To install sliding barn doors, mount a narrow backing board over the entrance cutout and screw on the metal track hardware included with your door’s installation kit. Barn doors are available in both swinging and sliding styles, though sliding doors are far more common. Last but not least, you’ll need a way to get yourself and your livestock in and out of the barn. Mount a set of large sliding doors for the main entrance. If you’re not confident in your ability to build a sturdy, watertight roof yourself, it’s best to hire a contractor to come in and make sure the job gets done right. The roof is one of the most important parts of the barn, as it serves to provide shade, deflect precipitation, and keep the interior of the structure covered.If you prefer, you could also go with a simpler style for your barn, such as a gable, skillion, hip, or even a flat roof. In the past, barns almost always featured gambrel roofs, which consist of four flat planes that come together in a point at the center.Once you’ve decided on a particular style, measure the roof and use the dimensions you get to plan the layout of your trusses, which you can then cut and fasten assembly-line style. Barns in high-rainfall areas, for instance, may benefit from steeply-sloped roofs. Choose a type of roof that suits your aesthetic preferences and spatial needs, as well as the typical climate conditions where you live.
X Research sourceīuild a series of trusses to frame the roof. Call your local saw mill to ask about having custom posts cut to the exact specifications you need.
On most structures, the sill plate consists of a series of boards laid out around the outer edges of the foundation and secured with bolts, masonry nails, and/or steel straps.
The sill plate is the first piece of lumber you'll put down for your foundation.
Complete your wall frame by attaching a top plate that mirrors your sill plate, sinking a pair of nails into the top of each underlying stud. To secure each stud, drive two nails down through the bottom of the interior edge and into the sill plate. Arrange your wall studs vertically along the top of your foundation’s sill plate, spacing them at a distance of 16–24 inches (41–61 cm) on center. Traditional barns are typically stick-framed, the same way that most homes are. Consider covering your barn’s center aisle with rubber pavers or mats, and be sure to put down a bed of gravel, clay, or straw inside your livestock stalls.Ĭonstruct a standard stick wall frame out of 2圆 studs.