✓Reviewed by Ann Pruitt, InfoHorse.com·Updated May 2026
Rigidply Rafters PLYCO EQQUS pre-assembled equine Dutch door system for horse barn
RigidPly Rafters, Inc. RigidPly Rafters manufactures GLU-Laminated Wood Timbers that exceed industry standards, are beautiful-- and built to last!
About Rigidply Rafters
Rigidply Rafters, Inc. is a family-owned business that has been in continuous operation since 1954. In 1963, Rigidply Rafters, Inc. began manufacturing engineered, metal-plated wood trusses for roof and floor applications. Rigidply’s unmatched product quality, professional and experienced personnel, and committed service continue to bring excellence to the industry and secure our position as the premier truss supplier in the Northeast and East Coast.
Rigidply Exceeds Industry Standards in Building Supplies and… In Our Dedication to Our Customers!! At Rigidply, we recognize that our qualified, dedicated, and knowledgeable staff are what truly set us apart and make us a company that you can trust. Many of our personnel have been with Rigidply for over 30 years, with some staff here for over 40 years! This level of experience and passion is what has forged many strong relationships in the industry that span decades. Our relationship with each customer is a priority; we strive to bring integrity, conscientiousness, and reliability to every interaction.
Rigidply Products Are Great for Every Project, From Horse Barn to Indoor Arena...
With experienced and qualified Architects available to help you with every step of the design and installation process, our products can bring beauty and functionality to any design you dream up! Your first step in the process is to consider the style of your barn or other structure, and let your imagination lead the way as you determine your unique style and story. Whatever your preference-- for a loft above horse stalls or the addition of lean-tos added to the exterior, for installing beautiful arches or using tongue and groove siding for a striking, finished look for the interior spaces, for
adding wood texture groove decking or polished liner panels--our Rigidply staff and quality line of products are here to turn your vision into a reality. Let us guide your next project from start to finish; a beautiful finish!
Rigidply Works with My Client Design Plans…
We love taking our clients’ ideas and applying them to our in-house, engineered drawings to make your design dreams a reality. These professional drawings ensure that every design detail is honored and is structurally sound. Our team of dedicated staff walk you through every step of the process and are committed to seeing every job through to completion. Our priority is to deliver results that make each customer stand back, admire their beautiful new building, and beam with pride. Partner with us, and let’s get to work bringing your next project to life. Take a look at some of our amazing photos!
Rigidply Has a Nationwide Builder Network To Help Every Customer…
Rigidply ships our Glu-laminated timbers nationwide. With our Wood Roof & Floor Trusses and building materials, we ship regionally, providing our customers with the best competitive advantage!
Rigidply Customers Have a Great Experience Working with our Company…
I have been selling Rigidply’s Trusses for 15 years now. I have had lots of good experiences with
Rigidply . My contractors whom I sell to will only use Rigidply because of their quality. Their very helpful delivery drivers go out of their way to help my contractors. The salesmen at Rigidply are very knowledgeable about their products and can get you the answers to just about anything. The dispatchers are also very willing to help with your scheduling.
Thank you, Don, SDC Building Center
I love these guys. No one else can touch your professional customer service and also all the product support. Your customer service definitely helps us supply our customers with a better building project experience. I like the clean trucks and all the great attitudes are the best. Keep up the good work!! You’re a great example to the community!!
Henry Stoltzfus, Stable Hollow Construction
We have been dealing with Rigidply Rafters for close to 30 years. From the quality of all of the material, to the prompt deliveries, the friendliness of the office staff, the courteous drivers, all of the design team, and engineers, everyone is very helpful and a delight to work with. They have a solution for any situation, big or small. If we need any product for the post frame industry or any other construction material, Rigidply Rafters is our one stop shop. I hope to continue our wonderful relationship for the next 30 years.
Reb, Hanover Building Systems Inc.
Rigidply Rafters is a great company from the Estimating department to the Crane Operators in the field. One of the reasons I continue to choose Rigidply is because you can send a material list in the morning and most times get a quote back the same day. Rigidply’s personnel are just a phone call away, when you need pricing or help sizing headers or beams, they are there to assist you. The men in the field are skilled Crane Operators when they are setting trusses. Rigidply ranks among the best when it comes to setting trusses.
