Reviewed by the Benton Metal Depot team · Updated
A good horse barn gives you shelter, storage and enough room to handle everyday chores without everything feeling crowded. Benton Metal Depot supplies agricultural building materials for properties in Gary and nearby communities, with a lead time of 1 to 2 weeks. Knowing this gives you a starting point for planning the rest of the project.
Key Points
- ◦The current local setback for a horse barn in Gary is Emanuel County has no county-specific zoning ordinance (it is one of the few Georgia counties without local zoning restrictions), so no specific side/rear foot figures for accessory structures exist. Needs direct confirmation with the county on what, if any, minimum separation it enforces via the building permit process..
- ◦Applicable Benton horse barn packages use 29-gauge and 26-gauge Rib panels metal panels.
- ◦Benton Metal Depot is approximately 46.8 miles from Gary.
- ◦Plan stall dimensions around the horses that will actually use them.
- ◦Horse barn exterior materials are available in 7 colors.
At a Glance
| Permit threshold |
200
As of 2026 · Source |
|---|---|
| Setback (side/rear) |
Emanuel County has no county-specific zoning ordinance (it is one of the few Georgia counties without local zoning restrictions), so no specific side/rear foot figures for accessory structures exist. Needs direct confirmation with the county on what, if any, minimum separation it enforces via the building permit process.
As of 2026 · Source |
| Wind load zone |
Inland Georgia — roughly 115-120 mph (ASCE 7, Exposure C). NOT a verified figure; needs confirmation with a GA-licensed engineer or the county building official.
As of 2026 · Source |
| Panel type/gauge |
29-gauge and 26-gauge Rib panels
As of 2026 · Source |
| Drive time from Statesboro |
63
As of 2026 · Source |
Permits & Setbacks in Emanuel County
Get the permit questions answered early so they don't hold up the rest of the project. The current permit threshold for a horse barn in Gary is 200 square feet, with a setback of Emanuel County has no county-specific zoning ordinance (it is one of the few Georgia counties without local zoning restrictions), so no specific side/rear foot figures for accessory structures exist. Needs direct confirmation with the county on what, if any, minimum separation it enforces via the building permit process.. Those requirements fall under Emanuel County Building Inspection & Code Enforcement Department. Agricultural buildings can have different rules depending on their use and location, so verify what applies to your property before pouring concrete or completing other permanent site work.
Delivery to Gary
Don't wait until the barn materials are ready to start thinking about the site. Customers in Gary are currently looking at 1 to 2 weeks from Statesboro. Benton Metal Depot is about 46.8 miles away. Use that time to coordinate contractors and prepare the area where materials will be received.
Representative product photo — a Emanuel County-specific project photo is pending (rotates in from Trey's weekly upload per the freshness cadence).
FAQ
What kind of floor is best for a horse barn?
Different parts of the barn may need different flooring. Stalls, aisles, wash areas and storage rooms don't necessarily work best with the same surface. Drainage, footing, cleaning and slip resistance should guide the decision. Plan the floor system with someone familiar with horse facilities before installing concrete or other permanent surfaces.
How many colors are available for a horse barn?
Benton's applicable horse barn materials are available in 7 colors. You may want the barn to match existing buildings, or you may prefer a traditional farm-building appearance. Color is worth choosing early, especially if the roof and walls will have different finishes. Confirm the available combinations before finalizing the material order.
Do I need a permit for a horse barn in Gary?
The requirements for Gary are handled by Emanuel County Building Inspection & Code Enforcement Department. Currently, a permit is required once the barn exceeds 200 square feet. Agricultural use doesn't automatically mean a building is exempt from every local rule. Check zoning, setbacks and any other requirements for your property before beginning site work or committing to the barn's location.
What size should horse stalls be?
Stall size depends on the horse, including its height, build and how comfortably it can turn around and lie down. A layout suitable for one horse may not work for a larger animal or a mare with a foal. Have an experienced equine facility designer or qualified professional review the stall dimensions before construction.
How close can I build a horse barn to my property line?
The current setback in Gary is Emanuel County has no county-specific zoning ordinance (it is one of the few Georgia counties without local zoning restrictions), so no specific side/rear foot figures for accessory structures exist. Needs direct confirmation with the county on what, if any, minimum separation it enforces via the building permit process., subject to the requirements of Emanuel County Building Inspection & Code Enforcement Department and your property. There may also be separate rules affecting livestock buildings or where animals can be kept. Check those requirements before marking the barn location, particularly if neighboring homes or property boundaries are nearby.
Should a horse barn have insulation?
That depends on the building design, local climate and how the barn will be used. Insulation may help manage heat transfer and condensation, but it doesn't replace ventilation. In horse housing, airflow and moisture control are important. Discuss the complete roof and wall assembly with the building designer before choosing insulation materials or enclosing the interior.
Can I store hay and feed inside my horse barn?
You can plan storage areas for feed and supplies, but hay storage deserves special attention because of fire risk, moisture and dust. Many barn designs separate bulk hay from horse housing. Think about how feed will be delivered, kept dry and accessed every day. Review the storage arrangement with a qualified equine facility professional before construction.
