Treating Floor Boards

[BenjaminFarms]

Hello,
I am designing a barn for sheep and wondering if I need to treat my slotted floor boards. To save money, I am milling white oak for the flooring. Is there any type of application I need to apply on these hardwoods that are safe for the sheep but also effective against sheep waste?

Thanks

 

[Baymule]

I would never put a wood floor in a sheep barn. Nor would I put a slatted floor in, tiny lamb hooves could get caught in the cracks. I use dirt floors for all my livestock, chickens included. I deep litter and clean it out twice a year back down to the dirt.

 

[BenjaminFarms]

Well, unfortunately I do not have flat land and if I do not have an elevated off the ground building rain water will flood any type of shelter/enclosure (I'm on a mountainside facing north) . In the lambing pens I won't have slot boards. If I didn't have this situation I would have done dirt floors

 

[Baymule]

What about building up cinder block pony walls just above grade, then go up with your barn? They would never rot and it would make a much easier to care for barn.

 

[misfitmorgan]

Agreed any type of lumber for a floor in a livestock barn is a horrible idea. It will rot out in less then 10yrs even with slots. The nails themselves will rust out in 3-4yrs from urine.

Your option for a dirt floor are limited, what about raised cement?

 

[misfitmorgan]

Agreed any type of lumber for a floor in a livestock barn is a horrible idea. It will rot out in less then 10yrs even with slots. The nails themselves will rust out in 3-4yrs from urine.

Your option for a dirt floor are limited, what about raised cement?

Let me clarify my statement. If you live in a place that is mostly dry year round you could get away with wood floors with slots/spaces for urine to run out...it's just not the best idea for sheep because they pee and poop very often.

How high off the ground does your floor need to be? Would it be possible to built a frame of cinderblocks with something like rebar to hold them in place then fill the inside with packing limestone? Or something like 2A stone, a cheap stone that packs well. That would be better for sheep and last pretty much forever I would think.

Just not sure how uneven your ground is or how much water you need to be above at any given time. If water drainage is the main problem but ground is fairly level you could leave gaps between a few of the cinderblocks and put field tile down before the stone where the gaps are so the water can flow thru but not floor your barn.