The Salt Box style barn series are truly an example of New England’s Yankee ingenuity. The Salt Box is a structure with a loft or a second story on the front portion of the building, and a single story toward the rear. The Salt Box was created to avoid Queen Anne’s taxation of the two-story house in England’ newest Colony. The salt box’s rear roof line descends to the height of a single story structure thus making it exempt from taxation. In those days there was no tax on a 1-story building. Brilliant! It was called a salt box since the roof adaptation made it resemble the actual box with the same name.
The Salt Box can be either a single story barn or a two story barn. Approximately 75% of the buildings overall footprint square footage is available for second floor apartment, storage etc.
The Salt Box can be set-up with a cathedral ceiling, a simple loft, or a livable second floor with a 40 pound per square foot residential floor load capacity. Access to the second floor varies with size from a simple ladder, pull down stairs, or a full set of hearty hemlock built in stairs.
