# New barn floor



## Norainhay

I'm building a new hay storage barn in a generally wet climate. Can't use rock or gravel as the plan is to unload a pull type bale wagon. Regardless of the thickness and compaction I'm pretty sure the bale wagon forks would drag the gravel. Was thinking about concrete with a plastic vapor barrier underneath but concrete is one - third the cost of the building itself. Is asphalt a bettering more economical choice and if so should it have a vapor barrier underneath.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.


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## Vol

Base coat asphalt is the general consensus choice for a permanent floor.

Regards, Mike


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## slowzuki

If you have a mine nearby old conveyor belting is great too


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## Norainhay

Thanks Mike and Slowzuki. 
If asphalt is used does anything special have to be done, like a vapor barrier underneath. Are there nonpermanent options available (cheaper)?
Thanks


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## Thorim

With the understanding that we are all trying to cut/lower costs I have come to believe that while cheaper sounds good in the short term it tends to be much more expensive in the long run...just my humble opinion.


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## slowzuki

My understanding is asphalt makes an adequate vapour barrier on its own.



Norainhay said:


> Thanks Mike and Slowzuki.
> If asphalt is used does anything special have to be done, like a vapor barrier underneath. Are there nonpermanent options available (cheaper)?
> Thanks


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## aawhite

Anyone ever looked at building a slightly elevated floor out of expanded metal/perforated flooring like the bottom of a grain bin with drying floor? You wouldn't really be able to turn on it, only drive straight in and straight out, but I would think it would solve issues with the bottom row quality, and may help keep hay dryer.


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## slowzuki

Thats basically how a hay loft works, also hay dryer floors are built that way. There's no way I would take my tractor over a normal air floor, its really expensive per square foot.



aawhite said:


> Anyone ever looked at building a slightly elevated floor out of expanded metal/perforated flooring like the bottom of a grain bin with drying floor? You wouldn't really be able to turn on it, only drive straight in and straight out, but I would think it would solve issues with the bottom row quality, and may help keep hay dryer.


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## Norainhay

Thanks to all who responded. Is there anyone out there who has an asphalt floor in their hay barn. It would be great to hear your experience.
Thanks


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## mlappin

aawhite said:


> Anyone ever looked at building a slightly elevated floor out of expanded metal/perforated flooring like the bottom of a grain bin with drying floor? You wouldn't really be able to turn on it, only drive straight in and straight out, but I would think it would solve issues with the bottom row quality, and may help keep hay dryer.


It would take a incredibly tough perforated floor, then it needs something really solid to sit on, like cement&#8230;.


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## aawhite

I was thinking instead of perforated flooring, maybe something along the lines of 4 steel I-beams running lengthwise, then thick-walled steel pipe (drill pipe maybe?) laid across the beams with a gap (2-3 inchesmaybe) between each pipe. Its a lot of steel, but if you were looking at concrete or asphalt floors, an option?

One advantage is one person could build this themselves. Its similar to how we framed up a manure pit push-off, so I know that one guy with a loader or skid-steer can lay out the I-beams and pipe.


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## Rodney R

I have two sheds with asphalt, on the recommendation of Enos on here. We used about 18 inches of crushed stone, and then 4 inches of asphalt. No vapor barrier, as the oil in the asphalt should be the vapor barrier, and if the plastic was next to the hot mix it would melt, and if you put it between layers of stone it would get holes when the stone is compacted for the paver. Our asphalt was the base coat stuff, so the stones are up to about 2 inches. I think it works better than concrete. At some point we have one more shed floor to do, and it will be asphalt. We had the paving done a few weeks before hay came in, and the doors were left open a LOT to let the air in and smell out.

Rodney


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## SVFHAY

Norainhay said:


> Thanks to all who responded. Is there anyone out there who has an asphalt floor in their hay barn. It would be great to hear your experience.
> Thanks


I've had asphalt floor in a 66x120 for 10 years or so. Originally there was plastic topped with 6" of stone. The site was elevated and well drained. I used a stack wagon for a while and then bundles. Always issues with abottom bales. Had a mountain of pallets for a few years, always lots of stone dust, ruts and holes from skid steer and tough to clean out.

Pavement is nice. If you put really dry hay in its perfect on bottom. If you put average moisture hay on it it will get dusty on bottom. If you put 18%+ on it it will get moldy on bottom. I spray preservative on fresh loose hay before stacking most of the time now and have good results.

I have a friend who owns a warehouse with concrete floor. Bottom layer looked like mine. Then he started stacking on fan fold insulation. It's 1/4" thick poly 4' wide and 50' long. Bales came out perfect. His theory and now mine is the temperature difference between the mass of the floor and the hay creates a condensation point.


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## Norainhay

You guys have been very helpful. 
SVFHAY what preservative are you spraying?


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## Vol

SVFHAY said:


> I have a friend who owns a warehouse with concrete floor. Bottom layer looked like mine. Then he started stacking on fan fold insulation. It's 1/4" thick poly 4' wide and 50' long. Bales came out perfect. His theory and now mine is the temperature difference between the mass of the floor and the hay creates a condensation point.


Is there a name brand on the insulation? What is the cost per feet roughly? The temp thing sounds plausible. I just cannot recall seeing it at building supplies....but I could have easily looked over it.

Regards, Mike


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## SVFHAY

Norainhay said:


> You guys have been very helpful.
> SVFHAY what preservative are you spraying?


propionic acid, seems to work but it is only helping for whatever time period it is active, a few weeks. On hay this is long enough for it to dry down. The floor may not.


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## SVFHAY

Vol said:


> Is there a name brand on the insulation? What is the cost per feet roughly? The temp thing sounds plausible. I just cannot recall seeing it at building supplies....but I could have easily looked over it.
> 
> Regards, Mike


http://m.homedepot.com/p/Owens-Corning-FOAMULAR-1-4-in-x-4-ft-x-50-ft-R-1-Fanfold-Insulation-Sheathing-21UM/100320301


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## SVFHAY

Another brand


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## Vol

SVFHAY said:


> Another brand


Definitely easier on the eyes.  Do the big box stores carry green guard?

Regards, Mike


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## SVFHAY

I would imagine so although it may be cheaper for a man of your inclination to just buy a pair of green tinted glasses.


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## Vol

SVFHAY said:


> I would imagine so although it may be cheaper for a man of your inclination to just buy a pair of green tinted glasses.


Heck, I have had those for many years.

Regards, Mike


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## mlappin

Vol said:


> Definitely easier on the eyes.  Do the big box stores carry green guard?
> 
> Regards, Mike


Lowes has their own brand, as do most other places, some call it fan fold, some call it siding underlayment.


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## Norainhay

It seems like stacking on the fan fold insulation is full proof for protecting the bottom bales. Is anyone unloading a bale wagon (like a NH Stackliner). I'm trying to get a sense if the forks would be an issue. I'm assuming you have to place it between and to the outside of the forks each time you unload if a bale wagon is used. Any one using a setup like that?


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## SVFHAY

I would classify this as experimental, don't think it would stand up to stackwagon use.


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