hay barn height

getting ready to build a barn for round bales of hay, ive never had a barn for it so not sure how tall i need to make it. i plan on going 4 bales wide and 3 bales tall. bales are 5x5 but looks like with them stacked the top bale fits down into the crack of the bottom two and maybe gain a couple inches of clearance?
 
When I built my hay barn I should have done it this way but did not. Put a bale on the loader and lift it up as high as it goes. You then want the roof at its lowest point to be as high as that or more so you do not have to worry about watching so you do not hit the roof. I did not do this so when I am stacking bales it can be a pain since you have to watch real close so as not to hit things up high. Te lowest point on my barn is around 18 foot by the way. One good thing I can say about the one I built I used scrap stuff to do so, so I have very few $$ tied up in it and that helps a lot with taxes and keeping them cheap
 
I'd build it tall enough for 5x6 bales - in the future you might upgrade your baler (or just want
to make full-size bales if you already have a 5x6) and be wishing for a little more height. Old's
advice is also very prudent. It doesn't cost much to add a little extra to the walls as insurance
against tagging the trusses.
 
I went 16 foot. It was actually higher than that on the inside for a while,but the poles are apparently settling in to the ground since the skirt boards are down in the ground to the edge of the steel now on one end. I could stack 4x5s four high on end the entire length of it when I built it. It's on just an ever so slight slope so I can still get them four high half the length of it now. I don't know that I'd go any less than 16 feet. You might not have a 5x5 baler forever or even be using it for the same purpose.
 

16' is a good number to work with, I've stacked hay in a 14" barn but you have to watch or you'll take out a truss. Most lumber yards here only carry 20' post and if you want longer for 18-20' eave the cost is a quite a bit more.
I go 3 1/2 ft in the ground with 6" of post to nail the trusses to giving me 16' to the eave.
 
Ours is 16' works really well. We stack on end and offset them this
really adds capacity and doesn't deform the bales, a real plus if you
need to sell off some.
Charlie
 
Build what you need, its far easier to add a foot now than later ;).... I stack on end,
4x5's, 1st 2 and then top bale sitting on them which is a net of 13 feet with 0
clearance.... so nominal on the low side is 14.5 from top of floor which is about 6 inches
above grade or 15 feet clear. Works nice with 18 foot 6x6's set 3 feet deep. By using 5x5's
and stacking the voids I'd add 2 feet and use 20's.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top