Not your Grandpa’s Barn.
Made with American Steel Trusses to Last a Lifetime
Many of us still love the traditional red gambrel barn. Perhaps it reminds us of grandpa’s farm. Historically, the reddish-orange color came from a homemade mixture of linseed oil and turpentine then applied as a wood preservative. Farmers then started mixing in iron oxide (rust) to enhance the color.
A century later, we are still designing gambrel style barns constructed with American steel. The best part is our gambrel steel barns are maintenance free!
Out with the Old. Ready for New.
The Leino Family lives on a five acre parcel in Virginia. Their old wooden barn was rapidly deteriorating. Rich shopped around to discover WWSB was recommended on an internet forum, which lead him to get a quote.
When Rich received his quote, he was surprised to find that Worldwide’s steel building material costs were actually lower and much more ‘sturdy’ than that in post frame wood structures.
Rich decided to save money and build it with the help of friends. He rented a scissor lift, but soon realized he should have rented the larger lift. The most difficult part of the build was placement of the 20 foot high roof purlins and using the larger lift could have saved some time. Once done, Rich said that he learned a lot and now all the family’s visitors are impressed with the new barn and he is very proud to mention that he built it with no contractor fees.
Taking Shape. Gambrel Style.
The main benefit of a gambrel style roof is the extra overhead space created which allows for upward growth and opportunity to utilize a mezzanine system. This provides a second level for almost twice the usable square footage. In Rich’s case, his 10 foot sidewalls are 20 foot high to the middle peak and perfect for that second floor addition.
An Architectural Wonder.
Most gambrel roofs have the lower trusses set at 60 degrees while the upper trusses are set at 30 degrees. This type of roof is actually less expensive to install than a more complex roofline. It also requires fewer construction materials. Some people in the construction industry consider it to be the strongest type of roof available.
Forever Popular.
The original gambrel style roof was used in Dutch Colonial architecture. It is still popular today in modern architecture including residential homes, log homes, lake houses and cabins.
After two months of construction, Rich completed his new building installation. Visitors are impressed with the new barn and Rich is very proud to mention that he built it with no contractor fees. He loves his new gambrel barn and admits that it’s more than just a barn for storage … it also serves as his cigar smoking lounge!
Our building design experts are available to answer any questions you may have about your building project. Call us at 800-825-0316 or contact us for more information.
