Designing a pole barn in collaboration with Peak Pole Barns and Manufacturing is easy. Our leadership has over three decades of experience in the industry! As pole barn builders living in Colorado, we understand the weather and its challenges. Peak Pole Barns works closely with property owners to design and build structures catering to their precise requirements. We share the key considerations for designing a quality pole barn.

How To Choose A Pole Barn Size
The first question to ask when you design a pole barn is – what is the purpose of your building? The second question is, do you plan to expand in the future? The answers to these two questions influence the size of your pole barn. Peak Pole Barns and Manufacturing can produce buildings of all sizes throughout Colorado, including indoor riding arenas, horse barns, agricultural buildings, residences, shops and garages.
Let’s consider the size requirements of a standard indoor riding arena. According to industry experts, the ideal arena is 80’ wide with interior heights between 16’ and 18’ from ground to peak. Doors should be approximately 14’ high and wide to accommodate a horse and rider. The most important factor in an indoor riding arena is having a clear span with no beams or posts inside the arena. The standard indoor arena size is an 80’ x 120’.
Plan for future developments when you are designing a pole barn. If you are building a riding arena, you might want to increase the number of horse stalls as well as adding areas for tack, feed, and wash stalls. Staff housing or accommodation for clients are a great value add as well. Are you planning a residential garage? You might want to add space in the future for an office, a workshop, recreational vehicles, or storage for winter gear.
Peak Pole Barns can build wall heights ranging from 10’ to 24’ and any width up to 80’. We can construct any length you want without limits. The post-frame building method allows for large floor plans without the need for interior support walls, giving you more building interior space than other construction methods. Our buildings are sturdy, and our designs are specially engineered to withstand Colorado wind speeds and snow loads.
Pole Barn Cost Factors: What to Consider When Budgeting
What is the budget for your pole barn’s design and construction? The building purpose, size, and preferred features are the main cost determinants. For example, a basic hay storage facility will not need large windows and a cupola like an indoor riding arena. What other cost factors do you need to consider when budgeting?
Financing. When you don’t have enough cash for the project, you may need to take out a loan. Add the loan’s principal and interest repayments to your budget.
Site preparation. Every project requires site preparation, which could be affected by the weather. You may need to elevate an area for your barn or remove boulders, adding to the cost.
Permits. You will need permits for the building’s construction, which are generally based on the project’s jurisdiction, size, and in which building segment it falls.
Design and Construction. The design and construction costs will take up a substantial part of your budget. Peak Pole Barns are specialists in designing quality pole barns. Our services include the design, engineering, and construction of the building.
Finishing. This includes services such as plumbing, electrical, HVAC, drywall, concrete floors, masonry, cabinets, carpets, trim, and more. The extent of the finishing work depends on the type of building and your needs.
Landscaping and signage. The building’s purpose will determine if you need to budget for landscaping and signage. Peak Pole Barns manufactures custom steelwork, including cupolas, weathervanes, signs, horse stalls and dividers, as well as dutch doors. Custom metal fabrication is offered to meet any needs.
We understand the importance of transparency and trust in our industry. We like to give clients a tangible demonstration of our professionalism and commitment to the project.

Choosing The Best Pole Barn Layout For Your Needs
Your pole barn layout should accommodate your needs, whether you build a horse barn, storage for agricultural machinery, or a helicopter hangar.
The building’s positioning impacts the layout and is especially important for barns housing animals. They need the sun to travel over the top of the structure evenly, protection from wind, and space for loading and unloading. It also requires good ventilation, lighting, and easy access to water. Animals create copious amounts of waste. Design a barn layout that allows for efficient waste removal.
Any pole barn design guide will tell you a cowshed and horse barn layout should be practical and maximize airflow. Good ventilation reduces ammonia levels and removes heat and dust. Cows don’t need a fully covered shed; a loafing shed is sufficient. Horse barns need big stalls, open work areas, and wide passageways. The animals will be comfortable while employees perform their tasks effectively.
A building designed to accommodate large agricultural machinery will need sizable doors on both sides for easy access and a lot of open space around the structure for easy movement. Its layout will include storage space for tools and parts and might have a wash bay outside the structure. Peak Pole Barns has completed hundreds of agricultural construction projects in Colorado. We custom-design each structure according to the client’s specifications.
5 Tips for Designing A Functional Pole Barn
Design pole barns with functionality in mind. Residential homes and garages serve different purposes than equestrian and agricultural buildings. Each building type has distinct temperature control, access, services, and comfort requirements. We share five tips for designing a functional pole barn.
Tip 1: Select the right doors.
Internal and external doors are key features in pole barn buildings. Select the right door for the building’s purpose, such as hydraulic doors opening outwards for large agricultural machinery buildings or an overhead door for horse barns.
Tip 2: Manage water access.
Provide humans and animals with consistently available clean water and include systems in your design to remove excess water, whether from snow, rain, or a wash bay. Standing water is a health risk.
Tip 3: Provide appropriate light.
Pole barn buildings need artificial light and natural light from windows or skylights. Choose energy-saving options to minimize your energy bill.
Tip 4: Ensure sufficient ventilation.
Good ventilation is vital for all buildings and even more so when you house animals. It gets rid of excess heat, moisture, odors and indoor pollutants. Cupolas not only look beautiful, but they also provide building ventilation. Pole barn designs enhance ventilation naturally, improving air quality and increasing comfort.
Tip 5: Insulate the pole barn building.
Colorado’s climate requires us to insulate our buildings for comfort, especially in homes. The poles used in post frame construction are widely spaced, which reduces the number of thermal breaks in the structure. This helps in the overall energy efficiency.
Designing a pole barn is a joint effort with clients. Peak Pole Barns can create structures that include everything you need, whether overhead doors, windows, thermal insulation, ventilation systems, horse stalls, or cupolas.

