Barns

Design and build the ideal garage, barn or workshop yourself.  This easy click-and-drag software lets you create the perfect building and then print plans and a complete list of the materials that you’ll need.

Custom RV Garage and Workshop

For do-it-yourselfers who want to add extra storage space or just want to protect their car from the elements, BigHammer Software’s Garage Designer is the tool to use. Garage Designer uses a grid system that allows you to precisely create the exact size building you need by clicking and dragging. It is so precise that you can size your building to the inch.

Design your dream garage, workshop or storage barn. Then, click and drag it to the exact size you need. Choose a wall height from as low as 4′ up to 16′ to accommodate RVs and other large vehicles. Then, choose between several types of entry doors and garage doors.

After you’re happy with the design, Garage Designer provides all the information you need to transform your garage, barn or workshop plan into reality. You can see your building in a variety of ways, including 3D, plan, and dimensioned front, back & side views. Then, you can print your custom plans and have them at hand throughout your building project.

You can also print a complete material shopping list. You’ll know all your material quantities immediately so you can get accurate prices before you start to build. Garage Designer assures that you’ll never be caught running back to the lumber yard for forgotten supplies. Instead, you’ll be efficiently constructing your ideal, do-it-yourself garage. Your personal shopping list will help you buy everything you need the first time, right down to the nail.

The inexpensive, downloadable program comes with a free, full color garage building guide book that will take you step-by-step through the construction process.

Click here to read more >>>

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30' Wide Pole Barn Plans - DFWBuilder.com

Building plans are available for 30′ wide pole barns in both 30′ and 36′ depths. Both sizes have 10′ side walls, however, the side wall and peak heights can easily be adjusted to meet your needs. No floor is necessary but a concrete slab floor can be poured either before or after you build. Door openings can be built at up to 9′ high and 15′ wide. You can build your barn with hinged, rolling or overhead doors. Plans are complete and come with material list, rafter angle templates, tips, information on adding optional windows and doors, plans, details and building instructions.

These plans were prepared by Ed Gore, a professional pole barn builder in the Dallas, Ft. Worth area of Texas. Ed is the author of the book Pole Barns Made Easy. Order the book as a companion to your plans and you’ll have a step-by-step do-it-yourself project. Use the search box on the sidebar to read our review of that guide book. Visit the web site, DFWBuilder.com for more information or to order your plans. >>>

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If you’re planning a new barn on an old homestead or in an historic neighborhood, you should take a look at the Historic American Building Survey for design ideas and details. The HABS offers photos and measured drawings of hundreds of historic barns and outbuildings. They are indexed by location, so you can often find buildings that are appropriate for your site’s weather and vernacular building traditions.

1853 Shaker Church Family Cow Barn, State Route 4A, Enfield vicinity, Grafton County, NH

The HABS is a joint effort of the Library of Congress and the National Park Service. It was started by the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression to offer work to architects and engineers. They were invited to document historic buildings of all types in their areas. The idea was that the records and drawings that they created would be available to future generations, even if the buildings were lost to progress. For the buildings that remained standing, the documents would be a valuable tool for restorers. The extent of the documentation varied greatly from building to building. Some of the old barns are just recorded in photographs. Others have extensive sets of drawings showing floor plans, exterior elevations, timber frames, building details and even details of hand-forged hardware. Most of the material can be viewed online, and higher quality prints can be ordered through the Library of Congress.

The HABS didn’t end with the depression. It’s a work in progress. Preservation minded architects and educators continue to measure and record old structures. You can read more about their efforts to preserve America’s heritage by visiting the website Built in America.

I’ve compiled a list of links to the records of a variety of barns. They span three centuries and show the diversity of American vernacular design. They are just a few samples of the hundreds of barn and outbuilding designs that you can see. Click here to take a look at the list. Then, do your own searches through the vast collection. Make sure to look at the records of historic homes and farmsteads in your area. Many include barns and outbuildings that were on the same properties.

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1720 Job Lane Barn

Deacon Job Lane built his house in Bedford, Massachusetts in the early 1700s. His home, at 295 North Road, has been lovingly restored by the town and a group of dedicated volunteers called the Friends of the Job Lane House, Inc. It’s now a landmark museum open to the public.

When the Friends decided to create a barn similar to the one that originally stood on the site, they asked timber framer Tom Musco to design it. Tom studied 17th century Eastern Massa­chusetts barns, their English precedents and the work of framer Job Lane, the deacon’s grandfa­ther. Tom cut a frame with authentic details: jowled posts, canted tie-beams, tapered rafters and naturally curved oak braces. The frame was raised in a traditional barn raising by the Bedford community.

The body of the barn is 30′ wide, by 20′ deep. A 12′ deep, one-level shed stretches across the back. It’s a classic American “English” style barn, popular throughout New England and the east coasts of the US and Canada until the 19th century. It has a center aisle - an open bay used as a work or storage area that includes a ladder to the loft. Two additional bays, on either side of the center aisle, were for animal pens and grain storage.

Job Lane Barn Timber Frame

Now, not many of us want a building that was originally created to serve the needs of a 1700s family. However, it’s fascinating to know that Tom found many three hundred year old examples to study when he was recreating the Job Lane Barn. Timber frame buildings last forever. It’s also fascinating to know that there are more than a thousand professional timber framers, like Tom, who are building barns, homes and commercial buildings to last for the next three hundred years.

If you’re planning on a new country home, think about a timber frame. Combined with modern SIPs ( Structural Insulated Panels ), which form the outside walls and roof, they can create tight, energy efficient houses that are beautiful inside and out. The Timber Frame Business Council offers a free guide with useful information. You can download Building a Timber Frame Home at: www.TimberFrame.org

If you’re planning on a new barn or country outbuilding, think about a timber frame too. Your great-grandchildren’s great grandchildren will be glad that you did.

Visit Tom Musco’s web site to learn more: www.RoyalstonOak.com

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