OT — Which way did you face your barn?

6

641Dave

Member

• Jan 25, 2012

• #1

I was wondering which way you folks faced your barn's primary opening?

I'm torn between facing it south to east to keep from a strong winded northern blowing into it, but at the same time, that Texas sun sure beats down from the south in the summer.

 

G

GeneMO

Well-known Member

Location

Pilot Grove, Mo.

• Jan 25, 2012

• #1

We have an open shed on our old barn. It is probably canted 10 degrees to the East of due south. Heading of about 170 degrees.

And we have the West side of the shed sided with tin and the East end open. We get most of our wind out of the south west.

Gene

 

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Jan 25, 2012

• #1

North/South but it was built in 1938. Wind is from the NW to SW most of the time.

 

D

DeltaRed

Well-known Member

• Jan 25, 2012

• #1

South.I like the warm southern exposure in the cold
winter.The summewr sun is not an issue.If your
primary concern is protection from the sun's
harmfull rays,face east.Steve

 

M

markvic

New User

• Jan 25, 2012

• #1

I'm in SW Ohio and faced both my barns primary opening SSE. Rarely do we get strong winds/storms from that direction.

 

R

resting

New User

• Jan 25, 2012

• #1

My homeplace layout dictated north facing for my shop/barn. Always good to allow snow to slide off the roof and require a second-shoveling which never melted until March/April. I have worked at places that had shops that faced east, south, and west. Of those, the south was best. West-facing always had leaves blown in. East facing doors always had drifted snow issues. South faced doors were warm and clear.

al

 

F

Fordfarmer

Well-known Member

• Jan 25, 2012

• #1

Mine runs east and west, but it was built more than
60 years before I was around. Most of our wind comes
from the west or north-west, with the coldest right
out of the north. Have doors on both ends, but
mainly use the east doors.

 

S

swood043

Member

• Jan 25, 2012

• #1

Mine has the primary opening to the south. I'm in central oklahoma and the sun is a factor but my layout kinda dictated the locale. I am thinking of putting a covered approach on the south side about twenty feet out to block some of the sun, but I always have a good breeze blowing through the shop.

 

R

Rick Kr

Well-known Member

• Jan 25, 2012

• #1

Faced my doors east. Other choice was north, towards the road.

The winter NW winds pile a little snow around the doors, but usually a foot or so away. My other barn faced due north (doors). The winter wind would form a huge snow berm sometimes 3-4 foot high wrapping around the northside of the building. At least I could get a running start from inside the barn with the tractor.

Wanted to face doors west but just couldn't work it into the layout.

Rick Kr

 

Geo-TH,In

Well-known Member

• Jan 25, 2012

• #1

I have a clear view of my doors from the house.
George

 

R

rustyfarmall

Well-known Member

• Jan 25, 2012

• #1

I faced mine towards the road so the door would line up with the driveway.

 

J

James Howell

Well-known Member

• Jan 25, 2012

• #1

The open side of our barn in Hutchins, TX faces East.

Morning sun "bleached" the hay so Nancy installed a tarp "curtain" in the hay stall.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/Barn/?action=view¤t=IMG_2920.jpg" target="_blank">

</a>

Barn is closed on both the North and West sides.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/Barn/?action=view¤t=IMG_2923.jpg" target="_blank">

</a>

It is open on the South side.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/Barn/?action=view¤t=IMG_2925.jpg" target="_blank">

</a>

 

L

Leroy

Well-known Member

• Jan 25, 2012

• #1

What do you want to do with it is first question, machinery only or live stalk only or both? In this area of the country most barns were a combination and you tried to have the livestalk doors opening toard the south or east away from the prevaling winds as those were what were open the most of the time and you wanted to keep the livestalk out of the wind. And then the machinery doors you very seldom opened during the winter and if you did you waited for a nice day to do it as then you were usually hauling manure or feed so you picked the best weather you could get. So if they were on the north or west did not make the difference of the livestalk doors. Now if you are just wanting it for machinery storage it will not make much difference but open sides are still prety musch on soulh or east still due to prevaling winds and that is close to oposite of combimation barns as livestalk entrance was determining factor after ground layout.

 

B

buickanddeere

Well-known Member

• Jan 25, 2012

• #1

New building peak will run true east west to provide a south
roof for solar panels. If it becomes too hot in the summer the
livestock can move to the north side. And the westerly
breezes. Main doors if on the east end will drift over with
snow.

 

J

jackinok

Well-known Member

• Jan 25, 2012

• #1

put doors if possible away from the prevailing winds in your area.where i am wind is normaly out of the south west,my barns doors face east on all but one which is a drive through and sets east and west. I havnt had any problems so far.

 

T

Texasmark1

Well-known Member

• Jan 25, 2012

• #1

Beins I am a Texas boy and go through the big swings of the sun
over the seasons as you do, I have two loafing areas. One is a
closed to all sides but South, I call a loafing shed, and the other
is nothing more than a roof, a sun shade that is totally open to
ventilation.

In the summer they get in the shade in the shadow of the roof.
On a day like today, with the N wind bearing down and a cold
front moving in after the gorgeous 8" rain we got the last 24 hrs,
they are in the loafing shed protected from the N wind......my
cows have more common sense than a lot of people.....They at
least have enough sense to get in outta-da-rain.

Mark

 

M

Mark - IN.

Well-known Member

• Jan 25, 2012

• #1

North to south, doors both ends so can pass right through, open and close doors both ends. I got that idea from a garage I that I used to pass by frequently, and they used to have both ends open from time to time. I liked it, so newest barn, sliders both ends. Works perfect.

Mark

 

L

LeonardWD45

Member

• Jan 25, 2012

• #1

My barn faces east and west. West end is completely
open and have walk through openings on the other
three sides.

Leonard

 

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Jan 25, 2012

• #1

My garage has the rear facing the prevailing winds/weather.

 

jm.

Well-known Member

Location

Dover TN

• Jan 26, 2012

• #1

If the road or access does not dictate diffrent most barns in this part of the country are facing East. I guess it really makes more diffrence what is the barn used for i.e. machinery or livestock..