Should barn floor be pressure treated?

[Evergreen160]

We're building a goat shed and it will have a wood floor. Anyone have an option on if the floor (plywood) needs to be pressure treated? I would rather skip the added expense if its not necessary. Thanks!

 

[SheepGirl]

I wouldn't have a wood floor if you can help it. Urine will soak through and make it all nasty.

 

[CochinBrahmaLover=)]

We're using a mixture of dirt and hay floor. I dunno hat others have to say, but it works good

 

[kfacres]

I think the idea of having a wood floor should be rethought-- I'll give you 3 years and it will be rotted through..

 

[Pearce Pastures]

I agree that the wood floor is not the best option if there is another way. We have dirt floors and they are very easy to clean up. Maybe you could build a cinder block base for it and fill in with dirt?

In our chicken coop, I do have a raised plywood floor that we have cover with a large tarp and then lay wood shavings over (makes for a very quick clean up and keeps the wood dry). I do not think that would work very well for a goat barn though because they would find the tarp and chew it.

If you do decide to go with wood still, I would say the treated lumber is necessary.

 

[Evergreen160]

I know that dirt floors are better I've done a lot of research. We live up in the mountains and it was difficult to build a barn with a dirt floor because it is almost impossible to sink beams into our extremely dry rocky ground. Augers don't even work on our ground. By building a stick-frame shed we were able to level the floor frame on cement deck blocks. We are also building on somewhat of a slope and were worried that the barn floor would be underwater in the Spring when the snow melts. This way the water will run under the shed. I've talked to owners that use wood floors and haven't had a problem. From a building perspective it makes things easier. If we have to replace a floor panel here and there so be it.

I think we are going to go with the pressure treated plywood for the floors.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

Gotcha. We definitely do NOT have that to contend with...my city's Native American name means 'knee-deep in mud' and it is. The ground is plenty soft

The pressure treated will get you a few more years use so probably worth the extra. We use treated ply for our sleeping lofts and just built them so that when the day comes that they need to be replaced, we can easily back the screws out and resheet it. You should take some pics for us...love to see what other people are building to get ideas for future projects.

 

[Rvrfshr]

I wouldn't have a wood floor if you can help it. Urine will soak through and make it all nasty.

In addition to being "nasty" it will breed germs and bacteria which will eventually undermine the health of your animals.

I like a dirt floor that I can lime, air out and replace bedding after each birthing to sanitize. Using straw or last years cheap crappy hay (not moldy) can easily be removed and replaced after each birth or when it gets "nasty from urine and manure.

 

[Symphony]

I would seriously reconsider a wood floor. It will be rotten in no time and the urine will soak in it. Dirt or Concrete works great.

 

[HankTheTank]

I have a wood floor that has had both chickens and goats on it, it's pretty old, and it's held up fine. Just make sure it stays pretty clean and air it out good before putting new bedding in. If you had a concrete base or a dirt floor it sounds like the spring floods would wash that out pretty quick.