# Building a barn - any tips?



## HombresArablegacy (Oct 12, 2013)

Not sure exactly how a trench drain looks, just going from your description. Metal grates running down the center of the aisle covering a trench make me a bit uneasy. If a horse steps on the grating and dislodge it, that could be dangerous. If they're shod, a shoe could catch on the grating. Again, just going from imagery based on your description. 
What you have in mind could be perfectly safe.

Your barn kit sounds really nice.


----------



## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

HombresArablegacy said:


> Not sure exactly how a trench drain looks, just going from your description. Metal grates running down the center of the aisle covering a trench make me a bit uneasy. If a horse steps on the grating and dislodge it, that could be dangerous. If they're shod, a shoe could catch on the grating. Again, just going from imagery based on your description.
> What you have in mind could be perfectly safe.
> 
> Your barn kit sounds really nice.


I hear you. I have seen it in some commercial barns. As long as you get the proper type, they are very safe.

Why I would love to go with the poly grate, it looks like I will need cast iron for horses. The channel drain is made from polymer and has about a 5-6 inch width at the top. Imagine a big "U" shaped duct that slopes from one end to the other. The concrete slab is poured around it. An iron grating sits on top and is bolted in place along the length. It isn't going anywhere. Drainage slots at the top are spaced fairly close together. While anything is possible, I really can't imagine a shoe catching (although it is a very good point and one I will double check on). These things are designed for heavy traffic. The "class" of grating I am looking at is rated one higher than the one used on driveways and roads. There are even heavier versions rated for use on airport runways.

Having something run the full length seems a better option than one or two catch basins. Those usually have larger grates that are not secured. They also usually involve the slab having a more complicated and more severe grade. With a channel/trench drain I could have everything simply slope at 1% towards the center aisle. Simpler for the contractor and easier on the horses.

At least that's the plan. 


Edited to add: found a photo online. This has a poly grate and not the same grade I am looking at, but should give an idea of the concept. This would be inside the concrete slab and the grate level with the floor.


----------



## HombresArablegacy (Oct 12, 2013)

Ahhhhh, very nice! Now I get it.


----------



## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

I just saw your post and like the idea of the drain but....._ {there is always a but :icon_rolleyes:..}
Some questions too....

 _With a grate and center drainage are your stalls opening to the inside?
Will you have cross-ties in the center aisle?
Will you have the ability to flush that drain clear with a hard, fast flow of water to dislodge, breakup and remove the debris that will fall in during a normal day of horses in a barn? 
You will need a pressurized flow of water to continue the strength and flow volume to keep any debris moving, not accumulating and starting a clog part way down the pipe.. 
I would not want just any type of pipe used but only a smooth interior surface for best moving and release of debris done...

You refer to the drain going to a pipe and away from the barn to a drainage area....
Will you be able to remove the accumulated debris at the "end of the pipe"?
Over time, and it might not take to much time it will stop draining and start to back up into the barn drains...
Another layer of screening under the larger grates to catch debris but allow water to run might work but also will be time consuming to maintain.

My thoughts are most stalls have shavings which accumulate in hooves. 
When the horse steps out of a stall onto concrete, the shavings dislodge and will be left in a trail down the aisle over that drain... Cleaning a horse you also pick feet....debris out of the hooves again falls on the floor and gets in the drain. 
Horses coming in from outside track in dirt, grass and such as they walk to their stalls, again on or near the grate. Sweeping the floor, some will still get in the drain...:x

Have you considered having your drain and a "catch" area close by instead of a drain-line and field? 
A gravel area maybe where water goes to and can drain from but the debris is collected and disposed of...
Are you planning on having a indoor wash stall? 
I would drain that wash stall separate as a large volume of water is used...sometimes flushing away a layer of material{poultice} or such that easily clogs drains.