Sherwin Brougher, Franklin Builders
Don’t Wait To Get Started— Just Give Us A Call Today!
At Rigidply, we are here to make it as easy as possible to have the barn or arena of your dreams. Our team of experts is here and a simple phone call is all it takes to start the ball rolling. We will make sure to get every detail so that we can ensure that you are thrilled with the beautiful new barn or arena that you are planning. Pick up the phone and give our friendly team members a call today! Rigidply Rafters Plyco Eqqus pre-assembled equine Dutch door system for horse barn
Who builds the bones of your barn?
Rigidply Rafters, Inc. is a Christian-oriented, family-owned wood-product manufacturer that has run continuously since 1954, growing from a single laminated-rafter shop founded by Chester F. Shirk in Myerstown, Pennsylvania into a regional structural-wood powerhouse. The company is led today by three sons and two sons-in-law of the founding family and employs more than 200 people across two manufacturing plants. From its Richland, PA and Oakland, MD facilities, Rigidply engineers and fabricates the glu-laminated columns, beams, and roof and floor trusses that frame barns, riding arenas, and agricultural buildings throughout the Mid-Atlantic and beyond.
Rigidply Rafters powder-coated steel Dutch barn door with horse-safe latch
What makes glulam the right frame for a horse facility?
Glu-laminated (glulam) timbers are built up from kiln-dried lumber bonded under pressure into engineered members that deliver superior strength, long clear spans, architectural beauty, and design flexibility. For equestrians that means open riding arenas and stall barns with few or no interior posts, so horses and handlers move freely and the roof carries snow and wind loads with confidence. Rigidply manufactures glulam posts, beams, columns, timber trusses, and arches, and the company is Aitc certified and audited quarterly, so every member meets and exceeds industry standards.
Rigidply Rafters equine Dutch door panel for horse stall barn
How do Equine Dutch Doors keep horses safe and comfortable?
Rigidply supplies Plyco Eqqus Pre-Assembled Dutch Door Systems, built with a 16-Gauge steel one-piece perimeter frame over 29-Gauge flat steel on both sides of 3/4" exterior-grade plywood, available in numerous color combinations. Each door ships complete with a black barn latch, a self-storing horse-safe catch kit, a galvanized barrel bolt, assembly hardware, and two heavy steel hinges per panel with nylon spacers, E-coated and powder-coat painted. A "lited" panel option adds a 1/4" thick impact-resistant acrylic window in the top half of the door, ideal for tack rooms and offices.
Rigidply Rafters lited equine Dutch door with impact-resistant acrylic window
What stall hardware does Rigidply offer for builders?
The equine line includes a horseshoe gate and stall latch, matching blanket bars, grills to protect Dutch doors, yoke sections, feeder openings, and Plyco's Equus vertical sliding door latch with track and trolleys. Bars are typically spaced 4" on center, with 3"-on-center spacing becoming more common, and are offered in hollow or solid steel as well as airflow-friendly wire-mesh systems. Traditional black powder-coated steel remains the most popular durable finish, with other colors available and plain galvanized packages offered as an economical, durable option.
Where has Rigidply framed riding arenas and stall barns?
Rigidply's photo galleries document completed equestrian projects across Maryland and Pennsylvania, including riding arenas in Charlotte Hall, Hughesville, Madonna, St. Leonard, and Upper Marlboro, MD and Lancaster, PA, plus stall barns in Brandywine, Davidsonville, Lothian, Stevenson, and Valley Lee, MD. Beyond horse facilities the company supplies commercial buildings, warehouses, schools, churches, pavilions, pedestrian bridges, and large-scale agricultural projects. The same engineering rigor that spans a public bridge goes into the trusses over your aisle.
How do you order from Rigidply Rafters?
Reach the Richland, PA headquarters at 701 East Linden Street, Richland, PA 17087, phone (fax ), or the Oakland, MD plant at 1283 Joni Miller Road, Oakland, MD 21550, phone (fax ); both are open Monday through Friday, 7am–5pm. Trusses are sold throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, and the surrounding Mid-Atlantic region, while glulam products ship nationwide. Rigidply also provides crane delivery and truss-setting service, and homeowners can work through their builder or contractor or, on certain projects, directly with the company.
Who is Rigidply Rafters — and what's the company history?
