HOW BIG SHOULD MY BARN BE?
BUILD A POLE BARN TO MEET YOUR SIZE REQUIREMENTS
Pole barns are able and adaptable to fit almost any need or function. So when it comes to deciding on size, it depends on your wants/needs.
Many of our clients use their pole barns for the following:
- General Storage
- Shop
- Garages
- Oversized Truck Storage
- Horse Barns
- RV / Boat Storage
- Riding Rings & Arenas
- Near all commercial/business uses
POST SPACING
| Spacing | Width | Length | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 ft | 24, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 | 24, 32, 40, 48, 56, 64, 72, 80, 88, 96, 104, 112, 120 | 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 |
| 10 ft | 24, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 | 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 120 | 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 |
| 12 ft | 24, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 | 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96, 108, 120 | 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 |
START YOUR PROJECT WITH YOUR OPENINGS/DOORS
When deciding on height, make sure and decide what will be going inside your structure beforehand. What this does is allow to determine door height, which in turn gives you an idea of how tall to make the barn.
Here are some examples of door heights in everyday uses:
- Typical home garages are between 7’-8’ tall.
- The average truck or pickup can fit inside an 8’ door.
- Many RVs or campers require a minimum of 12’ clearance to get inside a door.
- 13’ 6” is the legal height for highway overpasses, so a semi can fit inside a 14’ door.
- Consider these door widths for everyday uses:
- For passenger cards, go for at least 9’ wide.
- A 10’ span for RVs or campers.
- A 12’ span minimum for tractor-trailers.
- A 16’ span minimum for two passenger cars.
- You’ll want at least 3’ from the wall for opening doors and accessing your vehicle.
Do you have any questions?
HOW BIG SHOULD MY POLE BARN BE?
Garages
For your average car or pickup, you’ll want at least 12’ x 24’ per bay. This means you will have 2.5’ on either side of your vehicle when inside the barn. You’ll also want to go with a minimum of an 9’ wide x 8’ tall door. This allows most pickups inside and gives you plenty of room to pull in without hitting anything accidentally.
Assuming you want a one bay, one opening garage, a 16’ x 24’ barn without extra workspace or storage will work great for you.
If you’re considering a two bay garage, then you’d want to go with a 24’ x 30’ building at minimum. This size with two 9’ wide x 8’ tall doors at minimum give you room without extra workspace to access your vehicles once inside.
Shops
If you want strictly a shop, it depends on what you’re using your shop for. A standard 24’ x 24’ barn can be enough to start, but if you expand, you’ll need more space.
Many of our clients who use their barns strictly as shops, woodworking, welding, cnc, etc. find it beneficial to go with a 30’ x 40’ or slightly larger. This allows for machines and workspace with room for expansion or extra storage.
Combining shop and garage? A 30’ x 40’ pole barn with one opening to store a vehicle is about as small as we would recommend to go before getting into space issues.
Semi (tractor-trailer)
Stellar recommends a minimum of 14’ x 14’ for the door and a barn at least 40’ x 60’ x 16’ for just trailer storage.
If you want to store tractor and trailer, go with a 40’ x 80’ x 16’ pole barn.
Commercial
There’s very few limits on pole barn sizes when it comes to intended use. If you’re a small warehouse looking to store parts and equipment expansion may be your only concern, which barns are easily added onto if you want to start small and grow.
If you’re already a larger company looking for a larger space, consider your height. How much headroom do you need to function properly in your space? Stellar has decades of experience with designing barns to fit needs, so if you need 20’ or more of ceiling height, we can accommodate.
Horse Barns/Arenas
In most cases, Horse barns and arenas tend to need dividable space inside for stalls, tack, hay, and storage. Stellar has accommodated many horse owners and trainers to fit their needs.
Depending on number of horses or specific need, whether stalls and/or an arena, Stellar offers custom barn and arenas.
A common recommendation for horse arenas is the center aisle between stalls as opposed to a side-wall walkway. Pending usage, Stellar recommends a 30’ x 36’ barn. This allows for 10’ x 10’ stalls for small horses or 12’ x 12’ stalls for large horses while still allowing for an aisle to access the stalls inside.
MISSION STATEMENT
Stellar Construction strives to ensure every client is satisfied with the customer service, craftsmanship, and experience they bring to every project. With more than 30 years in the construction industry, Stellar assists all their clients in making their dreams come true while still remaining financially affordable.
