Buying Advice Small Barn for Tractor

[k0ua]

great point gdk.

What is the cheapest and fastest way to create a barn just for tractor and tools? Would gravel floor be fine? I can put a foot-deep gravel.

One little nugget of info. Make sure if you build a metal barn with a gravel floor, you put in a lot of roof ventilation. If not it will rain inside your barn from condensation. I retrofitted ventilation in the ends of mine and it stopped about 95 percent of the condensation, but roof vents put in at the time time of installation would have been better. The day/night heating cooling cycles is what causes the "rain". I am sure a concrete floor with vapor barrier would have helped a bunch, but I could not afford the concrete. It took a lot of money to even build the gravel pad being on a bad slope like mine was.

So to sum up, concrete would be better, but gravel will work. Put in lots of ventilation and all will be well. My tractor has enjoyed its little "kioti den" for some time now. It keeps the weather and the sun off of my investment.

 

[trctorfan17]

This is what I have. It is gravel, This barn was about $5000. built in a day. It is a Carolina Carport. It is 14x30. I wish it was wider.

View attachment 514278View attachment 514279View attachment 514280View attachment 514281View attachment 514282View attachment 514283

Thank you for sharing photos. I am looking for a wood barn and yes, at least 20x30. So, I guess it would cost me at least 15,000?

 

[trctorfan17]

One little nugget of info. Make sure if you build a metal barn with a gravel floor, you put in a lot of roof ventilation. If not it will rain inside your barn from condensation. I retrofitted ventilation in the ends of mine and it stopped about 95 percent of the condensation, but roof vents put in at the time time of installation would have been better. The day/night heating cooling cycles is what causes the "rain". I am sure a concrete floor with vapor barrier would have helped a bunch, but I could not afford the concrete. It took a lot of money to even build the gravel pad being on a bad slope like mine was.

So to sum up, concrete would be better, but gravel will work. Put in lots of ventilation and all will be well. My tractor has enjoyed its little "kioti den" for some time now. It keeps the weather and the sun off of my investment.

Thank you very much for the advice.

I think I will go with concrete...6 inch footer foundation.

 

[Soldier415]

following

 

[Tractorable]

Not to thread hijack but I also want to build a structure to store equipment. My space available is about 20' x 40'. There's a power line in the way that would have to be moved. I'm thinking I'll go with a concrete pad.

 

[John Fitzgerald]

I have a gravel floor in mine, with ridge venting. No condensation, and it's been over 20 months.

 

[k0ua]

I have a gravel floor in mine, with ridge venting. No condensation, and it's been over 20 months.

Yep, the ridge venting is the key..

I spent many a day over in Elkins a few years ago working on phone and paging systems. Helping the local techs work on things they didn't understand too well.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I had my shop built 30x30 concrete slab with 12 foot wide open sheds on each side. On the north side, I had 10 feet of it walled in so as to install a bathroom with wash sink and toilet. I originally designed it to have a shower but decided that it was not a good idea and would be a lot of trouble to keep clean and stocked with towels and fresh clothing so the additional area became storage for bulk oils and other items.
The 30x30 was never intended for tractor storage but does have 9 foot garage doors which allows me to drive my Kubota B26 inside if needed. I hadn't planned for the LS P7010 but luckily it fits on the north side since the shop is built on a slope and has over 11 feet of clearance on the 12 foot shed side.

I later added a 14x30 fully enclosed addition on the back side to house my boat and a couple of lawnmowers since the front was getting crowded with vehicles. I now have my 1500 series crew cab truck and my Honda CRV in the shop with my welding and work area being just behind the CRV so that is about 12 feet x15' now where I originally had the whole bay for work.

What I am alluding to is that no matter how big you think you need today, the future will make it too small. I should have built a 40x40 with 15' lean to sides and maybe I would have enough room. My 30x30 oversized home garage also filled up with vehicles (wifes SUV, Kubota RTV900 and golf cart plus a 6 man storm shelter, freezer, shelving front and sides and all full.
What ever you think you need now, double or triple it if you can afford it because it will fill up on you with "stuff".

 

[k0ua]

But Gary, if you build it too big, it won't be your "stuff" that fills it up, it will be all of your relatives and friends, begging you to store some darn thing under your cover. "well you have all that room, what would it hurt if I brought my boat over?"

 

[John Fitzgerald]

But Gary, if you build it too big, it won't be your "stuff" that fills it up, it will be all of your relatives and friends, begging you to store some darn thing under your cover. "well you have all that room, what would it hurt if I brought my boat over?"

One of my wife's relatives had a place with a few good 80 x 300 ft barns on it with concrete floors. He was storing things (likely free) for a lot of people. I bet there was a scramble when he sold the place after he started to become disabled and elderly. So, what was said above is very true.