Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky
The gable roof shape is the most widely used for both open front and closed buildings and for other horse housing facilities. It is applicable to both narrow and wide barns.
The gable is a triangular roof with two equal pitches that meet at a line in the center of the span. It has a pleasing appearance, is moderate in cost, and is fairly simple to construct and insulate. It is adaptable for natural overhead lighting through fixed translucent roof panels and for natural building ventilation through eave and ridge openings.
Side extensions for roof overhangs, covered walkways, or great barn width can be obtained by increasing the roof height of the basic building without changing the roof pitch or by changing the roof pitch within the limits of good design. Headroom depends on wall height, roof pitch, and type of framing.
The ceiling may follow the slope of the roof or may be dropped to wall height, with or without overhead storage.
Common wood rafters supported on walls or interior posts and beams may be used for buildings up to 72 feet wide. Rafter spans are influenced by stall size and service alley widths and are most often 10 to 16 feet.
Clear span roof construction may be accomplished with wood or steel trusses or with rigid frames of steel or wood. Wood trusses are used extensively for 60-foot clear spans. Pitches of less that 2/12 feet are seldom used on wood truss roofs. Steel trusses may be extended farther, but in many cases rigid frame construction is used to obtain wider clear-span space. Rigid frames, commercially produced of steel or laminated wood, are available for clear-span facilities up to 100 feet wide.
