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Blog > Design, Post and Beam Barns > Basic Barn Styles

Basic Barn Styles

By Caitlin on November 21, 2017

When people come to us looking for a Timber Frame Barn, often times they aren’t fully aware of all the different styles of barns that they can choose from. Today, we’re going to look at 4 basic styles of barns. Obviously, there are many more styles and variations out there, but these 4 barns will give a general idea of barn styles and options.

 

 

The Carolina Horse Barn is a Gable Style Barn with an A-Frame roof.

Gable

One of the defining characteristics of the Gable Barn is the distinctive “A” shape and steep pitch of the roof. A very old style of barn that originated in the time of the thatched roof, the steep pitch of the Gable allowed rainwater to run off the roof preventing it from being ruined by moisture. One thing to consider with the Gable Barn is that the attic or loft space available for storage may be less than that of the Gambrel or other styles of barn because of the pitch of the roof.

 

This barn in Hillsdale, NY is a Gambrel style barn.

Gambrel

The Gambrel Barn has a roof with a double slope on each side. The Gambrel Roof offers the barn the most space for storage, which makes these barns popular as horse barns for their ability to store large quantities of hay and other supplies. A lot of people enjoy the Gambrel barn purely for aesthetic reasons, as the Gambrel has that vintage barn look that many people associate with older, classic barns.

 

This barn in PA is built into the slope making it a Bank style barn.

Bank

Like its name implies, the Bank Barn is a barn that is built into the side of a hill (or bank). Building a barn into a hill gives easy access to two levels of the barn with an entrance to ground level on both the first and second floor. By having access to both levels of the barn, if it’s built strong enough, one could easily store heavy equipment on either floor of the barn.

 

This barn in Texas was built in the Monitor barn style.

Monitor

The Monitor Barn has a portion of raised roof in the center of the barn. The Monitor barn has a unique look and gives the builder the option of putting windows along the walls below the raised roof, letting in a ton of natural light. The raised roof takes away some of the storage space that could be available, but the trade-off is a unique aesthetic and natural lighting.

 

These are 4 basic styles of barn that Vermont Timber Works offers. Any of these styles can be changed or adjusted to meet the needs of our clients, and of course we have experience building and raising all types and styles of custom designed barns.

 

If you have any questions about Barns submit a question on our “Ask the Experts” page or give us a call at our workshop.

About the Author

Caitlin

Caitlin is a writer and a full-time Marketing Assistant. She has worked at Vermont Timber Works since 2017.
34 comments
  1. i have been raising barns for ten years and before that i lived and worked at river spirit, a organic back to the land kind of commune. in Ca. Since I have had a stroke in Hawaii I found your web sight and wanted to tell you how much i liked it. Especially the photos, they helped me recover some of my timber dreams.

  2. i have been raising barns for ten years or more and before that i lived and worked at river spirit, a organic back to the land kind of commune. in Ca. Since I have had a stroke in Hawaii I found your web sight and wanted to tell you how much i liked it. Especially the photos, they helped me recover some of my timber dreams.

  3. This is good idea as garage for my trucks!

  4. Glad to see this great post.

  5. All looks great to me

  6. Basic barn styles are so nice

  7. Cool! All the barn styles above are amazing.

  8. solo camping says:

    How long does it take to build something like this?

  9. site says:

    These are the kind of houses I want to live in.

  10. So nice! I love this barn house style!

  11. We’re planning to have some barn houses in our farm. These designs would be ideal!

  12. Roofer says:

    Hello there! Beautiful post, I absolutely LOVED IT!

  13. Steven says:

    I really liked the article and will apply some of these ideas to my business

  14. website says:

    Thanks for sharing this awesome information.

  15. What a wonderful post! Thank you!

  16. Glad to check this awesome information in here.

  17. Ben says:

    Your article is quite helpful! I have so many questions, and you have answered many. Thank you!

  18. website says:

    Thanks for sharing this great article.

  19. You’ve given some fantastic tips in this article. They will be useful regardless of the size of your home. There will be more clutter the more room you have. We need to feel at peace because we have such a huge family. Your yard is lovely, and I appreciate it greatly. Everyone who comes to your house can see how much work went into it! Inspiring! Thank you for sharing your lovely home and encouraging me to create my own!

  20. Roof says:

    Yes, I agree that there are many more styles and variations out there, but these 4 barns will give a general idea of barn styles and options. Fantastic ❤❤❤

  21. Great post! Thanks for this awesome article you shared.

  22. Terry Birmingham says:

    I love the monitor barn, one loft , lots of open space and lots of light. Plan to park my 40 Ford under the loft yes, right in the living room… with a glass garage door, barn doors to cover the garage door…….

  23. our site says:

    Pretty! This is really a wonderful post. Thanks for providing this details.

  24. Timothy Chase says:

    I’m thinking of putting up a barn to be used as a winter storage for classic cars, boats, etc. as well as having an apartment in one end, with overhead rooms also. Any recommendations?

  25. Great barn styles, I want to live in.

  26. Pablo says:

    These barn styles are awesome, almost looks like a whole home!

  27. Great style! Kinda want to live in one now

  28. Thank you for this insightful overview of basic barn styles! It’s fascinating to learn about the characteristics and unique features of each type.
    It’s great to know that Vermont Timber Works can customize these styles to meet clients’ needs. Looking forward to more barn-related content from you!

  29. This is an amazing barn and design that I like very much. Love it so much.

  30. Belle says:

    Ahhh they are all beautiful! I have always loved barns, trees, and the vast farmlands that surround them. There’s something about them that’s truly healing.

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