Per Rigidply Rafters, Inc.: a family-owned business in continuous operation since 1954. In 1963, Rigidply began manufacturing engineered, metal-plated wood trusses for roof and floor applications.
Per the company: Rigidply is the premier truss supplier in the Northeast and East Coast. Many personnel have been with Rigidply for over 30 years; some over 40 years.
What does Rigidply make?
Per Rigidply Rafters: GLU-Laminated Wood Timbers that exceed industry standards, are beautiful, and built to last.
Products are great for every project — from horse barns to indoor arenas.
What design options does Rigidply support for a horse-barn project?
Per Rigidply Rafters: experienced and qualified Architects help you with every step of design and installation. Style options for your barn or other structure:
Loft above horse stalls
Lean-tos added to the exterior
Beautiful arches
Tongue-and-groove siding for a striking, finished interior look
Wood-texture groove decking
Polished liner panels
Does Rigidply work with my own architect or design plans?
Per Rigidply: YES. Per the company: "We love taking our clients' ideas and applying them to our in-house, engineered drawings to make your design dreams a reality."
The professional drawings ensure that every design detail is honored AND structurally sound. The Rigidply team walks you through every step of the process.
How is Rigidply Rafters different from Blue Chip Structures — they share a phone number?
Per the data: Rigidply Rafters and Blue Chip Structures share contact infrastructure but offer distinct products in the same horse-barn-construction ecosystem:
Rigidply Rafters, Inc. — manufactures GLU-Laminated Wood Timbers and engineered metal-plated wood trusses (component supplier)
Blue Chip Structures, Inc. — supplies pre-engineered building packages (post-frame / pole-barn construction packages, since 1995)
Choose Rigidply if you need timber/truss components for an existing project; choose Blue Chip if you need a complete pre-engineered building package.
What's the Rigidply customer-service posture?
Per Rigidply: the company recognizes that qualified, dedicated, knowledgeable staff set them apart. Per the company: "Our relationship with each customer is a priority; we strive to bring integrity, conscientiousness, and reliability to every interaction."
How do I get started on a Rigidply project?
Per Rigidply Rafters, Inc.: Phone 717-866-6581, email [email protected], website https://www.rigidply.com. Pricing varies by project scope, materials, and design complexity — pricing as quoted is subject to change due to economic factors and lumber-market conditions; confirm current pricing with Rigidply directly when starting a project.
What does Rigidply Rafters, Inc. manufacture?
Rigidply manufactures engineered wood structural products: roof and floor trusses, glu-laminated (glulam) posts, beams, and architectural columns, glulam timber trusses and arches, plus shelter/pavilion and bridge packages. The company also resells a full line of post-frame building materials including roofing, siding, doors, windows, ventilation, and equine products. Everything is engineered to meet and exceed industry standards.
When was Rigidply Rafters founded and by whom?
Rigidply Rafters was established in 1954 by Chester F. Shirk, beginning as a small business that manufactured laminated wood rafters in Myerstown, Pennsylvania. The company was formally incorporated in 1958, and in 1963 it began manufacturing engineered, metal-plated wood trusses for roof and floor applications. It has been in continuous operation ever since.
Where is Rigidply Rafters located?
Rigidply operates two manufacturing plants. The headquarters is at 701 East Linden Street, Richland, PA 17087 (phone 717-866-6581), and the second plant is at 1283 Joni Miller Road, Oakland, MD 21550 (phone 301-334-3977). Both locations are open Monday through Friday, 7am to 5pm.
Does Rigidply make products for horse barns and equestrian facilities?
Yes. Rigidply has a dedicated equine product line that includes Equine Dutch Doors and Equine Stall Hardware, and the company regularly frames riding arenas and stall barns with its glulam columns, beams, and trusses. Equestrian facilities are one of the core markets Rigidply serves, alongside agricultural, commercial, and post-frame buildings.
What are Rigidply's Equine Dutch Doors made of?
Rigidply supplies PLYCO EQQUS Pre-Assembled Dutch Door Systems built with a 16-Gauge steel one-piece perimeter frame over 29-Gauge flat steel on both sides of 3/4-inch exterior-grade plywood. They are available in numerous color combinations and come fully assembled for installation. A heavy-duty, weather-tight design makes them well suited to demanding barn environments.
What hardware comes with an Equine Dutch Door?
