A new barn is a practical addition to any farm but can also add huge value to your property. In this series, we’ll tell you how to get the barn of your dreams.
Click to read part one, part two, part three and part four
Added extras
For the barn owner who wants to add a bit of zing to their barn there are all sorts of added extras to give it a unique look.
Cupolas are a popular option for many, but there is a trick to making it look good. It needs to be in proportion to the building – too big or too small and it will just look silly.
The standard rule: 2.5cm (1 inch) of cupola width to 30 cm (1 foot) of roof length to get a good-looking ratio. A cupola can be decorative or it can actually function as a vent for releasing warm air.
If you like the look you can go for slatted vents in each end wall and again they can be decorative or functional.
You might want to add a wind vane to the roof line although if you are taking water off a barn roof this could be a disadvantage as birds will often use it as an extra high vantage point and then leave you special deposits.
All these small touches add value and contribute to the overall look of a barn, and that will help you when it comes time to sell up says Michael Anselmi of Customkit.
“Looks are a huge part of it for about 90% of our clientele. Very few people say “I just want a barn” or “I just want a shed”. That’s why they add the vents and the finials, they don’t ‘just want to buy a basic barn.”
Door options
Dutch doors - where the door is cut in half and each half opens independently. While these look really good, horse owners are advised against having them because horses tend to chew on the wood along the top.
Hinged doors (exterior) – instead of roller doors, hinged doors can look really good especially if you give them a barn-like look, perhaps by putting Z-braces on them or painting them a different colour to the rest of the barn. Make sure they are on hinges that allow them to be opened right back onto the wall and you have hooks in place to hold them back.
Interior doors (especially stable doors) - there are two thoughts on internal stable doors. Sliding doors open up without taking up space in the aisle but can be difficult to keep on their rails and need adjusting. Doors that open out into the aisle can block it, making it hard for horse and owner to get in and out but don’t require as much maintenance.
Nadene Hall
NZ Lifestyle Block magazine
