My 16 by 16 and 18 by 36 barns have the posts in the ground. My 10 by 20's are not attached or anything. We've had some strong winds since I bought these but not 100 mph. I lost my 1st barn to straight-line winds one year. Another year, I came home to see my doors were inside out! We figured the wind came and lifted them up and dropped them down (damage to roof supported this). So I put a "stop" at the end of each track. Tarps for doors don't work here. I have another shed I store hay in at the neighbors which doesn't have a door. I end up putting a gate across and wedging 4 by 8's between the hay and gate. I hang a tarp on the outside but the wind tears it to shreads even tied down. Due to insurance issues (being under insured), I am pricing out what the 18 by 36 will cost to replace. I can let you know. I had walk-through gates made to door openings for $10/ft so I can use them as foaling stalls when the time comes. My doors were not perfect size. LOL guess I didn't pay myself so I'm ok with that. I would make the doors 10' instead of 9' as it's a TIGHT squeeze if I need to get a loaded rack in for overnight cover or even to back the truck in. My blueprints had all the directions I needed almost. Common sense did the rest. Some years I need to store hay in both sides based crop. I prefer to load these last so I have 2 larger stalls in case of injury, emergency, etc... I like the multi-purpose part. Right now 1 side is open and the other has a 1860's doctors buggy that I just bought in it until I find room in garage for it. Good luck... If I were closer, I'd help you build one quick. AMEN TRAINER!!!! Ban that "press 1 for English".

Hola, senor trainer. Muchos gracias! (and I didn't even have to use my Spanish Dictionary!!!!!)

holly you do read spanish ? cause i dont think any insturtions r be in english anymore unless bill cosby gets to be presadent

If you get a kit: I went over to PJKansas's house and saw her "Shed from a Kit." It was all shiny, silver, corrugated siding and roofing. The man who helped her put it up told me that he added trim to cover the edges on the front posts and front roof (so the horses won't get cut on it, I think) and he also added long 2x4s diagonally on the side wall from the front top corner to the back corner (where the top 2x4 attaches to the back post) for extra reinforcement. We get mighty winds here, and Paula lost a shed to a small tornado a couple of months ago. I know the kits come with painted siding or plain corrugated siding. Cav and Dakotagirl are coming today so we'll see what Cav decides will be best for the site. Paula's kit was 13' x 36', I think . . . and the cement pad I have is 15' wide, so will need something a bit deeper. I think the kits are great for the price (about $1500 for the plain siding) and for those of us who aren't builders, the instructions really help.

PJKansas called me early this a.m. to tell me that she just put up one of the Sutherland kit shelters (13' x 36') and invited me to come see it, so I am planning to visit with her today. She put up one of the corrugated metal sheds after losing an outbuilding to a small tornado this summer. :/ Thanks, aaaapps, for the link. I like the doors on the front, although I probably don't need them on a hay shed. I'm thinking of hanging tarps in front and anchoring them down the way some friends in CO do: by screwing those dog-tie anchors into the ground every several feet, and using bungees to hook the tarps down. I know that in VT we would sometimes build shelters on skids in order to not have to pay taxes on a permanent structure, but I'm not sure how that would work here with the winds. Do you have yours anchored down?

http://www.aaaappaloosas.com/photos.htm scroll throrgh and you'll see some shelters/run-ins on skids and barns The dark brown shed in the picture after the dogs swimming is the one I was talking about. I bet Home Depot/Lowes will get you a materials list along w/directions very similar to Menards. Allison

Hi, aaaapps, Thanks for the anecdotal experience. I haven't seen a Menards here, but we have Lowe's and Home Depot and Sutherland's and Star Lumber . . . and Sutherlands is the one that has kits. They have a web-site, too. I built all the other run-ins I have from scratch . . . telephone poles or 6x6s for supports, treated lumber for the base, Liquid Nails, and a ton of Decking screws to hold the chipboard lining and the Tl-ll siding on. Didn't want metal siding with the horses. The hay shed can be metal, but I still like pole buildings and have an auger on the tractor. Just thought that if I had a kit, I wouldn't have to figure all the "ingredients" myself, and would get directions, too. We'll see. It shouldn't be too hard, and I really appreciate all the great suggestions and resourses you folks have listed. We have quite a bit of variety here on the ES board with all the different kinds of shelters that have been put up. Too bad we can't post pictures of all of them on the Message Board. Thanks, again.

Holly, I went to Menard's and bought a 3 1/2 sided lean-to and had them design it to add two 9' doors. I put this up mostly myself. This was an 18' by 36' that is 8' tall in back and 16' in front. This was my first barn that I built. Just remember the girts are measured "on-center". Make sure you have your posts squared up. It's easier than you think. Menard's had directions and answered any questions I had while building. Good Luck! Allison

Thanks, msapril and trainer. I get the FarmTek catalog, april, and I have looked at the fabric shelters. I'm thinking that a metal building will be better for what I need right now. Trainer, Phil and Tammy are going to come up for a consult . . . then we'll see if he still wants to try to help build it or not :) Thanks for the link.

+ phil sayed he put-it-up for you lol