A barn has no sense of awareness. It does not contemplate its own existence. It does not know, nor does it need to know, its reason for being.

Barns, even those made of steel, are inanimate objects. They have no pulse. They have no consciousness. They are incapable of considering the deep questions that plague us humans. So if you’re planning to invest in a barn, you’re going to have to do all the deep thinking on your barn’s behalf.

I know, it’s a lot to think about. You have your own problems and really can’t be bothered to take on the existential questions that might keep a barn awake at night – if barns were, you know, capable of being awake. To help you help your future barn to fulfill its intended purpose in life, we’ve prepared a few tips to guide you through the design.

• Know Your Barn’s Purpose. The type of barn you need depends greatly on how it will be used, and thank goodness, determining the purpose of the barn is much easier than determining the meaning of life. Will you be housing livestock, such as horses or cows? If so, you’ll need to decide whether you’ll have stalls on one side of the barn or both. If all you’re housing are tractors and heavy equipment, make sure you’ll have plenty of room for all those wonderful toys to rest (or rust) in comfort.
• Think Ahead. This is the step many building customers never even consider. In short: plan for the barn you might need five years from now, not the one you currently have. Consider how your collection of prized ponies or John Deeres might change in the coming years. Give yourself room to grow and adapt so your barn can achieve even greater purpose.
• Location, Location, Location. Take the time to decide where your barn will be located. If you’re going to have animals in the barn or store temperature-sensitive materials, consider which side of the barn will get the most sun. You should also consider which direction the wind blows on your property, not only for structural reasons but your own comfort. If there are cows and horses in the barn, you do not want your residence to be downwind!
• Consider All Options. Do you need insulation? Do you need or want windows? What about electrical or plumbing? Should the foundation be elevated for livestock? It all goes back to your building’s purpose. Remember why you’re building, what you’re building for, and you’ll be able to choose the necessary options and skip the extras.

All barns are not created equal, but by following these tips and building with steel, your barn will be well-positioned to achieve it’s highest state of fulfillment. That would make your barn a very happy barn indeed… if barns were capable of feeling emotion.