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Ah, the good ol' pole barn. For centuries, it's all we humans had to shelter our horses. But Better Days and Better Barns are here and the difference is clear when you look at the basic construction.
Pole barns are just that...poles set into the earth, surrounded by a wooden frame and rafters, plank walls, and roofing. Although often beautiful at the start, the pole barn no matter how fancy or expensive) quickly degrades. Horses chew. They kick, break boards and get hurt. The building settles, making doors harder to open and close. The wood gets drier and drier, becoming more of a fire hazard each day.
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In contrast, the foundation of an MD pre-engineered barn is either wholly concrete, or concrete piers (columns sunk into the earth). An all metal framework is securely bolted down, your selected door and wall components are fitted into the frame, and the roof is added. The all metal frame means no settling and no chewing. The all metal exposed surfaces mean a 0% flame spread rating in case of fire. The embedded wall core means slight flexing for kicks, which is stronger and safer for horses.
Still hankering for the undeniable charm of an all wood barn? Although the standard MD wall finish is an attractive textured painted steel, if your heart is set on the look of real wood, you can select tongue and groove wood throughout the interior of the barn. Because of the rafters and most of the exposed surfaces are still metal, you'll have all the structural integrity of an MD Barn with little to no decrease in fire safety.
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(Click images to enlarge)
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The standard MD wall system has passed rigorous ICBO testing for structural integrity. Beyond an assurance of quality, this means your building permit process will go as smoothly and quickly as possible.
Ready to save even more time? An MD Barn isn't just beautiful. It also requires nearly zero maintenance to keep it this way.
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Know the difference
Comparing Oranges to Apples ??
The purpose of this text is to answer the often asked question, "You are basically the same as all the other barns, aren't you??". The answer is NO. The reasons, however, are not always obvious. This summary will assist you in comparing the MD Barn with the competition. It points out some of the structural differences between the products. You be the judge!
An often overlooked or unnoticed feature is the MD feed and dutch doors. Our doors are constructed with a full length "piano hinge", compared to others that have a pair of butt hinges. This will provide extra strength and integrity to the alignment.
The grillwork on the stall fronts, grilled divider walls and windows is welded completely around the entire tube, top and bottom. Our competitor secures their tubes by inserting them in drilled holes in the upper and lower steel channel and spot welding in three to four small places.
A standard MD Barn stall has a full inside dimension of 12'-1" x 12'-1", compared to our competitors 11'-9 ½" square. While this seems insignificant, it is the difference between 146+ square feet and 139+ square feet. This means that your MD Stall has 7 square feet more area and we provide 5% more roof to cover our larger stall. If you intend to use stall mats, you will be thankful for the ½" perimeter clearance for the six 4' x 6' standard mats as opposed to trimming the mats to fit a stall that is less than 12' x 12'.
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Building a MD Barn
How does it work ??
Designing your MD Barn
Together, you and your MD Barn Representative will custom design the building that fits your needs and desires. With each proposal you will receive a floor/elevation plan that will give specific dimensions of your barn. Towards the end of this process, it is recommended that you contact a local excavator, concrete contractor, electrician and plumber that will be able to fulfill your requirements. Your MD Barn Representative will be happy to provide any specifics that you need to select the perfect contractor for the job.
Design to Contract
Once you design your perfect MD Barn, you and your MD Barn Representative will execute your written contract, going through each specification in great detail. Your deposit will be due at that time. Your order will be submitted and your project will be on its way. If you haven't already, perform a site visit with your MD Barn Representative to flag out the best position and location of your new MD Barn. Adequate access to the barn site must be provided. Use the floor/elevation plan, provided to you by your MD Barns Representative, to get estimates, set up a site visit with your contractors to determine where your electric and plumbing will need to originate from and any other specifications necessary.
Engineering and Site Preparation
As soon as possible, make contact with your Excavator to start preparing the site using the floor/elevation plan provided. Remember adequate access to the site is required. Installing a road to the site is necessary for the passing of equipment. In addition, making sure you always have access to your site in the event of an emergency is a must. Your excavator can assist you in determining the material to use that will best serve your needs and compliment the terrain. Each MD Barn Contract includes engineered plans that are necessary to obtain permits and will be used in the site preparation. These plans will arrive approximately 3-4 weeks from the date of your contract. Immediately upon receipt, apply for your permits, if required. By this time, your site should be ready for the concrete, plumbing and electric. It is recommended that you do not install any concrete, plumbing or electric until you have received and reviewed, with your contractors, your engineering plans. Your piers can be set, your plumbing and electric can be installed, then the finish work on your concrete can be completed. Feel free to give your contractors your MD Barns Representative mobile number to answer any questions they may have.
Delivery of Your New MD Barn
Approximately 4-6 weeks after receipt of your engineered plans, your materials for your New MD Barn will be delivered. Shipping of you materials will not occur until your concrete is complete. The materials will be delivered on a full size semi tractor-trailer. The installation crew will be onsite to unload your materials. A crane is used for this process. Two weeks prior to the delivery date of your barn, your second payment is due.
Installation
Once your materials are unloaded, the installation crew will start the construction of your New MD Barn. We average 2 stalls per day for installation. This is a good time to get out your camera. You will be surprised when you come back after several hours, what has been accomplished. Weather can sometimes cause problems. The safety of the crew and integrity of your materials are a priority. In the event of adverse weather conditions, the installation could be delayed. You and the crew foreman will consult and determine the best course of action if this should occur.
Completion of your New MD Barn
Wow!! Your New MD Barns is complete. You and your MD Barn Representative will complete a walk through of your new barn. Your final payment is due at this time.
The MD Barns Family
By this time you have been in contact with your MD Barn Representative on a frequent basis and now your barn is done and there is no need. But you are now part of the MD Barn Family. Feel free to contact your representative any time we can be of assistance. Referrals of friends, family and colleagues are the greatest complement you can give.
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