Barn configuration advice

[airbornegirl]

Update
My husband and I sat down today after he met with the builder again. We’ve finally settled on a layout that I think will work. We are able to do 3 12x12 stalls, an 8x12 tack room at the end of the aisle, and the 4x12 space will now be the staircase up to the loft. The 12ft aisle way won’t be a through aisle way since we’re putting in the tack room, but there will be Windows added to help with ventilation. Each stall will also have Dutch doors. There will also be a wall between the barn and shop so the hubby won’t have to worry about dust and hay on his side.

Thanks for all the input!

Original post:
My husband is having a 40x60 shop built and is going to let me have a 40x24 space as a barn. Originally he was going to put in 3 12x16 stalls that would leave a 4x16 tack space and 8ft aisle with an 8ft door on each end. The building will have 17ft sidewalls, so he was going to add a loft for hay.

I told him 8ft aisles are no good and that we should go 12ft, so if I go with 12ft aisles, there are 2 configurations I can have.

I could have 1 12x12 stall with 2 12x14 stalls and a 10x12 tack room at the end of the 12 ft aisle. That means I would only have 1 12 ft sliding door. Each stall would have a Dutch door to a paddock and we’d probably still have a loft.

The other configuration is 3 12x12 stalls, a 4x12 tack space, and a 12ft aisle with a sliding door on each end. This configuration would also have Dutch doors on each stall to an outside paddock and a hay loft.

No matter what configuration I go with, there will be a 40x24 space, concrete floors, and 17ft sidewalls.

A little background, I have 2 warmbloods and I currently have a 12x24 breezeway type barn that allows each of them a 12x12 stall with 12x36 paddocks attached. I have 2 pastures that I rotate them around ever day that weather permits. I think the most horses we would ever have at one time is 3.

Which barn configuration would you prefer?

[ShotenStar]

You will quickly come to hate the 4 x 12 tack room. Go with the first arrangement.

star

[NoSuchPerson]

[QUOTE=ShotenStar;8792868]
You will quickly come to hate the 4 x 12 tack room. Go with the first arrangement.

star[/QUOTE]

Agree.

[js]

Did you mean 14x12tack room on configuration #3 or 4x12 (that doesn’t seem right) if it’s 14x12 the I’d vote #3.

[airbornegirl]

4x12 is correct. That’s all the space that would be left on that 40ft wall if I have 3 12x12 stalls. It would be just enough room for a tiered saddle rack on the back wall and bridle hooks on each side.

[Lexie55]

Honestly I like your current set up better (breezeway with paddocks). Have you moved away from the place where that is set up? I live in a hot area, and I need both ends of the barn to be open, plus both sides, to get any air circulating. If one of your walls is a shared wall to his shop, you aren’t going to get any air from that direction.

And I agree that you will hate the small tackroom. Don’t do it.

[airbornegirl]

I’ll still have the Breezeway barn and the horses are turned out from 6am to 8pm as long as weather permits. The barn/shop combo is an addition to our property. My husband isn’t sure if he’ll put up a wall between his shop area and the barn area. I can put fans in the barn and the 17 ft sidewalls make for tall ceilings. The Dutch doors will always be open too. We live in western Kentucky, so we experience all 4 seasons. It gets pretty hot and humid in the summer though. There are some cold weeks in the winter, but not too bad.

[Lexie55]

Our barn is a 40 x 60 Morton metal skin over wood framing that the former owners put up. I have a 20 x 12, wash rack, and tack room on one side, and 3 12 x 12 on the other. 16 foot aisleway. This leaves 24 feet in the front of the barn that is all concrete. Former owner had some piddly shop stuff up there. We discovered pretty quickly that we can’t have good shop stuff under the same roof as the barn, because dust. One horse circling her stall at feeding time, or flying in from the paddock, and POOF. Dust cloud settles over hubby’s saws etc. So now he has everything covered with a blanket or tarp, which looks like crap IMO. I am about to concede defeat and build him a separate shop so he will get his junk out of my barn!!!

If you can afford it, insulate the snot out of the place. I would NEVER build a barn like ours knowing what I know now. It is hotter in the summer than it is outside (except the horses aren’t standing in the convection oven-like direct sun that is central TX) and colder in the winter than it is outside. I got a bid do spray foam the 4:12 pitch ceiling and 2’ down the walls - $6000. Looking at other options, but would have to find a way to hold batting insulation up - hubby is talking nailing siding to the underside of the rafters, resulting in a flat ceiling. Not all bad, given the cobwebs that have accumulated this summer.

[MissAriel]

I agree with the no to the 4x12 tack space. That is only half the square footage of the 10x12 tack room.

