Inexpensive Barn Flooring

[MDKatie]

Right now the floor is dirt, a very dusty fine dirt that likes to cover everything. I usually keep it covered with straw and waste hay, but it still gets super dusty. We're looking into options like stone dust, millings, etc. Concrete would be awesome, but it's out of our price range. Does anyone have any recommendations for what we could use?

There are sometimes animals in the barn, so I worry about anything being smelly, like millings, although my coworker says they don't stink. So, there are areas of the barns where it'll just be aisles, and areas where there will be pens (like jugs but bigger).

[jwal10]

Sand, mix some in and wet it, then pack it down before bedding it. Concrete is not good, hard on feet and just makes the bedding wet. I use very fine basalt rock (fines) packed well in lanes and walks. If the barn floor has built up over time and the floor is actually organic material, clean it all out down to native and pack in some clay then mix sand in the top 6". Be aware of drainage, always drain to openings....James

[MDKatie]

Well, the problem is there are no openings. The barn has a foundation/footer of 2 row high concrete blocks. That's one of the reasons I like the dirt floor, because water and urine just drain down into the dirt.

I just called to get prices on materials, and asphalt millings are cheap...only $11 per ton picked up. Stone dust is $21.20/ton picked up. I need to do more research on the millings though...I don't want anything that's going to be stinky in the barn, and I worry they may get soft in the heat.

[MDKatie]

After reading this thread, I'm not sure I want millings.

[where I want to]

My horse's run and the goat sheds are "paved" with rubber stall mats. I put a layer of shredded bark down then lay the mats down. No bedding most of the year- I just sweep the poop out.
Every year I buy a few more- I now have mat pathways too.

[wendle]

Around here lime is commonly used. Maybe it's similar to stone dust? It packs down nice for a good base and is easy to clean off bedding.

[CesumPec]

what about wood chips. they neutralize the urine smells, keep dust down, makes a firm but forgiving footing.

If you have a chipped and wood lot, nothing is cheaper.

[Callieslamb]

Sand and wood chips can ruin a fleece ( or at least your clippers) if that's a consideration for you.

[Hairsheep]

Hard wood pallets, maybe?
You can often get them free and they are designed for carrying heavy loads.