Like all of us, I’m strategizing how to build a barn as affordably as possible. When searching, I see a lot of people recommend Carolina carports for affordability and ease of construction. For those of you who have done it, can you give me the idiots guide for step by step, your costs and pictures if possible?
Look at Pinterest there are lots of pictures of carport barns on it and maybe even some step by step guides.
I went with a carport barn mainly due to our small city permitting(big headache dealing with them). I ordered a carport from a Alan’s. It’s a 20x31. I wished I would have went 24x36 but cost was a factor. I then ordered some U-channels online. I installed them to the metal legs of the carport and cut 2x10s to fit. Those made the back wall. For the side walls I used 2x10x12 and attached them to 4x4s. The front of the stalls is 2x6x8s and a 4’ door.
I’ve attached a picture although my “barn” isn’t finished yet. It’ll have two stalls and a small feed room.
It’s not difficult to build. My husband was working out of state and I built this while he was gone.
hth
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this looks like you have a concrete base is that true? how much did this carport cost you?
No it’s cliche. Inside the stall is cliche, topped with sand and matts. The carport cost me 2400.00 but I also had to have it windstorm certified which added to the cost.
How did you attach the channels? Just screws? Self tapping? Can you drill into the carport posts easily enough?
I used self tapping metal screws. You’ll need a good drill to drive them in. I used a dewalt 20v drill. Using the 20v drill I had no problems getting them in. You can always predrill the holes first. I’ll post better pictures tomorrow.
hths
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Thank you this is so helpful!! Would you mind sharing your ballpark cost?
These are great! If the structure is going to live in the pasture, another floor plan to consider is 24 x 24 with one side (depending on your prevailing storm winds) as a 12x24 run-in, then a 12x12 stall, and a 12x12 storage room ‘facing’ whichever way makes sense.
I looked into carports and once I added all the upgrades it was still fairly expensive. I went with a Kleen Pipe structure which is much more substantial (and is on ‘skids’ so it can be moved if needed, which was one of my requirements.)
Here’s a photo album of mine going up https://www.flickr.com/photos/wsmoak/albums/72157624790649688
Carport was just under six grand delivered and installed from gatorback carports out of North Carolina. Steel channel was around $20 for 20 foot piece luckily my husband has every tool available and cut it down into 5 foot sections for me I think I needed 16 pieces total Maybe and I spray painted them with Rust-Oleum because they were just plain steel so they would rust.
any metal you put against carport steel legs you have to make sure matches with the metal of the legs it does some kind of electronic reaction I don’t know exactly what it is off the top of my head.
the two-by-sixes were from Home Depot we did the pro desk thing when we bought this house so we got a lot of other materials for the house since it is a fixer-upper so we got a huge discount I don’t know exactly how much off of the woods though.
the mesh Gates were about a hundred and 25 East there is a place around here that sells dinged or nicked gates for less than what you would get them for at Tractor Supply or somewhere like that.
the gravel and stone dust I had to pay $75 to have delivered I think I got two loads total I work for a contractor so instead of paying $18 a tonne I pay about 10 or $11 a ton next time I need Stone I’m borrowing my buddies 5-ton dump truck and Hauling it myself to save the dump fee especially since the query is only the next exit up from my house literally maybe three miles.
the stall fronts I end up buying mesh gate panels like the cloth fabric type material from state line and put those over my stall fronts since we did not think about the way most storms blowing in on the land and they blow straight into my barn!! Putting the mash up over the stall fronts made a huge difference I cut it so it would fit over the stall panel and then a separate piece for the door that rolls back and forth.
I’m about to upload more pictures since I redid my hay area my pony figured out how to get his head through the gate and Munch all night long so I put those 4 by 8 plywood panels up and I am in the process of redoing that area
I brought in more stone dust from the excess pile I had outside the barn because it was floating around the carport and therefore my pallets we’re getting soaked underneath one of my roofing contractor people gave me a section of membrane Roofing put down basically really thick rubber matting to keep the moisture away and I both had that while actually did it with a hammer and small nails to the bottom two by sixes to hold it in place then put my pallets back down.
next time I have a couple hours free I am going to put the four by eights back up hallways and sandwich them right up against the gate and some extra half pallets I have to cut if you go to the Pinterest for later on tonight you will see the pictures and what I mean I have about 9 inch tall by 21 inch wide by 10 foot long gap between the pallet and the mesh field Gates that I have to put something down for and then have the 8-foot cord supposed straight up there for I can put more hair on that side and not have to worry about it touching the metal or just being up in the air.
adding I have no clue how much my phone has messed up my voice text while I have talk this out while driving down the freeway so no judging lol.
You could also consider getting one or two horse sheds and put them in an L, as in these here:
https://www.gobobpipe.com/horsesheds.htm
Those are not that expensive, less than buying a frame and building stalls around it.
There is some in all areas that make those and being portable, will deliver.
You can move them around and sell them later when not needed.
They also make them any one model someone needs, with overhangs also.
I wouldn’t call mine a barn per se, but I installed a wind-rated Carolina carport & half is my run-in, half is my x-ties (I don’t stall my horses). I didn’t make it all “pretty” like others here, I don’t have that kind of $, so it’s a long - term evolving thing. carport itself is 24 x 26", I believe, I have 2 horses. It was right around $3k with hurricane anchors & no walls.
I built my own half walls (don’t need enclosed barn in south), at first cobbled together around pallets (free) with plywood, but am slowly replacing those pallets with cross boards screwed directly into the metal supports that I then re mount the plywood on.
I did not put down a base first bc I don’t need a perfectly level floor. I just put mats down in x ties, that’s been fine. I did backfill horse side a couple years ago with screenings & topped with mats, all held in with a mini retaining wall - that took me 1 weekend.
I love my shed, it’s been up 6 yrs now & survived multiple storms. I love how versatile they are & you can do whatever you want with them.
Here are some up close pictures of the u-channels and the back wall. As you can see we’ve added more wood to the back and sides. My husband used some old boards we had laying around. Once finished we’ll have two stalls and a small feed room.
Thank you everyone! This are helpful
I have one - check out my insta simonfamfarm highlights for a step by step.
We have a 20x30 with 2 stalls (10x12), 1 grooming area (future stall maybe) and an 8 foot aisle. I love it.
