How to Build an Old Fashioned Barn

Early barns were used for farming, dancing, praying and courting.

Nothing evokes Americana more than an old-fashioned barn. Barns have been a central part of the American farm for centuries. It was the farmer's factory, where livestock, feed and equipment were housed. Barns that remain in the United States vary in appearance. They are an amalgamation of ideas brought to America from different cultures and take into account local climate, available materials and geography of the surrounding land. Although old barns vary greatly in style, there are some characteristics that appear in most every barn and are essential to obtaining a true "old-barn" appearance.

Instructions

1. Select an appropriate location for your barn and check with local zoning authorities for setback and other requirements that must be met for oversized outbuildings. Finalize your location taking into account these requirements. If you are purchasing new land, work with a reputable real estate agent who can assure that you will be able to build a barn on the land.

2. Choose a barn and roof style. Look at local barns to get ideas of the various styles in your part of the country. Old barns were mostly two or three stories high, with the loft used for feed and hay storage; with animals kept on the ground floor and equipment on the middle floor.

3. Contact a local architect to turn your ideas into a blueprint a builder can follow. Early barns had no plumbing or electricity, but you'll probably want to include at least rudimentary utilities. If you will be living in the barn structure, there are building steps that must be followed, and the structure must be inspected during the process by local building authorities.

4. Hire a builder to help with the final selection of materials for your barn. Early barns were built using readily available materials, so stick with what you have at hand. Typical materials are wood boards, logs or limestone. Check the builder's credentials carefully and look at other jobs he has completed. Find a builder who has experience with traditional barn construction and check with the local Better Business Bureau to see if complaints have been filed against the builder.

5. Add at least one cupola to the roofline, topped off with a weathervane. This square-vented box sits at the ridgeline of the barn, offering light and ventilation to the upper floors of the barn.

6. Finish off the interior of the barn with some old-barn touches, such as a built-in manger, ladders built into the side walls to gain access to the loft, exposed beams and an overhanging loft. Early barn floors were dirt or plywood, but you should consider concrete for the ground floor, which is cleaner and will aid in keeping out insects and rodents.

References

• Country Barn Party: Barns Renovation
• Nebraska Humanities: Barn Again History