Floor Options For Pole Barn (Not Concrete)

[s219]

Put down heavy plastic and then fine screened gravel (I prefer #8, approximately pea sized). A screened gravel has no fines and will self compact so you can easily grade and level it, and re-smooth it any time in the future. It will not create dust problems.

A lot of people use a crusher run type of material, but to me it's not ideal. It has to be put down in thin layers and compacted, and because it will be inside a dry environment it will be dusty. I put down crusher run inside my sawmill shed (pole barn with two sides open) and don't like it nearly as much as the #8 inside my other barn. Yes, the crusher run is firmer and easier to walk on, but tractor exhaust and wind loves to kick up dust. My crusher run driveway is just feet away and doesn't have these problems unless we're in a drought. Crusher run needs periodic rain/moisture to be a practical surface in my opinion, and that doesn't happen inside a building.

If you plan to put in concrete later, that's another reason to go with screened gravel. It is a superior base for concrete compared to crusher run.

Here's a barn addition with #8 gravel on the floor (about 4" deep, over 6 mil plastic):

 

[Sawyer Rob]

My buddy was going to put concrete in his pole barn "later", so he leveled it up with sand. He had a dry floor, so he took old carpet and put it over the sand and never did get the concrete.

The carpet will last a LOT of years, and he drove on it all the time with his tractor.

SR

 

[s219]

My buddy was going to put concrete in his pole barn "later", so he leveled it up with sand. He had a dry floor, so he took old carpet and put it over the sand and never did get the concrete.

The carpet will last a LOT of years, and he drove on it all the time with his tractor.

SR

That is a great solution. I have put down green outdoor carpet on top of gravel for a temporary sidewalk, and it actually worked out great. Not expensive either.

 

[BoylermanCT]

What prices are you getting for concrete? I built a 30x40x12 pole barn in 2020-2021 and the concrete floor was $4500 installed. Your profile does not say where you live, but it could be quite a bit cheaper depending on location. You will not regret doing the floor if you can swing it somehow.

 

[lman]

I had a 56x40x14 building built about 12 years ago and was going to skip the concrete floor but thought that I could afford it better at that time than when I would be retired. With prices now, I'm glad I didn't wait.
You mentioned mud in a dirt floor and I still have some dirt in a horse barn where I stack hay on pallets and have never seen mud. That's why you have a roof.
We had what they called a 100 year flood a few years ago and I am glad that I built up the grade where the barn is. If the river would have gone an inch higher, water would have made it in the barn.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

For rodent control use 3/8 minus #4 plus pea gravel.

If rodents arent a problem, use 3 to 4-inch layer of1-inch or 3/4-inch clean well graded aggregate, with the surface about 5=inches below what will be the floor grade when you decide to install concrete. That way you can fluff and compact the gravel as the base course for the fiber reinforced concrete.

 

[dodge man]

I agree with the first response. The biggest mistake is building it to low. You don’t want to climb a flight of stairs to get in it but to low let’s water in to easily.

With gravel you can get it with fines, but that Can get messy if it’s wet. You can get it without fines, but that never packs and is always loose.

 

[Tinhack]

You guys must be made of money!

I built my own. It started as a 12x36 storage shed and a sandy-clay dirt floor. I added on to the 12' to make it 36x36 but the floor remained dirt for a few more years. I added concrete to the middle 12', a flag off to one side for a lathe room and some rip-rap from the side door to the center (12x12). That's how it is to this day. I have two 6x10 doors on each end so I can drive through. I don't have trouble with drainage or washing it out--There's about a 3" drop from one end to the other. I wasn't building a house--It's a barn!

 

[ovrszd]

You guys must be made of money!

I built my own. It started as a 12x36 storage shed and a sandy-clay dirt floor. I added on to the 12' to make it 36x36 but the floor remained dirt for a few more years. I added concrete to the middle 12', a flag off to one side for a lathe room and some rip-rap from the side door to the center (12x12). That's how it is to this day. I have two 6x10 doors on each end so I can drive through. I don't have trouble with drainage or washing it out--There's about a 3" drop from one end to the other. I wasn't building a house--It's a barn!

It's more about expectations and use.

 

[Hay Dude]

My main storage barn is compacted gravel with old carpet removed from houses! It was free, so naturally I was open to that! Lol
It works pretty good. Its pretty durable and somewhat warm & comfortable to lay on to work.