Styles Of Barns

Gable

• Gable barns consist of a large wooden structure with gable roofs. A gable roof is formed when a roof is built in a triangular shape at the ends of a structure. If heavy snow is common where the barn is located, the slant of the gable roof may be built steep or nearly flat. The steeper the gable slant, the more storage space inside.

Gambrel

• Gambrel barns are of Dutch origin and were first built in the American colonies by settlers. A gambrel roof consists of double, symmetrical slopes on both sides, giving the overall roof four flat, connecting surfaces. Typically, the top of the barn roof features a more shallow slope, which is connected to a steeper slope. Like the gable barn, the gambrel barn roof maximizes storage space in the upper portion.

Clerestory

• According to Merriam-Webster, a clerestory roof is "an outside wall of a room or building that rises above an adjoining roof and contains windows." This roof style lends its name to the clerestory barn, which features a strip of clerestory windows across the top near the adjoining roof. Clerestory windows allow ample sunlight into the barn, especially near the top, where hay or tools may be stored. When designed with windows that open, this style allows ventilation into the barn.

Arena

• Arena barns are different from most barn styles, as they consist of a raised roof typically built atop poles. Instead of walls, the barn's sides are open with low fencing beneath the roof's perimeter. Arena barns are generally a good choice for farms or ranches that are located in areas with mercurial weather, as the arena style gives horseback riders a dry, well-ventilated place to ride that can be illuminated with lights at night.