I've seen barns with "drains" like you describe....
They were full of shavings, hair, dirt and a real pain to clean.
I saw "0" purpose for them in the barn where they were located, and yes they went to a drain-field..
I worked in that barn and know they really had no purpose in that barn. 
If a horse urinated in the aisle, we took a fork full of stall shavings and tossed it on the top, once absorbed picked it up and swept up the rest to a wheelbarrow.
We swept our aisles clean then disposed of the sweepings by a shovel in a garbage can or the manure truck...
I have seen those drains at showing facilities, breeding farms and vet clinics where after a event or patient left the place was mucked empty then pressure washed...in that case those drains were great.
I see the good, but I also saw some of the bad firsthand of those drains.
A large expense to undertake with added installation costs of grading and then laying drainpipe....

Just something to think about with how to keep those drains operational and the maintenance they need to perform well. Prepared for now so they work as you want forever....
:runninghorse2:...
_jmo..._


----------



## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Subbing!
When do you break ground? c:


----------



## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

Some great points that I will have to consider. 



> With a grate and center drainage are your stalls opening to the inside?
> Will you have cross-ties in the center aisle?
> 
> Will you have the ability to flush that drain clear with a hard, fast flow of water to dislodge, breakup and remove the debris that will fall in during a normal day of horses in a barn?
> ...


Stalls open to inside and outside. Outside is primary entrance/exit for horses.
Cross-ties... yes, but they are rarely used. My horses stand for grooming, which is mostly done outside anyway. Washing is always done outside.



> You refer to the drain going to a pipe and away from the barn to a drainage area....
> Will you be able to remove the accumulated debris at the "end of the pipe"?
> Over time, and it might not take to much time it will stop draining and start to back up into the barn drains...
> Another layer of screening under the larger grates to catch debris but allow water to run might work but also will be time consuming to maintain.


The drain grate openings are tightly spaced. The stops larger material from getting in. The outlet is covered by a screen. Piping is 4" PVC. The barns I have been in with a similar setup have most of the "clogging" on top of the grate. When enough debris gets into the channel, it is a quick job to remove one section of grate and clean the drain screen.



> My thoughts are most stalls have shavings which accumulate in hooves.
> When the horse steps out of a stall onto concrete, the shavings dislodge and will be left in a trail down the aisle over that drain... Cleaning a horse you also pick feet....debris out of the hooves again falls on the floor and gets in the drain.
> Horses coming in from outside track in dirt, grass and such as they walk to their stalls, again on or near the grate. Sweeping the floor, some will still get in the drain...


Good points. On the flip side - dirt breaks down to mud, so that shouldn't pose much of an issue. The small amount of shavings that end up outside the stall, combined with sweeping them up should cause a minimal amount to make it past the grate. For the low-volume usage this barn will see, I'm not sure how much of an issue this will pose for me. The horse stalls will primarily use the outside entrance. Most of my dirt is going to be from my tractor and ATV which are sharing the barn space. 

I'm thinking of a much larger and more heavily used commercial barn that I frequent and they have never had any issues with channel drains clogging. Much more problems with smaller drain plates because everything gets routed to one smaller area.



> Have you considered having your drain and a "catch" area close by instead of a drain-line and field?
> A gravel area maybe where water goes to and can drain from but the debris is collected and disposed of...


The "drain" side of the barn starts to slope off pretty quickly. At the end of the downhill area are some rain gardens. Due to their design, these will act exactly as the catch area you describe. The natural slope of the land will allow me to bury the PVC conduit at a standard depth while still having a steep grade to allow for maximum flow.



> Are you planning on having a indoor wash stall?
> I would drain that wash stall separate as a large volume of water is used...sometimes flushing away a layer of material{poultice} or such that easily clogs drains.


No wash stall. Originally plan considered a wash stall with a separate drain for the reasons you mention. Decided I didn't need it. I prefer to wash outdoors.



> I've seen barns with "drains" like you describe....
> They were full of shavings, hair, dirt and a real pain to clean.
> I saw "0" purpose for them in the barn where they were located, and yes they went to a drain-field..
> I worked in that barn and know they really had no purpose in that barn.
> ...


Again, good points. 

I was looking at this a little different. I don't view this drain as an everyday method of keeping the barn clean. Shovels and brooms are best for that. Aside from an unanticipated flood, my thought was along the pressure washer line. To periodically strip everything down (Especially the aisle) and pressure wash. I couldn't envision another situation where there would be enough water to justify such a drain. The drain system would not only make "major cleaning" easier, it also diverts all that water away from the barn, avoiding muddy/wet areas outside. Lack of a drain means any water ends up right outside the barn door.




