How to Design Stalls in a 20X40 Barn

Draw the barn footprint or plan on a sheet of paper. Ensure the drawing is to scale and the footprint’s width is twice its depth. For greater accuracy, draw the thickness of the materials (the structure and materials diminish the total clear space of a structure, so it is important to account for this when drawing the barn’s plan).

Divide the barn footprint into four stalls with circulation space. There are two efficient methods to do this. However, you must have access to the barn’s interior from the long edge of the barn.

The first method requires two stalls to be placed at either end of the 20 by 40 rectangular space. That is, two stalls, each approximately 10 feet by 16 to 18 feet, occupy the short edges of the barn, portioned along the lengthwise center line of the structure. This provides a circulation space between 8 and 12 feet in width, running the total width of the barn. This central circulation space provides access to all four of the stalls and can provide space for storage and tack along the walls of the corridor.

The second method requires the four stalls to be grouped together against a long edge of the barn. This provides stalls that are approximately 10 feet wide by 12 feet deep, with an 8-foot corridor running lengthwise along the barn and four stalls. Although this method is slightly less efficient, it provides much more wall space for storage, etc.

Lay out the stalls according to your drawing, using a chalk line to mark the limits of the stall partitions. Allow appropriate widths for the material dimensions of the partitions. If there are any inconsistencies with the layout of the stalls, do not be afraid to take some time to determine the layout more accurately. It is important to take your time when laying out the proposed plan, so errors will be kept to a minimum.

Construct the stall partitions using lumber or prefabricated stall walls. A stall should be at least 48 inches tall; however, 54 inches to 60 inches is appropriate. Provide outward swinging gates at least four feet wide to accommodate a horse’s breadth. These gates should be provided at the corner of the stalls to allow the stall walls to guide the horses in and out of their spaces.

Install accessories such as saddle hangers, reins, bridle hooks and pad holders along the walls of the circulation space. This will take up some of the corridor’s width, so plan the placement of the accoutrements accordingly.