ideas to incorporate or not in your plans...





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Don't not consider a pole barn that allows you many options of a continuous roof or several roof heights and finishing underneath as you wish...
{I have a pole barn my husband & I finished ourselves..When we bought we were told using multiples of 12' is cheaper in lumber costs to add to our structure if that helps you at all. So 48'x72' might be cheaper to build than 40'x70' and give you more space to plan/play with.}
Modular barns also are a huge draw today as they can be made elsewhere and delivered in sections, put together and finished in less than a weeks time...
Your pad & concrete work needs done and cured first of course to withstand the considerable load you will be placing on it but that is true no matter what kind of barn or who it is constructed by happens.

*Enjoy your barn project* and consider making a journal here to document the progress as your dream on paper becomes a reality. 
🐴..._


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## Cliodona (Mar 4, 2021)

puff said:


> What size stalls? My barn is 60x80, tack room, wash rack with hot/cold water (doubles as a groom rack with cross ties), feed area (all grain is in 55 gal drums with lids so no critters can get in the feed. Have six 12x12 stalls and two 12x22 stalls one with a closed circuit camera for foaling. Don't have any attached runs as I don't like them. Light over every stall and down the alley way.


The stalls will be all 14'x14' except for the one area that's 12'x14' I am thinking about turning into an additional stall. I like the idea of lights above every stall and down the aisle!


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I’ve had combined and separate Feed and Tack rooms and found having them separate worked way better.
Not sure if you can tweak the plans but 12 x 12 is plenty big enough 6 horses if you maximize storage space using kitchen base and wall units.

What I do find really useful is having a separate area for shavings and tools and a separate area for blanket storage


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Cliodona said:


> The stalls will be all 14'x14' except for the one area that's 12'x14' I am thinking about turning into an additional stall. I like the idea of lights above every stall and down the aisle!


If you do this might I suggest each stall has a light switch so you not have to light the entire barn length...
And do sectional lighting might also work...again, not needing to light the entire thing.
And.... light switch at either end that can shut off the aisle lights lit so not walking through a dark aisle-way.
🐴 ...


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## Cliodona (Mar 4, 2021)

horselovinguy said:


> _First off... _* WELCOME to the Forum!!*
> I'll offer my opinion at each question in your post.
> 
> _The only part of things I will say is the layout to me is unfriendly.
> ...


Wow so many great points and things to consider! I definitely think your ideas of moving the wash stall to the corner and feed to the middle are going to be changes we will make along with extended the elevated pad around the barn. For the perimeter fencing we were debating between Option 1: Five strand fence with 4 lines being poly-coated hot wire and the top being a wide vinyl "hot rail" like in the attached picture. Or Option 2: No Climb horse fence with a line of coated hot wire 6 inches from the ground and vinyl "hot rail at the top". All fence posts will be the larger round wooden posts as well. Any other ideas are definitely welcome too. Money isn't really an issue especially when it comes to fencing, we would like it done correctly the first time. As for the tractor, I definitely agree with the larger horse power and we will be buying another tractor in the next 6 months. We are still going to keep the smaller one for mowing around the barn, mucking stalls etc. just because it's easier to maneuver in smaller areas. I am also contemplating making the aisle 16' in case we need to bring the larger tractor through.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Cliodona said:


> As for the tractor, I definitely agree with the larger horse power and we will be buying another tractor in the next 6 months. We are still going to keep the smaller one for mowing around the barn, mucking stalls etc. just because it's easier to maneuver in smaller areas. I am also contemplating making the aisle 16' in case we need to bring the larger tractor through.


Depending upon how large and amenities of the tractor...make sure you have height clearance appropriate to bring it in the barn. You would have width clearance but watch the height.
To big can be as bad as to small trying to do a job efficiently.
For instance,..
We now have think it is 33HP, in actuality it is a 39 HP tractor engine with restrictor plate...fit is perfect for our needs.
We had a 50HP but it was to big and made more work than helped..
I would love to have the reach and power of a larger tractor though.
A 1 yard bucket or more when moving dirt, lifting power for those enormous round rolls, and a floating rear PTO would be heavenly for my ring/ground maintenance needs..
So many things to research and make decisions on...
🐴....


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