> A large expense to undertake with added installation costs of grading and then laying drainpipe....


The drain system itself is expensive. Looks to be about $1500 for a 32foot length. This is all new construction with a new concrete slab base. Slab needs to be graded anyway. Installation cost is effectively zero, even when taking into account the trench for the drainpipe outside the barn. Retrofitting this into an existing barn would be much more expensive.



> Just something to think about with how to keep those drains operational and the maintenance they need to perform well. Prepared for now so they work as you want forever....



Thanks for the ideas and insight. I will definitely take another look at this. 

Not being a fan of trench drain systems... what do you prefer for drainage in a small barn? With a solid base surface such as concrete, some sort of drainage in necessary.


----------



## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

Zexious said:


> Subbing!
> When do you break ground? c:


Final blueprints should be ready this coming week. I expect the town to approve the permit once those arrive. 

There is a shed barn on the location right now. New site was prepped last week and a new pad is being poured for it next week. Someone will come in to move it to the new location when the concrete is set.

New barn material package is scheduled for mid-late May delivery. Contractor is set to start when it arrives. May 20 is our current guess for start of work. We are estimate a 4-5 week build time. I may help the contractor with some work, as a 4-week build time saves me quite a bit of money.

So many pieces to coordinate. I am pretty much the GC on this job (as well as the designer, electrician and painter to stain the exterior after construction).


----------



## Rizzo (Aug 5, 2012)

Plenty of natural lighting, ventilation "if possible" add a couple ceiling fans. In your quote "depending on your location". Make sure you have the correct snow/wind load for your roof/support structure. The drainage idea is a good one, and my husband and I are going back and forth on that one right now. "We are in the planning/laying out stage of building a monitor barn" and he wants the drain, while I'm against it. It is a great idea. BUT. My idea "Which is what will happen, My barn my rules lol" is "3-4" 55 gal plastic barrels spaced down the center isle buried under the concrete with holes, gravel, sand. Then I only have to have small drains down the center with little to no pitch in the concrete " only around the drains". I can spray down and broom scrub the isle when needed. I'll have a wash bay with the same idea. My horses prefer to stay out, have a shelter "they never use" so the stalls won't be used much feedings, bad weather, grooming etc. Do you have a wash bay, and are you doing hot water?
I'm also going to put a phone line in. Yeah everyone uses cells, but I've got a house phone, and dont get great cell service figure better to be safe than sorry if I need the vet or whatever. And dont for get heat. You heating your tack room? I'm going with a wall mounted heater runs on a tank of propane. "Like what you use for you grill". Works great. My husband has got our plans figured out to have a blower installed so it'll heat the tack room and my workshop area if i need it. I had him make me a portable outhouse for camping that I'll keep out there just in case "when ya just dont feel like running to the house" But not doing a full bath". Just think of it as your "women cave" and what will make it fun, easy, and enjoyable for you, and your horses. But mostly you. Your horses use it, but not as much as you will be. Sounds like you'll have a loft for hay? any way to get the hay up there? Maybe you'll want to put a pulley up. You've probably decided and got the spot picked out for the barn, does it get a good cross breeze, lighting? If you have any boarding facilities close by stop by and see if you can take a tour. Butter them up. More than likely they will be happy to show you the good, and the bad. Horse lovers like to help each other..lol. Its hard, I've had to remind myself. Once its built you cant do it over. So do it right the first time. Hench, why I am only now getting my barn. Have fun. Congrats on your new barn.


----------



## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

@Rizzo

All good stuff.

My barn is a gable roof, but may as well be a monitor. The loft area will be above the center aisle. Over the stalls will be open to the roof. Functionally very similar to a monitor.

I'm trying to imagine your barrel drain concept. Not sure I understand. What will provide support on the top of the barrel? Will it be a concrete floor... if so, won't the barrel holes compromise the slab structure? Would like to know more about this. Never heard of an idea like that. You might consider a drainage system which relies on catch basins. These will be designed for the task and much smaller than the 55gal drums you plan to use. You will still need to pitch the concrete no matter what system. More drains/catch basins only decrease the need to have pitch in the drain system itself.