[fjordmom]

Do you absolutely have to run all the stalls along the 40 ft. side? What about two (roughly*)12 x 14 foot stalls along the 24 ft side then the aisle and then two more 12 x 14 ft stalls facing the other stalls along the other 24 ft wall. Since you are planning Dutch doors anyhow, you’d still get plenty of airflow if the top doors were left open. Cupola or ceiling fan could help too.

I would definitely plan a wall between barn and shops to avoid fumes. DH may not enjoy the barn dust or hay chaff in the shop either.

One of the “stalls” could be used as a tack (and feed) room. You’ll be much happier with the larger space. Or if you really want 4 stalls, could you put an 8 x 12 tack rood at the end of the aisle, backing up onto the wall of the shop. Personally, I’d still find that a little small, but it could work much better than the mere 4 x 12 tack space.

*Remember too, if the dimensions are 24 x 40 on the outside of the wall you will functionally loose close to a foot on the inside, just due to the posts supporting the roof and loft. AMHIK- forgot to figure that in, that’s how I ended up with an 11 ft aisle, the one thing I wish sometimes was a bit wider.

[airbornegirl]

My husband is pretty sure that there will be a wall separating the barn from the shop, but he reserves the right to not add that wall if something comes up that changes the cost of things. For the most part, I’m planning like there is a wall there. If I don’t put the stalls on the 40ft wall, then I won’t be able to attach paddocks to the stalls and the barn entrance won’t be easily accessible by truck and trailer.

Up until now I’ve always stored my tack in my horse trailer tack room, so even though 4x12 is tight, it’s bigger than what I’ve had the last 8 years. I like the idea of my configuration of 3 stalls and a 10x12 tack room. I’ve just been concerned with not having a second door at the end of the aisle. I could however just do two 12x14 stalls on the 40 ft wall and a 12x12 tack room. I just really liked the idea of having 3 stalls available all the time.

It’s one of those things that I just have to work within the space I’ve been given and try to make it as functional as possible.

I’ve got 5 weeks to decide before they break ground, lol.

Thanks for all the responses so far!

[js]

Then I would go with configuration #2 or just do three stalls and buy a small metal building, put it next to your barn portion of the building and use it for you tack room.

[airbornegirl]

Funny you mention that, I’ve been considering the option of buying a tack shed to sit next to the barn.

It’s funny because I’ve always known exactly the kind of barn I’d build if I ever had the chance, only I didn’t consider that my total building size would be dictated by my significant other…lol. I’m trying not to complain though. Just happy to be getting a barn.

[Romany]

Our new farm has a 4’ x 16’ tack room. It is HELLISH, and it’s no small wonder the sellers’ daughters gave up riding pdq. :rolleyes:

[airbornegirl]

Update:
My husband and I sat down today after he met with the builder again. We’ve finally settled on a layout that I think will work. We are able to do 3 12x12 stalls, an 8x12 tack room at the end of the aisle, and the 4x12 space will now be the staircase up to the loft. The 12ft aisle way won’t be a through aisle way since we’re putting in the tack room, but there will be Windows added to help with ventilation. Each stall will also have Dutch doors. There will also be a wall between the barn and shop so the hubby won’t have to worry about dust and hay on his side.

[furlong47]

[QUOTE=airbornegirl;8793043]
I’ve just been concerned with not having a second door at the end of the aisle. [/QUOTE]

For what reason?

If for the purpose of safety/escape, light, or just claustrophobia, you could always build two doors into the tack room - one to the aisle and one to the outside - so you can pass right through on that end as well. Make them wider than normal so you could even squeeze a horse through in an emergency. Put windows in them if you want to let more light through.

If for the purpose of air flow, then it’s a little more tricky.

[airbornegirl]

I was concerned about airflow but we solved that with added Windows. With the Dutch doors on the stalls, the 12ft sliding door at the beginning of the aisle way, and Windows above the tack room, I don’t think airflow will be an issue anymore.

[clanter]

We moved from the Louisville area more so because of the winters than the summers. In the late 70s we had up to sixty inches of snow on the ground and temps in the minus 10 to minus 25 ranges …Everything froze, sliding doors unless tracked on the inside of the building were worthless, often overhead doors froze to the ground, water lines even set at 36 inches froze … every days was a brutal 12 to 14 hours just to take care of the stock … so I would at least make sure I had an overhang over the primary doors and if possible track those doors on the inside of the building

[airbornegirl]

Thanks for the info. We live near Hopkinsville. Been here for 2 years now. There was a lot of ice this past winter, so we’re definitely trying to ensure we build everything with all 4 seasons in mind. We are using an Amish contractor who is currently building a shop down the road and they are also local to the area, so they are thankfully familiar with the climate, soil, and general weather conditions. There will be overhangs on the short sides of the building and an overhang over my 12ft door. Glad you mentioned this though, because I passed on the importance of the inside track to my husband to make sure it’s going in like that. There will be a walk through door from his shop side to the barn side just in case.