The 5 Best Pole Barn Design Styles for Every Purpose
The first thing you notice about pole barn buildings is their rooflines. Then you look at features such as the dormers, windows, doors, the veranda, lean-to, and cupola. Finally, we see the colors, unless it is a traditional barn red, which you would notice immediately! Modern technology allows us to be imaginative with our design styles, offering a range of metal colors and patterns.
Did you know there are more than twenty colors to select from for your roof, siding, and trim when you work with Peak Pole Barns and Manufacturing? Let’s look at five potential pole barn design styles for your project.
Gable Roof Pole Barns. The simplicity of gable roofs makes them the most popular design, as the roof’s two sections slope downward from the ridge cap to the walls. Many buildings we designed and constructed have gable roofs.
Monitor Roof Pole Barns. This building has a standard gable roof with a raised center section. Our project gallery highlights an indoor riding arena with this roof style.
Gambrel Roof Pole Barns. Gambrel roofs maximize space and allow for a second story or functional attic.
Pole Barn with a Lean-To. A popular option for all types of buildings, this provides additional covered areas beside the building, including verandas.
Custom Pole Barns. Peak Pole Barns is happy to create any custom pole barn design our clients can think of. Our custom steel fabrication services ensure all your decorative steelwork is unique.
When Peak Pole Barns designs a pole barn, clients can select the features they want. We offer advice to ensure structural stability and optimum functionality but allow owners to create their dream buildings.
How To Select The Right Pole Barn Contractor
It can be challenging to find the right pole barn contractor. Who can you trust to bring your vision to life when designing a pole barn? Will they deliver quality work, or will the barn fall apart within a few years? Trust between client and contractor is vital for a successful building project, and we share a few matters to clarify before you appoint a pole barn construction company.
Experience. When the contractor has sufficient experience, you know the pole barn build will go smoothly. Peak Pole Barns has been in custom metal fabrication and the building business since 2004. We are local to the Colorado Springs and Flacon areas, are licensed and insured contractors, and would love to serve you!
Local knowledge. Every area is unique, from its weather patterns to its building codes. A contractor with local knowledge can limit construction delays. We know the weather conditions in Colorado and adapt our designs and construction techniques accordingly.
Pricing. Pricing should not be the defining factor when you choose a contractor, but the quote should be fair. Our pole barns offer you a budget-friendly solution.
High-quality materials. A pole barn is a fixed asset and should be constructed with quality materials. Peak Pole Barns has built a legacy of quality that speaks for itself. When we build pole barns, they go up fast and remain standing with minimal maintenance.
License, Insurance, Warranties. Confirm the contractor’s license and insurance, as well as the warranties offered on the building and its construction. We have all the necessary licensing and insurance and discuss warranties based on individual project requirements.
Client references. The best way to determine a contractor’s work is by asking previous clients for their opinions and researching online. Peak Pole Barns has multiple references, including the happy clients highlighted on our website.
Peak Pole Barns and Manufacturing works throughout Colorado, including Parker, Elbert, Elizabeth, Pueblo, Salida, Canon City, Buena Vista, Hartsel, Fairplay, and beyond. Our mission is to build a quality structure you are proud to own.
Peak Pole Barns and Manufacturing specializes in providing a complete building solution, from concept to finished construction. Contact us today if you need professional assistance with designing a pole barn.
5. Selecting the Materials and Foundation
Most commonly, pole buildings are made from wood or metal. Each comes with its own pros and cons. For strength, safety, and durability, opt for top quality materials, whichever design you decide on.
Integral to the sturdiness of your post-frame building are the poles. Typically, they are fixed on concrete footings in the ground. Vertical loads, such as the roofing system and even snow, are transferred through the posts to the footings – providing structural integrity. This cost-effective and straightforward method of construction forms the foundation of your pole barn.
The intended purpose of the barn will guide your construction materials choices:
- With no need for a traditional concrete foundation, your flooring may be dirt, gravel, stone, asphalt, or concrete.
- For the exterior sidings, you can choose from steel, stucco, vinyl, engineered wood, brick, or cladding.
- Roofing can be metal or shingles.
6. Maintaining Your Barn
Whether you raised the barn yourself or employed a professional barn builder in Colorado, age and weathering occurs. As with anything you own – be it a vehicle, electronic gadget, or building – the life of your pole frame barn will be extended with a bit of TLC from you. From a safety perspective, and for the sake of its contents, schedule the following routine maintenance of your pole barn:
- Check for water leaks and signs of rot
- Inspect the exterior side panels
- Clear the roof of snow and other debris
- Examine all the doors and windows for weather-sealing issues
- Look for and manage pest infestations
- Deal with the accumulation and source of standing water
- Keep the interior neat and functional

In conclusion, here is a wonderful observation from “The People, Yes” by Carl Sandburg:
“For sixty years the pine lumber barn had held cows, horses, hay, harness, tools, junk amid the prairie winds… and the corn crops came and went, plows and wagon and hands milked, hands husked and harnessed and held the leather reins of horse teams in dust and dog days, in late fall sleet ’til the work was done that fall. And the barn was a witness, stood and saw it all.”
Peak Pole Barns and Manufacturing appreciates the needs of pole barn owners like you. Whether you are using the structure to house livestock, store equipment, or keep feed dry, our full-service concierge business is ready to make your vision a reality. Get in touch with Peak Pole Barns and Manufacturing in Colorado Springs today for all your barn building requirements – from custom building designs to construction.