How wide should the aisle in a horse barn be?
The aisle needs enough room for horses and handlers to move without crowding doors, corners or stored equipment. Think about how horses will enter and leave stalls, whether you'll move wheelbarrows through the barn and how daily cleaning will work. Have the layout reviewed for safe horse handling rather than choosing an aisle width based only on available space.
Definitions
- ◦ Ridge Vent
- A ventilation opening near the roof peak that allows warm, moist air to escape when designed as part of a functioning ventilation system.
- ◦ Dutch Door
- A door divided into upper and lower sections that can open separately. Some horse barns use them for stall or exterior access.
- ◦ Center Aisle
- A passageway running through the barn, usually with stalls or other rooms along one or both sides.
- ◦ Horse Stall
- An individual enclosed space inside a barn where a horse can rest, eat and be housed.
- ◦ Wash Stall
- An area designed for washing or grooming horses, with suitable water access, drainage and slip-resistant footing.
- ◦ Condensation
- Moisture that forms when humid air contacts a sufficiently cool surface. Poorly managed condensation can cause damp conditions inside a barn.
- ◦ Panel Gauge
- A measurement related to sheet-metal thickness.
- ◦ Lead Time
- The period needed to process and prepare the building materials after the relevant order stage.
- ◦ Tack Room
- A dedicated area for storing saddles, bridles, grooming supplies and other horse equipment.
- ◦ Stall Partition
- A wall or divider separating one horse stall from another or from an adjacent area.
Gary, Emanuel County — At a Glance
- Permit Authority Name
- Emanuel County Building Inspection & Code Enforcement Department
- Permit Authority Url
- https://www.emanuelco-ga.gov/419/Building-Permit-Application
- Permit Threshold Sqft
- 200
- Setback Feet Side Rear
- Emanuel County has no county-specific zoning ordinance (it is one of the few Georgia counties without local zoning restrictions), so no specific side/rear foot figures for accessory structures exist. Needs direct confirmation with the county on what, if any, minimum separation it enforces via the building permit process.
- Wind Load Zone
- Inland Georgia — roughly 115-120 mph (ASCE 7, Exposure C). NOT a verified figure; needs confirmation with a GA-licensed engineer or the county building official.
- Coastal
- Drive Miles
- 46.8
- Drive Minutes
- 63
- Nearby Towns
- Blun, Modoc, Blundale, Dellwood
- Delivery Weeks In Stock
- 1
- Delivery Weeks Custom
- 2
- Panel Type Gauge
- 29-gauge and 26-gauge Rib panels
- Color Count
- 7
Why Benton Metal Depot
Benton Metal Depot has manufactured metal building products in Statesboro since 2004 and supplies materials for agricultural projects throughout the region. For someone planning a horse barn in Gary, that means working with a regional supplier familiar with metal roofing, siding and the materials used on farm buildings. The barn's design and animal-housing requirements should be worked out alongside the material specifications.
Ready to talk through your horse barns project in Gary?
Sources
- Internal: category-data.php (pole-barns / agricultural-pole-barns copy) (2026)
- color-collection.php Weather XL Rib/PBR color chart: Polar White, Pebble Gray, Granite, Onyx, Vanilla, Sand, Chocolate (29ga; 5 of the 7 also available in 26ga). Real Benton color count for this panel line -- not confirmed as the specific palette Jim/Trey intend to offer for horse barns specifically. (2026)
- https://www.emanuelco-ga.gov/148/Building-Inspection-Code-Enforcement (2026)
- https://www.emanuelco-ga.gov/419/Building-Permit-Application (2026)
- https://www.emanuelco-ga.gov/FAQ.aspx?QID=142 ("Structures exceeding 200 square feet require permits, including garages, pole barns, storage buildings, and sheds"; fences under 6 ft and retaining walls under 3 ft do not require permits) (2026)
- https://www.emanuelco-ga.gov/FAQ.aspx?QID=142 ("Emanuel County does not have its own county-specific zoning...") (2026)
- https://oci.georgia.gov/inspections-permits-plans/manufactured-housing/wind-zones (confirms Emanuel County is not one of the 6 GA Wind Zone 2 coastal counties) — general ASCE 7 range aggregated from windload.solutions (2026)
- Emanuel County (Swainsboro, GA) is inland east-central Georgia and is not among the coastal counties named in the client spec (2026)
- Computed 2026-09-16: GeoNames zip centroid -> OSRM public routing engine (real driving route from Statesboro, Bulloch County, GA). Deterministic and reproducible, but a free public demo routing server, not Google Maps -- spot-check a sample before confirming. (2026)
- Computed 2026-09-16: same OSRM routing result as drive_miles, converted from seconds. (2026)
- Computed 2026-09-16: 4 nearest cities in benton_service_area_cities.php by straight-line (haversine) distance from zip centroid. (2026)
- Bulk-set via dev-fact-review.php (2026)
