General "getting started" questions about building a barn

[astrohip]

Just closed on a new property, need to build a barn/garage, and I am looking for feedback (and an education) from y'all. I have some general questions first, and then I can start to develop a more detailed plan (and come back with more specific questions).

At my old place, I had a 25x40 open-sided metal building, with concrete slab. It had a 12x25 tuff-shed (workshop) up against one end. Both were great to have (they were already there), but I've learned I want more space. I'm thinking 40/or/48 by 60 or so, with a workshop inside. Here are some thoughts & questions, love to hear your feedback. I've read dozens of threads here since I joined, and a lot of these questions come from ideas y'all have implemented or considered.

This will be in Brenham TX, where the cold is not much of a factor, but heat is. I can easily live without any heat, or just heat in the shop part. But must have good ventilation for summers. And I know you will ask, "what are you going to do with it?" It will be to store my tractors, attachments, tools, mower, gators, trailers, etc. Just general farm & ranch stuff. Pleasure farm, not working.


* Metal or wood? It seems metal buildings are preferred, and I'm ok with that. My only concern is I love to hang things from the walls, and organize stuff. It seems with wood studs that's pretty easy; not sure how metal framing affects my desire to over-organize.

* It seems many of you build an outside area, covered but not enclosed, as an extension of your barns. Why would I need that? What do you do with it?

* I love having a workshop. My plan is to build it inside the barn, wood framed, probably around 20x25. Deck the top, and make that storage.

* What height do I want? I have no specific requirements (ie, special equipment), but want to have room for most possibilities.

* I'm intending to have big overhead doors, plus at least one std entry-type door. I need the doors for both entry & ventilation. But I would also like to be able to drive thru. It's much easier to drive in with a trailer, unhitch, and drive out, rather than back in. (see attached drawing, not to scale) But I'm thinking it's better to add Door "C" so I can drive thru and exit "A", rather than attempt to add Doors "B" and drive that way.

I'm at the stage where I just need info to help me create a general layout. Once I have a size & layout down, I will sketch it out and come back with questions about all the details--lights & drains & elec & etc.

My budget is generous, but not unlimited. Feel free to respond to any part of this you have feedback on. I've attached a pic of my old barn setup, so y'all can see how I used it. Plus a rough, not-to-scale of a new one, mainly so I could ask about door layouts.

Thanks!

 

[sberry]

I was going to suggest getting a pocketful but you have that covered. Bigger is better, bigger shop is better. Doors don't always work out as planned, its common to see a lot of asset sidelined and never used.

 

[sberry]

I could make a list of poor designs in buildings but,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,You are starting over, unless there was specific engineering there is no reason to copy. Ok, one thing to consider and its difficult to do is put your old out of mind for the time being. I can assume the thing in the drawing with 3 doors is the front?
The best cost space ratio is enclosed building with a parking lean to. In Texas this could be oversized if it was not a working environment. Similar to the pic of your existing but a bi more cohesive.
The more sq ft the more cost effective it is, your original post of being willing to go to 48x60 is good. Wide is more economical here and really gives the place a roomy feeling. Its a bit more heat or cool but you don't got to be polar, just bearable during inclimate times.

 

[sberry]

Back to some basics, the building needs to allow people to move as well as park machines and a big part of its purpose is to be a raceway for the utilities and to smooth out weather for work and people and as another matter a storage. Shelves save a lot of money and you cant use the wall space if you have doors everywhere, how you enter here is vital, both direction in relation to property, other buildings but if you work out back a door is good as well as a walk door but the most work and movement could come thru one bigger door with nice drive and apron vs 4 others placed at random for what if visions etc. I would probably use some 2 door setup so I could open for natural venting some or convenience or a big door/small door combo if I had light flow thru traffic, golf carts and mowers.

 

[sberry]

A walk door between storage and shop which would be in one end and not a corner, you could window 3 sides and come up with various plans, the rest of the building a storage with bigger door in gable end. It woudnt have to go smack in the middle but offset some to allow for more natural turning radius in to parking.

 

[sberry]

I am a terrible artist. This is basic but still havnt pinned down the possibility for utilities, can come from 3 ways here as well as side door in location that didn't have snow, can rotate the whole building yet etc but 1 good door location to enable in out flow vs 6 holes in the wall with moving parts.
I would do all the doors in endwalls if I could, just so much easier.

