What is the widest I can span a gambrel barn?

by | Oct 21, 2013 | AskTheBarngeek | 5 comments

Asked by Kim Petersen from Winnemucca, NV

 

What is the widest I can span a gambrel barn?

I am looking to build a post and beam wooden barn to use for weddings and special events. I want to be ready to build early spring.

I am from Winnemucca, Nevada so good temper beams are hard to come by.

Is there a way to purchase a kit with materials?

I am also considering a wood floor to dress it up from concrete. I am hoping to find a way to insulate it so I can use it in the winter. Thanks for your help.

5 Comments

  1. Bob petrusha
    Bob petrusha on January 16, 2017 at 9:18 pm

    Barns

    Do you have an actual barn that can be viewed ? I am interested in a kit. I live in the Detroit area. Would very much like to see the actual built kit, thanks so [email protected]. Looking forward to hearing from you. This would be built over a basement and attached to an existing 100yr.old barn, looking for something in the 36×36’size. Bob p

    • John
      John on January 18, 2017 at 9:18 pm

      Bob P, we’ve attempted to reach you through the email you posted but the message would not deliver. Please contact me at [email protected] to arrange a visit to our barn in Howell, MI. Also featured in “A Barn Wedding” on the site.

      Thank you. John

  2. Linda Meuth
    Linda Meuth on October 29, 2013 at 9:17 pm

    Would love a barn in Texas!

    I love your barns and found them with the same idea in mind…a wedding venue…for my daughter’s wedding. I, too, wanted a wood floor. I live in Texas. So if I find a sawmill here, I just need to order the plans and hardware from barngeek? Would the plans have a spec list…to place the order for lumber? Thanks

    • The Barn Geek
      The Barn Geek on October 31, 2013 at 5:31 pm

      Cut List

      Yes, on the right column of this page you will see many different plans we have available. They all come with cut lists that you can send to your local sawmill and have your timbers cut from local trees.

  3. The Barn Geek
    The Barn Geek on October 21, 2013 at 9:16 pm

    Hi Kim,

    Thank you for your question.

    The widest we will design a barn to clear span is 20 feet.

    Of course we can design your barn to be wider but there will be interior posts to support the weight of the roof and loft. Now, we could hypothetically clear span much wider distances, but that would require special beams, and engineering, that are way beyond the scope of what we do here. It is our goal to design simple and affordable traditional barns.

    We try not to ship whole kits out of state because of the cost of shipping, and we believe in strong local economies. In Nevada I understand that there probably isn’t a great deal of local lumber available. However, I know that there are some really nice Douglas Fir timbers available from sawmills in Oregon or Washington. There is also Ponderous Pine available in the Dakotas.

    Have a great day!

    Aaron Esch
    BarnGeek

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