For example, my plan is to have my floor pitch about 1degree from edge to center. The drain itself only has one outlet. That will pitch perpendicular to the floor pitch. At 32 feet the drain will be about 4" deep as the start and just under 7" deep at the end. There is no cost difference between pre-sloped and un-sloped drain channels. For me, this make for a much simpler concrete job - just slope everything to the middle. With your barrel idea you would be doing pretty much the same with the floor.

Snow load/exposure/seismic/wind speed/etc. - Yes. everything is being engineered to meet local conditions and building codes. I was pretty impressed with the process. From the looks of it, this structure will last a very long time.

Lighting... yes. I've been thinking about that. I don't want to compromise the roof with skylights. I have been looking at options for the top row of wall planks to possible use plexiglass or similar to allow light. Still seems like most of my lighting will be electric powered. I will be doing the wiring and fixtures after construction. Enclosed light fixtures in each stall. Strip lights down the center aisle. I might do LED weatherproof strips under the shed roof. Enclosed fixtures in the tack room. Lights above the door on the exterior. Not sure what I am doing in the loft. Still working out the details. Running all metal conduit for wiring... barns are a fire waiting to happen and I plan to over engineer the electric.

Ventilation... I gave a bit of though to that one. There are full size sliders on both sides. Barn is positioned to take advantage of prevailing winds. Open the doors and there will be great natural ventilation year round. There is working/functional cupola. Loft has a hay door. If that's not enough, I have several options to install fans.

No wash bay. Never had a use for one. Hot water? Sounds like a nice luxury, but not practical. Barn is about 600 feet from the house. It was a challenge bringing in electric and working around the voltage drop. Not sure I have enough juice (or am willing to pay the cost) to run a hot water heater. Also, if I spoil my horses with such luxurious items they might start asking for paid vacations. 

Phone line is a great idea. Unfortunately, I dropped my landline service entirely. Verizon was out of order >50% of the time. This isn't my primary residence. When I get there is when I find out I have no phone service. By the time they fix it, I am gone. By the time I get back, it has stopped working again. Before I cancelled there was a six month period where I had no ability to use the phone service. Cell is spotty, but works in the area. Much more consistent than Verizon land line has ever been.

What I may do is wire a private line/intercom from the house to the barn. That would be much more functional for me. Thanks for the idea.

Heat? Nice idea, but not practical for me. We don't bring our horses to this location for most of the cold months. Spring, summer and most of fall is warm enough that heat isn't necessary. I can see the advantage of heaters, but for my situation it becomes one more way to burn the place down. If I was there everyday and using the barn 365 days, I would probably feel different.

The company that sold me my barn kit has upgraded models with living space. Apartments, kitchens, baths, hot water. It would be great - but it brings up the cost substantially. I've got a really nice home 600 feet away. 

I really like the idea of a "woman's cave." There is a certain appeal to keeping several women there. Unfortunately, my wife would probably not like it as much as I. 

I already have a "man cave" (or only one man, being me) that I built in my basement. Full bar with a draft beer setup. Popcorn machine. Twelve foot projection theater system (3D capable) with reclining movie seats. Full surround sound. I really like a barn, but after a day of riding and working, I would rather kick back with a movie and a keg of milk stout. 

The loft is 12ft wide and runs the full length (36ft). There is a loft door at the top. After construction I will rig up a pulley system to get the hay and other materials up there. Once up, hay can be dropped directly into the stalls, so no need to carry it back down.

Never considered restroom facilities in the barn. Then again, I'm a guy so my needs are a bit simpler in that regard.  Either way, it is out of the question for me. That location has no way to connect to my septic system. Even if I cold get a permit to build a separate septic, the cost would be astronomical. 


I have been studying other barn layouts for a few years. It's a great suggestion. That's where I got the idea for the drain. This is a project I planned to do five years back and never got around to.


Good luck with your build as well. Keep me posted on the progress.


----------



## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Tazmanian Devil said:


> Not being a fan of trench drain systems... what do you prefer for drainage in a small barn? With a solid base surface such as concrete, some sort of drainage in necessary.



