Do you have a question you would like to
“Ask a Barn Geek?”
Please email us @ [email protected], and we would be happy to help you. Please put “Ask a Barn Geek” in the subject line.
If we think others may find your question helpful, you may see it featured in an upcoming newsletter.
Thank You,
Barn Geek
Is it worth while to have a local sawmill cut some or all of my Barn Lumber or even do it myself?
We have a LOT of eastern red cedars, Tulip Poplars, among other species. If I have a local sawmill cut our pieces for us, would you expect a significant savings overall?
Best exterior coating for a barn?
Question asked in the BarnGeeks Facebook Group 4/21/24 Does anybody have any recommendations of the best exterior coating for a 40x60 gambrel? Unfortunately the wood is not rough cut so it won't absorb as well as all of the beams and the frame. I used iron oxide mixed...
Barn Kits Available Now!
Full Barn Kits are Back! Have you thought to yourself, “I would sure love to build one of those BarnGeek Barns but I just wish I could get everything I need to build it in one all inclusive kit!” Well, today is your lucky day! We are proud to announce...
Cutting Timbers in Advance: What is the best size to cut?
Question: Aaron- Thank you for all the helpful info on your website. I just recently purchased a bandsaw mill and am going to start cutting timbers for later use. I am years away from thinking about a specific barn design but know I want to create these post and beam...
Is Cottonwood any Good?
Hey, folks! Barn Geek here, and in today's video, we're tackling the installation of these floor joists. You might remember seeing them in a previous video where we showcased these Cottonwood floor joists. It's been a couple of weeks since we installed them, and...
How do I talk to my building department about the legality of this?
How do I go about talking to my building department about the legality of this? Are you guys building these under agriculture? Can I contruct this into a house? Location Ogemaw county Michigan. Also what size beams should I saw up to let dry ahead of time or does size...
Old red barn paint safety
Hello, We recently bought a rustic house that is finished with beautiful barn siding on the walls. They have quite a bit of remnant red paint. They are from an old barn in Iowa, and I have no idea how old they are. In much of the area, the red color seems to have...
How To Build Barn on Old Barn Foundation
Hi everyone, We live on a property with an old barn foundation (previous owners tore down the barn...assuming for structural reasons). We want to re-build a barn here and are unsure how to proceed. Here are the big questions: 1) There is existing concrete slab, but it...
Increase Snow Load
Hello I plan on building a 40x50 horse barn in the mountains but I need a roof snow load of 97psf. How do I increase this from the current plans?
Piers
Good Morning! We have your 20x30 gambrel with 10ft shed plans. I’m trying to locate a calculation for size of piers. Can you please advise? Thanks and Happy Easter!
Insulating an OLD barn
We recently bought a historic ranch with beautiful 100 year old barns! They are structurally sound but very drafty, to the point snow drifts in. We're in Colorado near a mountain peak at 8500ft elevation, so we get blizzards and a lot of wind. We would like to...
I have a lot of oak trees. Is it cost effective to use this lumber, to build a barn?
Hi, I have several oak trees over a couple of acres that I need to take down. Some of them are too close to the house. Others are too close to the driveway. Some are 16-18" diameter at the base. Many are 12-14". I can drop them and split them for firewood, but we...
Read More about Post and Beam Barn Kits below.
Is it worth while to have a local sawmill cut some or all of my Barn Lumber or even do it myself?
We have a LOT of eastern red cedars, Tulip Poplars, among other species. If I have a local sawmill cut our pieces for us, would you expect a significant savings overall?
Pride and Accomplishment in Having Built a Barn Myself
Besides the utility of having a barn and the value it adds to our property, having built the barn myself has given me a sense of pride and accomplishment that’s hard to place a value upon.
Free Chicken Coop Plans
You can build this hen house with these free chicken coop plans. It is easy to do. All you need is some rough cut lumber, a hammer, nails, and a circular saw. You can even build one with regular dimensional lumber from your local lumber yard. I built one like this for...
36 egg incubator reveiw. Trying an incubator from amazon.
In may of 2024 my husband and I decided to purchase an incubator in the hopes of hatching some cute silkie chicks for our son to enjoy. We bought eggs from local breeders to hatch along with sticking some layer mixes from our own farm in. As a busy family with my...
Best exterior coating for a barn?
Question asked in the BarnGeeks Facebook Group 4/21/24 Does anybody have any recommendations of the best exterior coating for a 40x60 gambrel? Unfortunately the wood is not rough cut so it won't absorb as well as all of the beams and the frame. I used iron oxide mixed...
Rebuilding Tradition: A Family’s Journey with BarnGeek’s Gambrel Timber Frame Barn
The old 40 x 60 barn my grandfather built in the forties collapsed in a snowstorm in 2015. I wanted to replace it with a similar style so I chose the 40 x 60 gambrel.
Fall 2019 to Now: The Story of Our 44×60 BarnGeek Barndominium!
We are thrilled to share an inspiring story from one of our Barn Plans Library members. This family embarked on a remarkable journey to transform our BarnGeek 40x50 plan into their dream home. Back in the fall of 2019, they decided to mix a couple of our plans,...
The Best Treats for Your Chickens this Summer
What are the best treats for my chickens? What can I safely feed my chickens? Let's look at some common chicken treats and what makes them good for you (your wallet) and your chickens! 1. Food scraps Low waste, low cost, and tons of fun! What could be better? Chickens...
Barn Kits Available Now!
Full Barn Kits are Back! Have you thought to yourself, “I would sure love to build one of those BarnGeek Barns but I just wish I could get everything I need to build it in one all inclusive kit!” Well, today is your lucky day! We are proud to announce...