How to Build A Horse Barn

Need to build a horse barn well hear you go. A 30 ft by 50 ft can hold up to eight horses.

Things You'll Need

• Pea gravel and concrete for poured footings
• Steel angle plate and anchors 3/16"
• Welded wire mesh and concrete for center slab
• Pressure-treated mudsills 2 x 4
• Oak top plates 2 x 4
• Oak corner posts and bracing 4 x 6
• Oak posts for second floor 4 x 4
• Spruce headers, joists 2 x 8
• Spruce headers and ridge board 2 x 10
• Sill beams 6 x 6
• Collar ties 2 x 6
• Tongue-and-groove planks for stall fronts 2 x 8
• Oak kickboards for stalls 1 x 8
• OSB roof sheathing 7/16"
• CDX tongue-and-groove flooring 5/8"
• Drip edge, 15-lb. roofing felt, asphalt shingles
• Sliding doors, latches 5' 0" x 8' 0"
• Interior door, hinges, door set 3' 0" x 6' 8"
• Hayloft doors, latches 4' 0" x 7' 0"
• 6-light barn sashes for stalls 32"
• 6-light barn sashes 36"
• 4-light barn sashes for hayloft 24"
• Sliding doors with box track for stalls 4' 0"
• White pine soffit and fascia
• White pine siding, battens 1 x 12, 1 x 2
• Galvanized nails, outdoor screws, metal framing brackets
• Paint, stain, or wood preservative

Instructions

1. 

   Install the Foundation
   On such a large, heavy structure, it's important that the weight transfers to the footings. That's why all the vertical support beams are positioned directly over the concrete piers.
   The stall sections rest on 6 x 6 beams that run along the central open area inside the barn; use ship-lap joints at the corners, and bolt the corners together with 1/2-inch carriage bolts. These 6 x 6s span the piers.
   Attach the beams to the concrete footings with 5-inch x 5-inch 3/16-inch-thick angle plates and bolts. Reinforce the center section between the stall beams with welded wire mesh and pour a concrete slab foundation. (Note: Horse stalls are often left with dirt floors; you can pour concrete in these if desired.)

2. 

   Frame the Walls
   Each side of a stall section consists of a 4 x 4 top plate, which rests on 4 x 6 posts in each
   corner, and 4 x 4 posts along the length of the wall; these posts rest on 2 x 4 mudsills.
   Three horizontal 2 x 4 cross bracing/nailing boards span the posts and are spaced an equal distance apart; there's also 4 x 4 diagonal cross bracing near the top of each post and from the posts to the mudsill at the bottom.
   After these pieces are nailed together, square the frames and attach vertical board-and-batten siding on the exterior (1 x 12 boards and 1 x 2 battens).
   Two 1 x 2 scraps are nailed to the top and middle cross bracing to serve as a track for the barn sash windows. This lets the window slide horizontally to open and close.
   The interior stall section walls are framed in a similar manner, except horizontal tongue-and-groove pine siding is attached.

3. Raise the Walls
   Because they are so large and heavy, raising the walls requires a lot of help, a crane, or a block and tackle.
   Position each wall on top of the 6 x 6 sill beams and secure it with nails; add temporary braces until the end walls can be raised. Cut and install 2 x 10 headers on inside tops of walls running the full length of the structure; then attach 2 x 10 headers to both top faces of interior walls. The headers help support the ceiling joist. Then cut and install the 2 x 4 double top plates. Repeat this sequence for the second stall section.

4. Install the Ceiling Joists
   Connect the two stall sections by running 2 x 8 ceiling joists every 16 inches on center. Attach them to the headers and walls. Install the rim joists to cover the ends. Then cut and install 5/8-inch or 3/4-inch tongue-and-groove CDX plywood flooring. Build a set of stairs to the second floor or just make a simple wooden ladder to the loft.

5. 

   Frame the Roof
   The roof pitch is 9 in 12. To start framing, cut a 2 x 10 ridge board and secure it in place with temporary bracing.

   Make a rafter template and cut the 2 x 8 rafters to length. Attach to the ridge board and double top plate; brace as needed. Cut and install 4 x 4 second floor posts 10 feet on center so they're directly over the posts on the ground floor. Cut and install the double header and secure it to posts and rafters.
   Build a pair of eaves extensions to bring the roof past the gable ends. Cut and install the sub-fascia, fascia, and soffit. Cover the roof framing with 7/16-inch sheathing; add drip edge and roofing felt, cover with asphalt shingles, and install ridge caps.

6. Frame the Floor
   On the second floor, frame the gable ends as shown in the front cross section shown above. Create a rough opening on each end for a door and two windows; add top cross bracing as per a standard wall. Cut and install board-and-batten siding to cover gable ends.

7. 

   Install Door and Windows
   Add barn sash to the wall partitions, and build a pair of board-and-batten doors for the hayloft. Cut and install simple trim around windows and doors. Cover interior walls if desired, and add sliding doors to the stalls