I really don't see a need for a drainage system actually.
You are referring to driving in a few pieces of equipment across a concrete floor.
If they drip water, dirt or some mud a stiff brooming will dissipate it and once dry...brushed into a pile and disposed of as needed.
It doesn't sound to me there is enough need to go to the expense of that indoor drain system.
It is definitely a personal preference kind of thing but for me,...NO. I can spend that $$ on other things.
Honestly, if you keep on top of the "dirt" issues you rarely have to do a thorough cleaning with pressure washing and where you would be doing it is inside those stalls most likely.
Your barn placement with those prevailing winds will dry moisture and give a gentle cleaning of dust and lightweight debris when you have the barn doors open.

With your loft design as it is....
Are you figuring some type of railing for safety reasons?
Maybe a half wall so you can stack your bales high and still toss down the hay from above but not toss yourself if you slide on loose hay on the floor....ouch!
My other thought would be to put gutters on your barn...this is where I could see a drainage system working.
Any barn has a huge water surface area..._when it rains it pours. Literally!!_
Flooding issues created if not graded perfectly and kept up on that grading. Even if you have a concrete buffer zone around the barn perimeter, water pools. You will also have settling of your ground no matter what you do 
I wish I had done gutters on my barn when I built it....now saving money for them to get done. 
:runninghorse2:...


----------



## Rizzo (Aug 5, 2012)

LOL. You got it all figured out... The 55 gallon "Plastic barrels" not metal. Should have pointed that out. Sorry. You drill holes in the bottom, some come with detachable lids, or they have a screw cap "2-3 inches" around you remove where you put rocks, and a bit of sand. After they are full of rocks etc in the hole for where drains are set in floor and concrete is poured you use a normal drain cover over the top. Sounds like you've done your homework on yours. The natural lighting were thinking about is the side panels along the top of the monitor not skylights. LOL. Your right they leak and as soon as they got dirty I'd want to clean them. Nope. Sounds like you don't have to worry to much about winter etc. Thats why were doing a wash bay, etc. Everything from the horses, me, and all the equipment gets filthy come spring so it's more for me having the access to keeping everything clean verses the horses. Keep us posted with pictures.  Also. Sorry for assuming you were a women. Most of us on here are.. Glad to see more guys taking a interest..


----------



## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

horselovinguy said:


> I really don't see a need for a drainage system actually.



Your reasoning is sound. I am now second guessing the entire drain concept. I have always fixed in my head "concrete slab = need for drainage system." I have to give this some serious thought.



> With your loft design as it is....
> Are you figuring some type of railing for safety reasons?
> Maybe a half wall so you can stack your bales high and still toss down the hay from above but not toss yourself if you slide on loose hay on the floor....ouch!


Absolutely. The center loft has a 4ft half-wall running the full length. Falling is NOT part of the plan. 



> My other thought would be to put gutters on your barn...this is where I could see a drainage system working.
> Any barn has a huge water surface area..._when it rains it pours. Literally!!_


I have been thinking about the gutter situation for the exact reason you mention. The building layout and natural setup of the area do lessen the need for gutters quite a bit. On both of the runoff sides the land slopes off naturally into drainage areas. I'm still wondering if that will be enough. Since gutters are among the last things done, I was going to wait and see how things panned out before going down that road. 

Your point about money well spent applies here. What I could save by elimination the channel drain would easily pay for gutters (even if I included some trenching/PVC to divert the flow from the gutters.

Great ideas - much appreciated.


----------



## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

Rizzo said:


> LOL. You got it all figured out...


If only I did. I have been involved in several building projects and have spent years thinking about this one. I have some ideas and know some of the potential problems to avoid. I still have much to learn.



> The 55 gallon "Plastic barrels" not metal. Should have pointed that out. Sorry. You drill holes in the bottom, some come with detachable lids, or they have a screw cap "2-3 inches" around you remove where you put rocks, and a bit of sand. After they are full of rocks etc in the hole for where drains are set in floor and concrete is poured you use a normal drain cover over the top. Sounds like you've done your homework on yours.


