Arena footing—sounds easy enough, right? Decisions surrounding the footing you choose for your riding arena are a lot more complicated than you might think. Poor footing will subject your horse to an increased risk of injury and long-term degenerative problems. As such, footing selections call for an informed and measured approach that takes a variety of factors into consideration.

When evaluating any arena footing material, ask yourself the following questions:

• What kind of maintenance will this footing require?
• Do the pros of using this material outweigh the cons?
• Does this footing make sense for its intended use?
• Will this material interact well with the natural environment?
• Is it possible to combine this footing with additional materials for a better effect?

If it sounds complicated, that’s because it is. Of course, any equestrian knows that caring for horses is no easy task! So long as you are guided by the will to create a safe environment for horses and their riders, everything—including dirt, sand, and wood—will settle into place just fine. That said, some aspects of your arena footing are non-negotiable.

All arena footing must be absolutely:

• Free of holes and uneven or shifting surfaces
• Stable yet shock absorbent
• Non-slippery and well-tractioned

Arena footings that meet these three necessary requirements can be comprised of a variety of materials—both natural and synthetic—as well as a combination of footing types. While there are countless products and formulas on the market, the most common footing materials are made from clay- or silt-based dirt, sand or wax coated sand, and wood products or natural and synthetic fibers. The arena footing materials you choose should be right for your regional environment and equestrian discipline.

Before you even think about choosing an arena footing, you must have 100 percent confidence in your riding arena’s base. Solid arena bases adhere to high standards for the three D’s: drainage, durability and depth. If you live in a wet region or know your arena will be getting lots of traffic, it may be necessary to go beyond standard recommendations.

• Drainage: Opt for a strong base that will enable water to seep into the ground rather than flood the surface.
• Durability: Make sure your base is compacted above a 90 percent density so it will hold its integrity and keep rocks from creeping to the top.
• Depth: Keep your base layer at no less than four inches deep and up to one foot deep if your equestrian activities call for more support.

Thinking about a horse arena of your own? DC Structures offers two covered riding arena kits for year-round equestrian enthusiasts. Check out our Prairie arena kit and our Canyon arena with stables package. Request our digital catalog so you can get started on your dream arena.

DC Structures’ post and beam building kits are designed to bring you closer to your passions—literally! Guided by the idea that where you live and what you love should be one in the same, we offer flexible and functional packages that can be modified to suit your unique lifestyle.

This garage with upstairs living quarters in Bend, Oregon is a shining example of the ways in which home can effortlessly combine with hobby—all without sacrificing on luxury. Adapted from an Oakridge 60’ barn home kit, this stunning barn-style house features a large garage and storage space on the ground floor and sweeping open-concept living quarters upstairs.

Watch the full video tour here!

Ready to turn your hobbies into a lifestyle? Request our digital catalog to get started on your dream building today!

Remember the good ol’ days when you could avoid the humdrum of homework and chores by escaping to your backyard tree house? Or, if your own childhood was devoid of tree house adventures, then perhaps you secretly long for the return to innocence that was those easier times. Either way, a backyard party barn could be just the thing that’s missing from your property.

Party barns are what you make of them, and can serve a range of purposes from work space and man cave to backyard bar and gaming room. Just think of it as a place you’d like to unwind after a long day of grinding away at your regular 9-5, or the place you’d like to practice your craft after hours.

DC Structures’ flexible line of post and beam barn kits are easily reimagined for a number of party barn ideas. Our designs can be modified to include anything you think would add to the personalization of your backyard getaway.

This backyard party barn in Damascus, Oregon is the perfect mix of your favorite pastimes and some much needed relaxation. Starting with a Columbia 24’ barn kit, these floor plans were modified to include a workshop, man cave and upstairs loft. A custom bar and handcrafted timber frame stairs add to the rustic aesthetic, while upgrades to the sweeping deck make this structure the perfect all-seasons hangout.

Are the wheels of inspiration turning for your own party barn ideas? Request our digital catalog for more!

For the team at DC Structures, building relationships is just as important as helping customers build their dream barn or barn-style home. We take pride in the quality of our product and service offerings, making client connections a priority both during and after completion of their projects.

One of the many benefits of maintaining an open and honest line of communication with our customers is that they are happy to share their thoughts about what it’s like to work with DC Structures. We can sing our own praises for days, but we know the most valuable insights will always come from clients themselves.

Sustainable Living at its Finest: Apartment Barn Testimonial

The apartment barn is an efficient structure that makes good use of space with its hybrid design. Combining home with hobby, our apartment barn kits offer the benefit of bringing you closer to the things you love the most. Not to mention a reduced carbon footprint!

This sustainable apartment barn in Cornelius, Oregon boasts two horse stalls and two dog kennels on the ground floor, and a cozy living space upstairs. Modified from an Oakridge 36’ apartment barn kit, this functional and attractive structure boasts an array of energy-efficient upgrades. Skylights optimize natural lighting for the upstairs living quarters while a solar panel and electric car charging station reduce energy consumption.

Hear what the owners of this sustainable apartment barn have to say about working with DC Structures in the apartment barn testimonial below!

Thinking about an apartment barn for your own property? Request our digital catalog and get started on your dreams today!

Thinking about a remodel for that old wooden barn sitting unused on your property? Here are a few things to consider when planning for a barn conversion.

The idea of restoring an old barn into a rustic barn house might sound great in theory, but most of the time it’s a lot more costly and painstaking in practice.

The biggest barrier to a barn remodel is without a doubt financial. Hidden expenses will crop up in the form of things like fumigation costs and re-engineering fees. In other words, it won’t take long for the cost of the barn conversion to exceed the cost of an entirely new barn-style home.

If you’ve got an endless cash flow and a zen-like capacity for headache-inducing regulatory hiccups, then maybe a barn conversion is for you. If you’re like most people, however, you’ll probably prefer the path of least resistance.

Barn Conversion Woes: The Rotten, the Infested and the Costly

Before you begin to plan a barn remodel, it’s important to identify whether your barn is even worth converting. If your structure is a pole barn, don’t even bother.

Pole barns have short life spans because they rely on treated wood posts in concrete in lieu of a proper foundation. This means that, regardless of what chemicals are used to protect the lumber from the concrete’s moisture, the posts will inevitably rot.

As such, appraisers, banks and lenders do not always recognize pole barns as permanent structures. This complicates financing requests for your already spendy barn conversion. Further, many pole barns are not properly engineered to meet the structural requirements necessary for a residence. And good luck getting permits for that kind of project!

To add insult to injury, you’ll likely need to hire an architect or structural engineer who can create blueprints of the existing barn. If you don’t have the old plans, you can’t get permits or accurate bids for the new plans.

Even if the barn you’d like to remodel has a proper foundation, existing blueprints and adequate structural integrity, there is yet another roadblock to make you wary. Six-legged pests such as powder post beetles will wreak havoc on the timbers that support your barn.

Fumigation is expensive enough, but costs will be astronomical if you delay the process until after your old barn has been remodeled. Would the financial burden and logistical nightmare of vacating your residence be worth that rustic barn conversion?

The Post and Beam Barn House Alternative

DC Structures offers a diverse and highly modifiable line of post-and-beam building kits that will stay standing for two-to-three times longer than their pole barn counterparts. Whether you’re looking for a barn-style home, hybrid apartment barn, or a workshop or garage with living quarters, DC Structures has a kit to suit your lifestyle needs.

Our pre-engineered barn home kits are both efficient and cost-effective. We offer our clients the benefit of a rustic barn aesthetic that is built to last—all without the headache.

Request our digital catalog for a better sense of how we can make your barn house dreams come true.