Fixing floor in barn

[homestead69]

There's a 120x50 ft pole barn on the family property i just bought. It hasn't been maintained very well over the years. The floor has washed out i believe and there's alot of good sized holes from animals inside. Id like to fix it and get it sealed up better. There's a gap all the way around that ranges from a few inches to a couple feet. The floor is all dirt. Id like to level it out and maybe put some crushed concrete to make it nicer and lest dusty. Whats the best way to go about this? Should i add footers around the bottom and the just use dirt to level the floor ans the add a couple of inches of crushed concrete.

 

[jack stand]

Rake it down to bare dirt and get some crushed stone (a little bit bigger that you show in the driveway) and fill - level it out.
A good job for a guy with a skid steer.

 

[carlaisle]

Add gutters or the problem will return sooner rather than later.

 

[geneg]

There's a 120x50 ft pole barn on the family property i just bought. It hasn't been maintained very well over the years. The floor has washed out i believe and there's alot of good sized holes from animals inside. Id like to fix it and get it sealed up better. There's a gap all the way around that ranges from a few inches to a couple feet. The floor is all dirt. Id like to level it out and maybe put some crushed concrete to make it nicer and lest dusty. Whats the best way to go about this? Should i add footers around the bottom and the just use dirt to level the floor ans the add a couple of inches of crushed concrete.

If you are thinking about a concrete slab, you'll need to pour a concrete grade beam or "rat wall" around the perimeter. Then grade, compact, & fill the interior. Larger stone on the bottom and then crusher run stone on the top. Fines will fill the voids & lock everything together. Whatever you do, don't just dump & spread material. You need to compact in lifts or layers. Then go to slab prep.

If leaving it as a stone floor- surface will be the same processes. Just even up the grade around the perimeter & add 3 or 4 feet wide of rip rap (softball size & up crushed stone) from grade up to the bottom of the wall panels. This will stabilize the grade, help with washout, & keep some critters out.

Also Add gutters or the problem will return sooner rather than later. As stated above.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Before you get carried away, I'd be checking the quality of those posts. I'd guess that build is 40+ years old.

 

[homestead69]

Before you get carried away, I'd be checking the quality of those posts. I'd guess that build is 40+ years old.

Yeah it's around 40 years old. Some of the post have been sistered but there's a couple more that need it

 

[homestead69]

If you are thinking about a concrete slab, you'll need to pour a concrete grade beam or "rat wall" around the perimeter. Then grade, compact, & fill the interior. Larger stone on the bottom and then crusher run stone on the top. Fines will fill the voids & lock everything together. Whatever you do, don't just dump & spread material. You need to compact in lifts or layers. Then go to slab prep.

If leaving it as a stone floor- surface will be the same processes. Just even up the grade around the perimeter & add 3 or 4 feet wide of rip rap (softball size & up crushed stone) from grade up to the bottom of the wall panels. This will stabilize the grade, help with washout, & keep some critters out.

Also Add gutters or the problem will return sooner rather than later. As stated above.

I don't think I'll ever be able to afford concrete but I'd like to do something better than the dusty dirt floor it has now. I'm thinking about leveling it and building it up a little with dirt and then going with either crushed concrete or limestone and compacting in layers

 

[NUTTSGT]

Yeah it's around 40 years old. Some of the post have been sistered but there's a couple more that need it

I'd would start with fixing those first other wise you will be digging back up what you are putting in.

 

[PopcornSutton]

As said, gutters and downspouts to get the water away, and on the first pic, looks like a swale could prevent natural runoff away from the building.

 

[Metal-Marc]

Picture fix. We don't need to see that much sky and dirt.

 

[firebirdparts]

Rake it down to bare dirt and get some crushed stone (a little bit bigger that you show in the driveway) and fill - level it out.
A good job for a guy with a skid steer.

I am in fact thinking PURCHASE a skid steer then do it, and that makes it more fun. In that low corner, you could start with the biggest stone you can find. Rip Rap would not be inappropriate.

 

[Pitalplace]

Concrete in a small area where you work and the rest crushed concrete. It will be nice to work on and save a great deal on the real estate taxes. At least it does here.

 

[csp]

The crushed concrete I have been exposed to is very dusty. The fines don't ever seem to bind with anything except when wet.

 

[finn]

I am in fact thinking PURCHASE a skid steer then do it, and that makes it more fun. In that low corner, you could start with the biggest stone you can find. Rip Rap would not be inappropriate.

That’s what I did. Purchased a skid steer for a couple of jobs….but there’s always another job on the horizon where it would be useful. Seven years later and I still have it, with no intention of selling it.

For working inside a building, a mini skid / stand up unit might work well.

 

[finn]

The crushed concrete I have been exposed to is very dusty. The fines don't ever seem to bind with anything except when wet.

I hauled in crushed concrete for my driveway. It isn’t dusty at all, after a while. The difference is that on the driveway it’s exposed to rain and snow, so the fines migrate down to the base.

Inside a building might take a lot of water to accomplish the same thing, but it’s doable.

 

[Hooked]

Milled asphalt if you can find it. No dust to speak of.