Is this Pole Barn floor idea crazy?

[bfisherman11]

I am planning on a pole barn build in the near future on my hunting land. My build won't be huge, maybe 24' x 30'. I don't really care about a concrete floor except if it helps keep mice out. My dad has a pole barn about this size with concrete floor but still gets mice... UGH, I hate those things.

Anyhow, this will mostly just be storage for a trailer and tractor and maybe a work bench.

Here is my idea, because I think the concrete helps... What if after you build the pole barn you poured a concrete perimiter inside the pole barn using the inner walls as part of your form. Make an inner wood form wall so you could pour say 4" deep by about 6" wide. Do this all along the inside of the 4 walls and at the door, pour an apron. You will have sealed the inside perimiter with concrete. Lastly, fill the inside of this perimeter with gravel to top of your concrete.

I think this would help keep the critters out and it is a small enough concrete project that I could mix the concrete and pour it myself.

Is this crazy? have any of you seen anyone do anything like this?

I have no idea how the mice get into my dads barn except they only need a crack to squeeze in. My idea would help stop them from burrowing under the walls. I could go around and try to seal out the best I could with a spray foam... Maybe, ha.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[Fawken]

I've seen people do this with metal buildings after they're erected:
Advantages: Easier to design. Usually easier concrete installation since you are working in the dry.

Disadvantages: The walls of your structure are at grade and corrode if metal (rot if wood) more quickly than if bolted onto a pre-poured slab. Harder to use a moto-trowel to get that glass finish. Over time in some soils the slab may settle in at a different rate than the pole structure.

30x40 is a lot of concrete to work by hand. Redi-mix is actually cheaper on more than 2 yard projects, but you'll need 3 good (experienced) hands to help you on pour day. In either case use plenty of rebar and get the plastic chairs to hold it in place.

 

[bfisherman11]

Fawkin, would not be pouring the complete pad. Just about 6" out from the walls to keep the critters out.

Bill

 

[s219]

I think the usual approach is to simply put in a skirt board and grade up to that point. So mice could easily crawl under that if there is just gravel on the inside. But normally when there is a concrete slab poured inside the barn, that goes up the skirt board a bit (3" or so) and should seal any entry paths as long as the skirt stays put. If it warps, an opening could let critters in. And you'd have the same problem with your short concrete perimeter -- it's only as good as the wall's ability to stay flat against the concrete.

In my barn, I poured a slab. Due to the slope, the back of the barn was about 20" above grade, so extra skirt boards were needed there, and along the sides as they sloped with the grade. So I put in "thickened" edges where the concrete flowed down to fill in behind the extra skirt boards to contain the fill under the slab. I suspected that if I just had the slab floating on gravel fill, pressure would want to push against the skirts over time. With a thick concrete edge between the skirts and the fill, that shouldn't happen. Anyhow, delete the slab and my thickened edges are more or less like what you're proposing. So far the skirts are staying tight to the concrete, but the barn is only a year old.

 

[Fawken]

Fawkin, would not be pouring the complete pad. Just about 6" out from the walls to keep the critters out.

Bill

Yes, I noticed that after the post. I still prefer my structure to be on top of the concrete to help ****** rust or rot. Maybe you could block up the walls with bricks and then pour under the walls to prevent gaps?

 

[pmsmechanic]

I'm intrigued by this idea. Here's the changes I would make. Instead of pouring cement just nail a 2x6 or 2x8 around the outside edge. Then if the idea doesn't work you can take the lumber off and use it for something else. I like the idea of gravel but why spend the money on it. Most gravel pits have reject sand which is cheaper and collapses easier when the mice tunnel through it.

I have a storage area that is open to the critters. I've only ever found drowned mice in the toilet of the camper. There has been no issues with mice in my 47 IHC which is stored right beside the camper. Which would lead me to think that if the storage area had several pail type traps with antifreeze in them that would take care of any critters that come into your storage.

 

[Sodo]

I have a pole barn like that. The bottom gurt is a treated 2x8. I called a concrete contractor and he poured the floor right up to that gurt. On the outside there are piles of tailings where the critters are tunneling under my concrete slab. Not sure your idea will get what you want unless you dig down a foot or so.

 

[ford farm boy]

The problem will be the doors overhead or side door seal at bottom. You can put a band board around bottom and rat gard at bottom of metal an for floor we used jibson stone (small stone with a lot of dust ) this packs like concrete when damp .But be sure and put down vapor barrer under .

 

[EddieWalker]

Might work if the mice cannot get through any door openings. How will you seal the doors?

I use poison for mice. It's cheap, easy and effective

Eddie

 

[dusty3030]

Our 2 cats and the resident gray fox that hangs around our place.
In 10 years (knock on wood) we have never had a mouse problem and we live in the middle of agriculture as in the crops border our property on three sides.