The Benefits of Steel Horse Barns

When you envision a horse barn in your head, the classic wooden building may be the first thing that comes into your head. While this may be the classic design, steel buildings make excellent horse barns. Many horse owners are split in the decision about whether they prefer metal horse barns or wooden, so here, we will take a look at the reasons why steel is the optimal choice for a modern horse barn. 

Value 

One of the biggest things that come into play with constructing new buildings is the value for your money. A metal barn costs about 50 percent less to build than a wooden barn, and it is much less expensive to maintain the building. Steel horse barns are also much cheaper to expand later on if you get more horses and need more room. A steel barn is also much easier to lock securely to keep your horses and equipment safe, giving you an added value. 

Wooden barns are expensive to build and maintain, and they are nowhere near as durable as a steel barn. 

Design Flexibility 

You can completely customize every aspect of your steel horse barn, from the number of stalls and stall sizes to the exterior's finish. As we mentioned above, they are also significantly less expensive than a wooden barn to expand upon later, allowing you to accommodate your needs as they come up. 

Durability 

There is no comparison when it comes to the durability of a steel building versus a wooden building. Wooden buildings are susceptible to pests and rot, and it can warp or crack in harsh weather. Metal buildings are immune to pests and rot, and it is not going to become oversaturated with rain or warping and cracking during a wet winter. 

Maintenance 

Wood requires much more maintenance than steel does, especially over the decades. As we mentioned above, wood can get warped or cracked; it can also rot, and it is a hospitable environment for pests like termites and rodents. You will also have to repaint your wooden barn

every few years, which is generally not the case with metal buildings. Overall, steel is much easier to maintain for a horse barn than wood is. 

Another part of maintenance to consider with a metal barn is how easy the building is to keep clean. You need a barn that is clean for the horses' safety and health, and it can be a key selling point to clients if you run a stable. 

You can easily use a pressure washer and mild soap to clean the stables' interior and exterior. Steel also dries fairly quickly, so you are not stuck waiting for hours for something to dry. You can install drains in the stalls, giving you an easy way to drain the soapy water out of the stalls. 

On the other hand, wood takes much more time to dry and can eventually sustain water damage over time. 

Harsh Weather 

Steel buildings are intended to stand up to the elements, and General Steel's buildings have survived Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Katrina. If you live in an area with frequent weather events, your horses and equipment will fare much better after in a metal barn than they would be in a wooden barn. Of course, there is no guarantee that a metal building will hold up against any hurricane, tornado, or snowstorm, but a steel building is more likely to stay upright than a wooden building. 

Even if you are not in an area with particularly harsh weather, a steel horse barn will help keep the horses warmer on cold winter nights. You might think it is harder to keep a metal building warm, but it is easy to do with the right insulation. 

Appearance 

You might be thinking about getting a steel horse barn, but you like the way a wooden building looks better. You can get an exterior finish on your steel horse barn that makes it look like a wood building. This gives you the aesthetic of a wooden barn, but with a steel barn's safety benefits. 

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About the Author 

Auz Burger is a freelance writer who specializes in steel buildings. She has a BA from Washington State University and has been writing and editing professionally for 10 years. Connect with her on Twitter at @AuzBurger.

A General Steel horse barn with a wooden exterior finish.

A General Steel horse barn