About this plan

A 20 by 32 foot barn house in the Nordic manner, 640 square feet over two levels with two bedrooms and one bathroom. Ceilings reach 14 feet 6 inches, and the plan is drawn to sleep three or four. You receive these small barn house plans as a PDF plan set.

Barn proportions at cabin scale

Nordic barn styling means a steep gable, a narrow footprint and very little ornament. It is a shape drawn from agricultural buildings, which is why it looks right on open ground where a suburban cabin would not, and why it costs so little to build: the form is simple, the roof is two planes, and there are no dormers, hips or returns.

Height inside a small footprint

A 14 foot 6 inch ceiling in a building 20 feet wide is what makes 640 square feet feel generous. The volume is in the roof, which you are paying for regardless, so opening it up costs framing rather than footprint.

The optional loft

A sleeping loft is drawn as an option. Framed in, it is a third berth and the reason the cabin sleeps four; left out, the full height runs uninterrupted through the building.

Structure

Rated for 115 mile per hour winds, which matters on a tall narrow building with a large gable. Drawn for a concrete slab, and there is an open front deck.

What you get

The download is a full construction set: dimensioned floor plans for each level, exterior elevations on all four sides, building sections and construction details, a foundation plan with floor, wall and roof framing layouts, an electrical layout, window and door schedules, and a roof plan with pitch and overhang dimensions. It arrives as a PDF once payment is confirmed.

Before you build

Permit requirements depend on your location, site and proposed construction. Your building department determines which drawings, calculations and professional approvals are required, and local review may identify changes needed to the plans. Some departments ask for an engineer’s stamp or a foundation designed around your own soil report; arrange these with a local engineer.

Other plans to compare

If these small barn house plans are not quite the right size, browse every design in Barndominium, or compare this one with 40×30 Barndominium with 25×25 Garage, 3 Bed 2 Bath and 40×60 Barndominium Permit Set, 3 Bed 3 Bath.

Common questions

Can I modify these small barn house plans?

Often, yes. Common requests include moving a wall, mirroring the layout or adapting the foundation to your site, but what is possible depends on the plan, so ask for a free quote before you buy. Editable CAD files are not available for every plan; email us to confirm availability for this one.

How do I get the files?

Plans are supplied digitally as PDF files. Our Shipping and Delivery Policy explains how and when files are made available.

Can my builder have a copy?

Yes. Print as many sets as your contractor, your trades and your building department require.