"Learn to use Local Rough Cut Lumber to Build Your Dreams!"
What is included in your post and beam barn kit, what’s not, and why

So what do you get when you invest in a Michigan Heritage Barns Post and beam barn kit?
1.The Plans.
Building a barn without a plan is like building a submarine with a screen door. Its doomed to sink! We want your barn project to be a shining success.
That’s why a set of professionally drawn set of plans is included with your barn kit. You also get a step by step construction guide and telephone and email support. If you have any question at all, give us a call or email and we will be happy to answer it.
2.Post and Beam Frame.
All of your posts and beams for your frame are made with rough cut full dimension timbers and beams. A 6×6 is a full 6 inches by 6 inches. The plans that come with your kit show exactly where the beams are to be cut and the plates mounted.
Your frame consists of posts, tie beams, knee braces, collar ties, and rafter beams.
3.Girts and purlins.
Your kit includes 2×6 girts and 3×6 purlins. These timbers hold your siding and roofing in place.
4.Board and Batten siding.
Your kit comes with rough cut full dimension board and batten siding. They are 1×10 board and 1×3 battens.
5.Roof Sheathing.
Full dimension 1×8 rough sawn boards are provided with your kit for your roof sheathing.
6.Steel plates and brackets.
Your kit will come with various steel plates and brackets that are used to bolt your frame together. Using these heavy duty steel plates creates a strong joint that will last for generations. Also included are all the bolts you need to assemble your frame.
7.Door Hardware.
Your kit includes door hardware, along with instructions for building your barn doors.
8.RSS screws.
RSS (Ridged Structural Screws) are included for joints not supported by the steel plate joinery, knee braces, girts and purlins.
What’s not included and why:
1.Windows.
Why not windows? Our focus is to make great barns, not windows. This is one product that you can get at your local lumber yard for less money than we could provide them for.
We are in the business to get you the most economical post and beam barn kit. Sure we could package them in with your kit, and inflate the price of your kit. But that is not what we are in business to do.
Our goal is to make great post and beam barn kits and make them affordable for the average American. So that more people can enjoy the American Dream.
2.Nails.
Most of our customers choose to use a nail gun. There are so many different kinds of nail guns out there, and it seems like every one uses a different kind of nail. There is no way to make nails a standard item in a kit.
3.Roofing.
We want your barn to last for generations, that is why we recommend that you purchase steel roofing from a local source. Steel will last much longer than any shingle.
That’s it!
Everything else you need to build your barn is included. It is worthy to mention here that these barn kits are your basic “shell” barn kit.
Which means, everything you need to build a farm type barn is included.
Considering a Barn Home?
If you are building a barn home then you need to consider all the fixtures and mechanical items that go into building a home, such as insulation, electrical wiring, plumbing, HVAC, cabinets, sinks, bathtubs, etc. For more information on building a Barn Home, please check out: Barn Homes and Barn Home FAQ.
Read More about Post and Beam Barn Kits below.
Jay Bell 40×60 Gambrel Build
Jay Bell Posted to the Barngeeks DIY Facebook Group 2/27/23 My wife and I moved from New Hampshire to Texas in 2018 after retirement. In New Hampshire we owned an antique home built in 1840 that had a 40’ X 60’ bank barn attached to the house, which was my inspiration...
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...
Barn Interview: John Casper
"Probably the most gratifying part of this whole project is every time someone new; friend, family, associates, what have you, come step through that door for the first time, people I've known my whole life or people I've just met just through work associations or...
Ancient Jib Pole, A Game Changer for Your Barn Project
Simple Jib Pole saves Your Back and Your Wallet! My sister and her husband are building an off grid Barn Home, AKA a Barndominium on a raw piece of land, this will be their forever home. Their plan is to do so with as little cost as possible, while maintaining a High...
How To Install a T Plate
How to Build a Post and Beam Barn Video Series, Installing T Plates.
5 Barn Businesses You Can Start Now!
In this article and video, we are looking at 5 businesses you can start with the tools in the BarnGeek Barn Plans Library
5 Steps to build a Barn Business and beat Big Lumber
1. Assess the local market.This kind of business is easiest to run in the country, however there might be an Urban Market, in your area. It’s really an appealing product anywhere, you just have to identify what marketing angle works best for your area. You might have...
3×4 chicken coop with solar power
Built this coop from the free plan - reduced the size a bit. It can be moved around the yard - has wheels on a single axle in the centre. Light activated door is operated with solar power
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...
Click the Download Button Below to Get these Plans!
The Homesteader
- Library of Barn Plans under 1k square feet
- Chicken Coop Plans Library
- Timer Frame Shed Plans Library
- How to Build a Barn Course
- Chicken Coop Course
Most Popular: The D-I-Yer
- Full Library of Barn Plans
- Chicken Coop Plans Library
- Timer Frame Shed Plans Library
- How to Build a Barn Course
- Chicken Coop Course