Where to Get Plans for a Barn

Building a barn takes a great deal of planning on your part: Where does the tack room go, or the feed room? How can storage be incorporated? How should the stalls be laid out? Luckily, you have access to many sources for ideas. As you are designing your barn, however, don't forget to design the rest of your facility's layout, especially pastures and riding areas.

  1. Magazines

    • Horse magazines sometimes publish articles describing how a person built her barn, especially if the barn design is an unusual one. The design plans are often incorporated into the article. Magazines also may have an issue that features barn builders, where you can find sources for websites which may have building plans available. Magazines published by Source Interlink Media (formerly Primedia), such as Horse and Rider and Dressage Today, are especially good sources.

    Barn Builders

    • Companies that sell prefabricated or modular barns sometimes publish the design plans of the structures they offer on their websites. Barnpros.com is an example. You do not want to copy these plans inch for inch, but there is enough information available that you can modify them for your own needs. Some, such as Barnmaster.com, also offer applications on their websites where you can play around with barn designs. Architects and companies that do not sell their barns prefabricated are less likely to post their design plans on their websites, but some may post the design plans of barns they have completed, such as Blackburnarch.com.

    Websites and books

    • There are websites, such as StableWise.com, that post barn plans available for purchase or for viewing. There are also books which offer suggestions on barn design and may have sample plans. "Stables and Shelters, a Threshold Picture Guide," and Cherry Hill's "Horse Housing" are good options. Cherry Hill also offers a DVD titled "Your Horse Barn."