Interesting concept. How large are the drain covers that go over the barrels? I am guessing the drain covers sit on a concrete lip and are not balanced on the gravel or barrel?

If I continue with the drain concept, i will probably go with the trench drain I already looked into. I would still like to have a better idea of what your drain is and how it works. It almost seems like the barrel in unecessary aside from acting as a "form" for the filler material. Sound a lot like the rain gardens I had built to act as a filter/catch basin for home and driveway runoff.



> The natural lighting were thinking about is the side panels along the top of the monitor not skylights. LOL. Your right they leak and as soon as they got dirty I'd want to clean them. Nope.


Yep - a monitor barn does have that advantage. With a gable roof, skylights are the only option. My outside walls are T&G. I may be able to replace the top row or two with the clear side panels. That would serve a similar purpose, only much lower.



> Sounds like you don't have to worry to much about winter etc. Thats why were doing a wash bay, etc. Everything from the horses, me, and all the equipment gets filthy come spring so it's more for me having the access to keeping everything clean verses the horses.


Winters in my location can be brutal. That's why we don't bring the horses there in the winter.  During the cold months, the barn will essentially be a storage shed for my equipment (tractor/ATV/etc). It's nice when you can shut things down. I still ride in events during the winter (horses in a commercial barn) so all the tack and equipment get cleaned year round.



> Keep us posted with pictures.  Also. Sorry for assuming you were a women. Most of us on here are.. Glad to see more guys taking a interest..


Pics will come once I get there and the real work starts. 

No need for apologies. I got a laugh out of it.  My wife is a better rider than me, but when it comes to building stuff, she is not as interested as I... Or maybe i should say she let's me take care of things until she needs to correct me.


----------



## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Tazmanian Devil said:


> Your reasoning is sound. I am now second guessing the entire drain concept. I have always fixed in my head "concrete slab = need for drainage system." I have to give this some serious thought.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


For what it's worth, we are doing a concrete floor in our 32 x 48" barn without drain. The barn openings will be well above grade and with a 4 ft frost wall all around, there won't be any chance of water running into the barn (it's at the top of a gentle slope). Contractor will gently grade the concrete away from the centre so water does not pool in the middle, but really, there shouldn't be much standing water without a wash stall. We can run a hose from the house in the summer to wash the horses outside (have give up on hot water in the barn anyway). No bathing here in the winter, it's far too cold. And the house is not far away. No bathroom either.

I am, however, putting in gutters on the side of the barn with the 6-8 foot overhang over the dutch doors. Not interested in my horse getting rain rot from standing under the roof line or myself getting soaked everytime I go in and out of the barn.


----------



## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

Acadianartist said:


> For what it's worth, we are doing a concrete floor in our 32 x 48" barn without drain. The barn openings will be well above grade and with a 4 ft frost wall all around, there won't be any chance of water running into the barn (it's at the top of a gentle slope). Contractor will gently grade the concrete away from the centre so water does not pool in the middle, but really, there shouldn't be much standing water without a wash stall.


The frost wall does help keep water from sneaking in. My slab will also be above grade. The outside water doesn't concern me. I like to hose things down. We don't use the barn for horses over the winter, so we tend to strip everything at the end of the season, hose down and disinfect. That was my original thinking behind the drain idea. I'm starting to think it is overkill.



> We can run a hose from the house in the summer to wash the horses outside (have give up on hot water in the barn anyway). No bathing here in the winter, it's far too cold. And the house is not far away. No bathroom either.


I ran water and electric to the site a while ago. At 600 ft away, it is too much to run a hose. A bathroom is not possible due to septic system considerations. Six hundred feet isn't to far (and being a guy, my options are a little more open). 



> I am, however, putting in gutters on the side of the barn with the 6-8 foot overhang over the dutch doors. Not interested in my horse getting rain rot from standing under the roof line or myself getting soaked everytime I go in and out of the barn.


The same thinking is what originally made me think I might not need gutters. My gable roof runs perpendicular to the entrances - no runoff on those ends. One side has no openings and the ground runs off to a drainage ditch. The other side is where I will have three dutch doors. The purpose of my 8ft+ overhang is to stay dry when standing at the outside stall door during rain. If it's raining, the horses are staying inside (and the overhang allows me to leave the top door open)... if I let them out, they will get wet regardless of runoff from the roof.

