Construction Details

The Foundation. The foundation of a barn should be built with the same care as that of any other building. The bottom of the foundation wall should be at least six inches below the frost line. It should go down to hard pan to minimize settling of the building. The base or footing should be at least two feet wide for a two-story structure. It should be made of concrete, 10 or 12 in. thick.

The Wall. The foundation wall should be carried high enough so that the sills are protected from rotting. We recommend that the wall be run up as high as the bottom of the windows and that it, as well as the ground floor, should be made of concrete. For a simple, solid wall of concrete, forms are made of matched sheathing with the smooth side in. These are supported by 2 in. x 4 in. studs set 24 in. apart on center. A section of wall 3 or 4 ft. high can be made at one time, but the greatest care should be used to see that the forms are absolutely plumb and thoroughly braced. Bolts about % in. x 16 in. should be inserted in the top of the wall at intervals of 6 ft. The threaded ends should stick up about 6 in. above the wall. These are used to anchor the sills.

The Windows. Have plenty of windows and thereby assure an abundance of sunlight. A dark cow barn is unhealthful. Sunshine is life giving. It is Nature's greatest disinfectant. In determining the number and size of windows to be used in the Dairy Barn, allow at least 4 square feet of glass for each cow. The windows should be evenly distributed and where they are exposed directly to the bleak north wind, storm sash should be used. The inside of the barn should be arranged so as to obstruct the light as little as possible. We recommend the use of single sash windows, as they can be opened inwardly at the top and the air as it enters is diverted to the ceiling, thereby preventing drafts.