Ideas please stall flooring

[onlyanarabian]

So Dh finally started my new stalls:D It really hasn't gone the way we had hoped. First I got stall kits that will not work unless I want to redo most of the posts in the barn (its not my place so I'm not putting extra money to make it all work). So simple fix was to make our own stalls using rough cut hemlock. I actually think it will look nice once complete. We are keeping the kits in hopes of someday selling our house and buying a place with more land.

My problem now are the floors only being gravel. I was hoping to put stone dust on top of it but can't seem to find any locally. Sadly my horses need to be moved to new place asap (one coming back from trainer other one being boarded and I don't want to fork out another month or sign another lease).

So like usual Dh waited until the last minute to start everything now I have no time to figure out what to put on the floors. Since this project has already cost me double what it should have what are my cheapest quick options?

[shakeytails]

Rubber mats from TSC. It takes 6 of them at about $35/each for a 12x12 stall. I'm not a big fan of rubber mats, but they're better than replacing stonedust every year.

Another option is wood flooring, and I'm pretty sure hemlock is tough enough to work. Just get full 2 inch thick boards (8" wide or better) and lay them tight on top of level gravel or stonedust. You don't nail or fasten them in any way. I used oak for one stall and the Amish guy I bought the lumber from said he has wood stable floors and it should last at least 10 years.

[KnKShowmom]

I worked for a vet who had wooden floors but he left a couple of inches between the boards and filled with sand. This helped the drainage and kept the boards from staying wet, slippery and rotting.

If you use sawdust or shavings, you will want to bed pretty deep to give the horses better traction.

[Dan]

I tried wood floors first with 3 inches of pea gravel under and rubber mats on top. The wood rotted out in about 8 years.

This time I had stone dust put in with the rubber mats on top of the stonedust. I think there was also about 4-6 inches of sand under the stonedust.

There are lots of different names for stonedust. Also try roadbase mix. This is crushed rock that is very sharp and angular.

I think you want someone with more of a construction background for this type of work because they know all the different types of sand mix.

The other thing I learned is that you want to leave at least 1/4 of an inch gap between all of the mats. This way the sawdust will fill in the gaps. The worst thing is to have no gap and have the rubber swell and buckle where the mats meet.

Dan

[Calvincrowe]

Rubber mats! I've had mine in for 7 years now, over gravel, in a retro-fitted pole shop turned horse barn. Nothing special done to the gravel prior to putting mats down, other than filling and smoothing to level, then laying the mats. They are quite economical over time, as well. You can use them in many other applications (in an overhang, to feed out on in turnout, barn aisle liners, etc.)

[shakeytails]

I tried wood floors first with 3 inches of pea gravel under and rubber mats on top. The wood rotted out in about 8 years.

I imagine the wood rotted out so quickly because of the rubber mats holding in any moisture that got to the wood.

[JB]

Have you looked to find any quarries around you?

There is also sandrock, which is tan, and with this you'd want the washed stuff.

Stonedust aka bluestone aka screenings are some other names for the blue/gray stuff.