What Are The Different Styles of Pole Buildings?

Breaking Down the General Pole Barn Design Categories

As much as we talk about the simplicity of pole buildings, the truth is that you have a wide range of options for customizing the look of your building—so many options, in fact, that the choices can start to feel anything but simple. 

Luckily, selecting the style of your pole building is one decision that shouldn’t be too tough; there are just a few options to choose from, and we’ve broken down the details of each below. 

The 4 Styles of Pole Buildings

When talking about the styles of pole buildings, we can really narrow it down into four categories: gable, gambrel, monitor, and buildings with leans. The easiest way to tell which style of building you’re dealing with is generally to take a look at the roof. 

No matter if you’re looking to build a suburban building (like a man cave or a she shed), an agricultural building (like a livestock shelter), an equestrian building (like a horse barn or a riding arena), or something else entirely, you’ll still be choosing from one of these four styles as you plan your pole building. 

Gable

This is the standard design with a triangle end wall that’s perfect for buildings like workshops and garages where you’re more worried about the function of the building than the flash of the style. 

Gable buildings can still have unique and exciting looks (especially with the right accessories), but they’re less expensive than other styles simply because they’re less complicated. 

Gambrel

Gambrel pole buildings have that traditional, classic barn roof with a very steep pitch at the eaves, but a less steep pitch between the eaves and the ridge. 

This style of building has a very distinctive look, so it’s ideal if you’re looking to build a timeless structure that stands out in all the right ways. It’s important to note that, unlike old-school gambrel barns, gambrel pole buildings won’t automatically have open hay lofts; gambrel buildings are also more expensive than gable. 

Monitor

A monitor style pole building has a standard gable roof aside from the fact that the center section is raised; this heightened middle section creates extra space inside of the building, and also makes for a very distinguishing look. 

Gable buildings with double lean-tos are sometimes mistaken for monitor buildings at first glance, but monitor pole buildings will have narrower raised center sections.  

Buildings with Leans

Lean-tos are extensions from a building that “lean” on the building for support, such as a porch. A building with a lean-to looks markedly different than one without. 

Whether you simply want extra covered space or you just like the way that buildings with leans look, adding a lean-to to your plans is a great way to customize the style and function of your building; lean-tos generally cost about $14-$16 per square foot, so they can be a relatively economical way to dress up a more standard building.  

There are plenty of other choices you’ll have to make beyond this one when planning your pole building, but selecting the right style is a great start. 

Now that you have a better idea of what the different styles of pole buildings are, get in touch with us to talk through your vision for your building today!