The big reason for gutters is to avoid muddy conditions around the barn. If bad enough, continuous runoff/pooling can compromise the foundation.


----------



## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Tazmanian Devil said:


> The big reason for gutters is to avoid muddy conditions around the barn. If bad enough, continuous runoff/pooling can compromise the foundation.


True, but good drainage around the barn should prevent this from becoming a big issues. I think of gutters more as a way to keep certain entrances from becoming waterfalls (this is the case at my current barn and I get soaked every time I come in and out). but yes, of course you'd run them down the corner and divert the water from the immediate area around the foundation.


----------



## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

Old barn has been moved (right). New barn was just delivered (packages on left). Post holes already dug. Posts going up this week. 

Pretty amazing what they fit on a truck.


----------



## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

The transformation begins.....

Can't wait to see photos of progress of the project....

From a few boxes, "magic appears!!"..
:runninghorse2:...


----------



## DannyBoysGrace (Apr 6, 2013)

Subscribing


----------



## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Yay! Looking forward to progress shots 8D


----------



## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

Weather hasn't been cooperating. Too much rain to set the posts.

Finally had a few dry days. Posts are in. Things should start moving fast now.

FYI - All those extra pieces are temporary bracing while the concrete drys. The tall posts in the center are 24ft long 6x10s... they are so big the wind was moving them off plumb, so they added extra bracing.

The small concrete slab in the photo is from the old structure (which has been moved to the side - you can see it in the first photo). Before walls go up, we will pour a full slab floor and incorporate the existing one.


----------



## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

Roof rafters are up and loft floor is in. The hard part is done and now things should start moving quickly. I'm pretty sure siding comes next.


----------



## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

Mother nature has not been very cooperative. First it was rain that delayed things. Then the oppressive heat put the roof on hold... too hot to lay shingles.

Concrete slab was just poured and doors are being worked on today. I'm really happy with how this is looking. Shouldn't be much longer. Then I can start on the electrical work. After seeing it "in person" I think I will need more lighting than originally planned. Everything seems much smaller on paper.


----------



## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

What a gorgeous barn! You will love having that overhang. We went with a 10 ft overhang and could not imagine living without it. It provides shelter, shade and makes the barn feel bigger. It helps keep the inside of the barn cooler too, since it makes the inside darker (great in summer heat and reduces flies). And yes, you'll want lots of lights. We put in 6 fixtures in the 24 x 32 area of the stalls/tack room/aisles. The other side of the building (also 24 x 32), which is my husband's equipment bay, has impressive 8 ft tubular lighting. You could do surgery in there. Turned out useful for when the vet came to float my mare's teeth 

Our loft also runs along the centre aisle with the sides left open over the stalls. I did, however, staple a tarp along the sides looking over the two stalls I am using to reduce the amount of dust that might float down from the hay since one of my horses tends to have respiratory issues. But there is good ventilation up there and the stalls feel really nice and airy. 

Are you putting in dutch doors on the outside? I love, love, love my dutch doors. They lead right out in the paddock which makes everything so easy. 

I also recommend a closed-in tack room. So much easier to keep the dust out. And I keep my food in there in an old freezer, but I once caught Harley with his head stuck in it eating his feed so now I keep the door shut at all times in case Houdini gets out of his stall again.


----------



## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

Thanks for the feedback.

Shed roof was figured for a 12' overhang on the plans. Due to the roof pitch, it would have only been a 7.5' height at the end. I decided to bring it back to 8' to get a better height. After seeing it built, I am glad I did so. The 8' width is plenty of room for me.

Didn't think about the shade it provides to keep things cooler. Excellent point.

I like the tarp idea to reduce dust. I won't be storing too much hay at any given time, so it won't be an issue for me. In my setup, both sides of the loft are open to below. There are only stalls on one side and the other side is open. That means I would have to put some cover on both sides to prevent dust. I did add a very large window to the loft, opposite the hay doors. With both open and the prevailing winds, I don't expect dust to be a problem.