 

[astrohip]

Your artistry is better than my original! And thanks for the feedback.

To clarify, you are adding the red doors? What does the large door into the shop provide? I understand the two entry doors (good idea), but why an overhead-type door into the shop?

 

[sberry]

Ok. Let me try a little. The yellow bar is lawn mowers can skate out the door and don't need turning room but the purple lines represent pull in equipment and park, leaves a way out for a lot of stuff and can use the bay in front of door for daily pull in etc.
The blue lines are shelves/racks, you could do it to "A" wall some if needed. Having a wider door really helps pull ins.
What kinds of things yo want to be able to get in to your shop? A modest overhead, something I could slide thru with a car or pickup, your tractor to work on it etc.

 

[egnorant]

Wood or metal? Your choice...both can work. Hanging stuff from a metal building is not hard but you can always finish the walls in wood. Hanging stuff? Are we talking clocks, signs and some shelves or are you hanging a car up there? Putting up a bunch of pegboard or hanging your logging chain collection?

Outside covered area is good for bulky stuff that can take up a lot of floor space and is hard to handle with limited useage. A tractor and implements are good examples. Helps keep the grass from growing around it and the sun from beating the stuff out of paints and plastic parts. Also it can help keep the shop cooler by shading from the sun. You picture appears to be south face and the trees are doing this now.

Inside workshop is great but I am a fan of open format so I can drag bulky items in and out. 4x8 sheets, 12 foot pipe, wheel a rolling table into the space, etc. Oh and lots of electrical and ventilation here.

Love a drive thru area! You spoke of trailers...are you suspecting big stuff on these trailers? Possibly a 32 foot gooseneck travel trailer nearly 16 feet tall?

Consider orientation for sunlight, drainage and wind. I have west facing doors that seem to work well, but on another building with south facing doors it gets harder shadows, glare and seems like a magnet for blowing leaves and rain. Guard from prying eyes might be on the list too. Yes, miscreants sometimes drive around looking for stuff for a fast grab.

Bruce

 

[R7237]

I have been planning a pole barn for some time and have finally decided on http://www.armourmetals.com trusses. Just can't frame it any cheaper than using metal trusses with 2x6 Purlins. Something to consider.

 

[astrohip]

Wood or metal? Your choice...both can work. Hanging stuff from a metal building is not hard but you can always finish the walls in wood. Hanging stuff? Are we talking clocks, signs and some shelves or are you hanging a car up there? Putting up a bunch of pegboard or hanging your logging chain collection?

Outside covered area is good for bulky stuff that can take up a lot of floor space and is hard to handle with limited useage. A tractor and implements are good examples. Helps keep the grass from growing around it and the sun from beating the stuff out of paints and plastic parts. Also it can help keep the shop cooler by shading from the sun. You picture appears to be south face and the trees are doing this now.

Inside workshop is great but I am a fan of open format so I can drag bulky items in and out. 4x8 sheets, 12 foot pipe, wheel a rolling table into the space, etc. Oh and lots of electrical and ventilation here.

Love a drive thru area! You spoke of trailers...are you suspecting big stuff on these trailers? Possibly a 32 foot gooseneck travel trailer nearly 16 feet tall?

Consider orientation for sunlight, drainage and wind. I have west facing doors that seem to work well, but on another building with south facing doors it gets harder shadows, glare and seems like a magnet for blowing leaves and rain. Guard from prying eyes might be on the list too. Yes, miscreants sometimes drive around looking for stuff for a fast grab.

Bruce

Thanks for the feedback. Hanging stuff will be mostly lightweight tools and whatnots. And the trailers are either horse trailers or 5x10 utility trailers.

The more I understand outdoor covered storage, the more I realize I need it. Probably run it all along one side, maybe 8-10 feet deep? Question: Any need to have a large door from the covered area into the shop, or just put it up against a solid wall?

As far as the shop, I hadn't thought about a big door, but putting a garage door on it may be a good idea. Although it takes away wall space, it would let me get (for example) 4x8 plywood in and out easier. Something to seriously think about.

I have been planning a pole barn for some time and have finally decided on http://www.armourmetals.com trusses. Just can't frame it any cheaper than using metal trusses with 2x6 Purlins. Something to consider.

Off to read about it...