Horse Barn Design Basics
Horse barn design takes you from an empty back 40 to the equine facility you need. However, working barns are far more complicated than most people (even horse enthusiasts) often realize. Effective barn design needs to incorporate enough room for animals, space for you to work, style, light, and ventilation.
At J&N Structures, we are known for designing and building custom horse barns — in fact, we’ve built thousands. If you’re starting to build your dream horse barn, we’re glad to be a part of your journey. Read our latest blog to learn the horse barn design basics to start the process.
How to Build Your Dream Horse Barn
No matter if you’re replacing an old barn in bad condition or you’re beginning your equestrian hobby in earnest, your new barn is of the utmost importance. Not only will this new barn be the home to your animals, but you’ll also spend hours there every week working. However, it can be tough to know what you like, what you need, and what your new barn budget can handle.
Learn how to build a horse barn on a budget.
Here are the horse barn design steps to help get you started:
- Identify Your Needs – The more you know about the barn you intend to build, the quicker and easier the design process will go. Start out by identifying how many animals you intend to board, your needs for an office or tack room, and any additional equipment you’ll store. This is one of the most crucial aspects of horse barn design – and our experts are always available to discuss your needs and to help you plan.
- Decide How Many Stories You Need – This is where your budget plays into horse barn design. While having a second story on your barn adds convenience, ventilation benefits, and an impressive style, it also makes the project far more expensive. If your budget is not a concern, you’ll want to consider two-story barn options, while if you’re trying to stick to a more conservative figure, you’ll want to explore one-story barn styles.
- Choose the Barn Type – The number of stories you want determines the barn type you’ll build. If you can afford to build a two-story barn, you’ll choose from the monitor, gambrel, or high country barn styles. However, if you’re building a one-story barn, you’ll choose either an exposed shed row barn or a center aisle barn. Center aisle barns have more stalls and allow you to work in your barn without being exposed to the elements. On the other hand, shed row barns are the most budget-minded options and make stall ventilation a breeze. Learn more about comparing shed row barns vs center aisle barns.
- Figure Out the Ventilation – A more built-up barn may require additional features to enable healthy ventilation. Adding gable vents, cupolas, and Dutch doors are all solutions that promote natural ventilation. Since this horse barn design step impacts the safety of you and your animals, it should be taken very seriously.
- Accessories and Extras – This later part of the design process depends heavily on the barn you’ve chosen and how you expect to use it. The accessories and extras you can add range from lean-to’s, all-the-way-up-lofts, and electronic lifts for use in two-story barns.
To see a sample of the diverse structures we build and for your horse barn design inspiration – See Our Project Gallery.
Siding colors:
Cedar
Clear
Natural
Mushroom
Shingle Roofing Colors:
Fox Hollow Gray
Charcoal
Hickory
Weathered Wood
Shakewood
Williamsburg Slate
Hunter Green
Barkwood
Pewter
Metal Roofing Colors:
Black
Charcoal
Pewter
Brown
Tan
Bone White
Clay
Evergreen
Beige
Modular Barn Benefits
One of the basics of horse barn design that makes your project more convenient and less expensive: building modular. While old-fashioned barn building required the entire project to be completed on-site, J&N Structures uses the modern technique of modular building. This allows us to produce higher-quality horse barns in less time and for less money. Truly it’s the best of both worlds, and that’s why it has gained such popularity.
Learn more about modular barns vs traditional barns.
Bring Your Horse Barn Design to Life
Whether you’re ready to start working with a horse barn builder to create your structure or you’re still deciding on what you need for your dream barn, your next step is to find your nearest J&N Structures dealer. We exclusively sell our Amish-made modular barns through our dealer network – these experts can help you make your decisions and install your barn quickly and efficiently. Enter your zip code to start the process.