Dutch doors.. yes, on the outside. Inside are sliders. The dutch door side faces the house, so I am able to keep an eye on things if needed. I wouldn't do a barn without dutch doors on the outside.

Yes, the tack room is fully enclosed all the way to the top. Pine T&G walls. Door at the bottom and stairs with a door to the loft. There is also a window in the tack room. That should keep things a little cleaner in there. I plan to keep feed out of the tack room. Will likely use a sealed metal container in the open area of the two non-stall bays.


----------



## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Sounds like you've got it all figured out! We live in very different climates, but I put windows in my stalls and tack room with screens for less flies and they have been opened since the day the barn went up. Still, there is a surprising amount of dust to sweep pretty much on a daily basis. The only thing I can think of is the sand they brought in for landscaping. It's great to have sand in front of the dutch doors, because it keeps things clean (water and urine drain right through rather than puddle and muddy up the area where they come in - of course you have concrete so that won't be an issue), but it is also dusty.


----------



## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

Very funny about the sand. I had an extra pile of leftover sand from the ring. The builder spread it out around the outside of the foundation. I had planned to add some gravel and sand to "grade" things out a bit after the building is done. Definitely plan for gravel, sand and grading near the entry doors. I agree those are puddle zones waiting to happen.

Flies... I don't see the point of screens (for me). The dutch doors act as my window in the stall and I wouldn't want to cover that with a screen. An additional window sounds good, but overkill (again - for me). The real problem is the sliding doors at both ends of the aisle, the cupola and other small openings. The flies are going to get in. I'm thinking a bug zapper or two will be more effective in my situation.


----------



## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

wanted to add:

just noticed the stall window in your avatar. I was thinking a full size window. I like what you have - great idea. Not sure I would get much use from that in my particular situation. And it is just one more thing to keep clean.  FWIW, I have some ventilation space on the outside top of the stalls. It is protected from the elements by the shed roof.


----------



## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Tazmanian Devil said:


> wanted to add:
> 
> just noticed the stall window in your avatar. I was thinking a full size window. I like what you have - great idea. Not sure I would get much use from that in my particular situation. And it is just one more thing to keep clean.  FWIW, I have some ventilation space on the outside top of the stalls. It is protected from the elements by the shed roof.


Yes, well, different climates require different layouts! 

In the winter, I expect there will be days when I have to close off the dutch doors completely (top and bottom). While the 10' overhang will prevent most of the snow from getting in, and we put the stalls on the most sheltered side of the barn, driving sideways snow would still get in on the worst days so it will sometimes be necessary to keep things sealed up for a day or so. That's when having the additional windows in the stalls will be nice so it's not totally dark in there. They're sliding windows with screens so they provide additional air flow in the summer and will allow some light to get in if I have to shut the outside doors in the winter. I have yet to go through a winter so I imagine there will be adjustments no matter how much I plan. Two winters ago our total snowfall was 18 ft and for most of the winter, we had 4-6 feet on the ground everywhere. Since hubby keeps his tractor and snowblower attachment in the equipment bay, he will clear a nice, wide swath (6') from the barn to the house for me  I may have to be extra nice to him so he clears the paddock after really big snowfalls, though I suspect the horses will stomp the snow down most of the winter. My biggest concern is ice buildup.


----------



## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

That's a heck of a lot of snow. A few years back we got it bad and there was about 4ft on the ground all season. Roads were crazy because the plows created 8ft walls of snow on the side of the road. It was like driving through a tunnel. But that was all pretty unusual for our area of NY.

Adjustments... always are.  I am wondering how my barn will affect snow drifts and where they will form.

When I built my garage a few years back I had the doors face opposite the wind direction. Sounded good at the time. For whatever reason, it creates the vortex where the wind carries the snow around and creates a drift in front of the doors. Thankfully it doesn't get too bad, but the melting snow does cause a bit of water to get in under the doors.

Besides climate, I also have the advantage of shutting down in the winter. This location is not my horses' full time home. They don't usually end up there unless the weather lends to good riding conditions.


----------



## DannyBoysGrace (Apr 6, 2013)

This is looking beautiful!


----------