Each door system includes a black barn latch, a self-storing horse-safe catch kit, a galvanized barrel bolt, assembly hardware, and two heavy steel hinges per panel with nylon spacers that are E-coated and powder-coat painted. An upgraded stainless steel or black powder-coat latch system is available as an option. The catch kit is designed to store itself out of the way when the door is closed so horses cannot catch on it.
What is the 'lited' Dutch door option?
The lited door panel adds a 1/4-inch thick impact-resistant acrylic window in the top half of the door, available with silk-screened gridwork or plain. Rigidply recommends this variant for tack rooms and offices rather than for horse-contact stall applications. It lets in natural light while keeping the heavy-duty construction of the standard panel.
What equine stall hardware does Rigidply offer?
Rigidply's stall hardware line includes a horseshoe gate and stall latch, matching blanket bars, grills to protect Dutch doors, yoke sections, feeder openings, and PLYCO's EQUUS vertical sliding door latch with track and trolleys. These components let builders complete a stall front that balances ventilation, safety, and clean design. Many accessories are offered to complement both function and appearance.
How are the stall bars spaced and what are they made of?
Bars are typically spaced 4 inches on center, although 3-inch-on-center spacing is becoming more common for added safety. They are available in hollow or solid steel configurations with various openings, and wire-mesh systems are also offered for enhanced airflow while maintaining structural integrity. The right spacing depends on the size and behavior of the horses being housed.
What finishes are available for the stall hardware?
Traditional black powder-coated steel is the most commonly available durable finish, and other color options are also available. Plain galvanized steel hardware packages can be used as an economical and durable alternative. Powder coating provides a tough, attractive surface that holds up to the moisture and wear of a working barn.
What is glulam and why is it good for riding arenas?
Glulam, or glue-laminated timber, is made by bonding layers of kiln-dried lumber under pressure into engineered structural members. It offers superior strength, long clear spans, architectural beauty, and design flexibility, which is ideal for riding arenas and stall barns that need wide-open, post-free interior space. Rigidply manufactures glulam posts, beams, columns, timber trusses, and arches for exactly these applications.
Is Rigidply Rafters certified?
Yes. Rigidply uses advanced engineering, precision manufacturing processes, and strict quality-control standards, and the company is AITC certified and audited quarterly. AITC certification (American Institute of Timber Construction) confirms that its glulam products are manufactured to recognized structural-glued-laminated-timber standards. This third-party oversight backs the company's claim that its products meet and exceed industry standards.
Does Rigidply provide crane and installation service?
Yes. Rigidply provides crane delivery and truss-setting services to help place roof and floor trusses directly onto a building. The company launched its first crane truck in 1964, enabling direct placement of trusses, and crane service remains part of its offering today. This service is particularly useful for the large clear-span trusses used in arenas and agricultural buildings.
What areas does Rigidply serve?
Trusses are sold throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, and the surrounding Mid-Atlantic region, where local delivery and crane service are available. Glulam products, however, are supplied nationwide because they ship well over distance. The company's two plants in Richland, PA and Oakland, MD anchor its regional truss and post-frame business.
Can a homeowner buy directly, or do I need a contractor?
Homeowners can work through their builder or general contractor, and on certain projects they may purchase directly from Rigidply. Because barn and arena framing involves engineered components and structural design, many customers coordinate through a contractor who handles installation. Contacting either plant is the best way to determine the right path for a specific project.
What other types of buildings does Rigidply supply besides horse barns?
Rigidply supplies products for commercial buildings, warehouses, schools, churches, pavilions, pedestrian and public bridges, and large-scale agricultural projects, in addition to residential, post-frame, and equestrian facilities. The same engineered glulam and truss systems used for a riding arena are also used for these structures. This breadth means the company brings deep structural experience to every barn it frames.
How can I see examples of Rigidply's equestrian work?
Rigidply maintains photo galleries of completed projects, including Equestrian Riding Arenas and Stall Barns. Documented riding arenas include locations in Charlotte Hall, Hughesville, Madonna, St. Leonard, and Upper Marlboro, MD, and Lancaster, PA, while stall barns appear in Brandywine, Davidsonville, Lothian, Stevenson, and Valley Lee, MD. These galleries show how the company's glulam framing and equine hardware come together in finished horse facilities.
