HUGE barn...dirt floor issue

[Patchwork]

I have 15,000 sqft of dirt floor to use but I don't have $75K to concrete it

SOOOO....what are some reasonably cost effective options to harden the floor to without breaking the bank?

The "barn" is a 75 year old chicken hatchery. All concrete block construction with 11' sliding doors on each end. The center isle height is 10.5'x 12' wide. Then the other side of the posts are 12' to the exterior wall with the ceiling height dropping to 7'. The support posts are 8x8 hardwood posts. Most are sitting on concrete piers. The floor is very solid packed red dirt. The barn has been scraped clean of any old compost/ hay that was stored in the barn.

Well, I'm game for ideas. Just looking for cost effective. Craziest I heard was a buddy who said soak pallets in diesel fuel and they put plywood over it. I said sure...cover wood in an expensive, flammable liquid, then lay another flammable material over top of it and then stain or clear it with another flammable liquid. What could go wrong? He said, "Why not? Just make sure your insurance is paid up "

 

[mike93lx]

Harden it to be able to do what? Something solid to walk on is way different than rolling jacks and toolboxes around

How about asphalt? It would cost probably a fifth of concrete

Other options would be compacted stone and crusher run or stone duat

 

[BD1]

Is blacktop road grindings available ? That could work but you’ll get grindings and chunks depending.


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[Patchwork]

Harden it to be able to do what? Something solid to walk on is way different than rolling jacks and toolboxes around

How about asphalt? It would cost probably a fifth of concrete

Other options would be compacted stone and crusher run or stone duat

Preferably roller solid would be nice, but I have another small 30' x 15' building right next to the barn where I can keep all my tools if I have to. It's easy enough to get to.

Asphalt would be nice...$15K would still be nice. Crusher wouldn't be horrible at about $5K. I can get it hauled for $125/load and I think I can get the crushed for less than $25/ton. I read online where someone compacted crusher then spread bags of portland cement over it, wet it down and floated in over. Said it was as solid as concrete. It was a thought.

 

[Patchwork]

Is blacktop road grindings available ? That could work but you’ll get grindings and chunks depending.


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The guy grading my driveway suggested that, but he doesn't have but a couple truckloads and I need it more on the driveway We've had a lot of construction around here in the last several years so the recycled material gets sucked up pretty quick.

 

[mike93lx]

I read online where someone compacted crusher then spread bags of portland cement over it, wet it down and floated in over. Said it was as solid as concrete. It was a thought.

That sounds like it will be incredibly dusty and a massive amount of work

 

[930dreamer]

Post some pics, 7ft ceiling isn't very practical but i can't picture what the coop looks like.

 

[mike93lx]

Post some pics, 7ft ceiling isn't very practical but i can't picture what the coop looks like.

Didn't consider that... That is going to make it really challenging to do anything flat, smooth and compacted outside of pouring. You'll have to use a plate compactor, I would think. Even a small roller must be around that high with someone sitting on it

 

[tncatadjuster]

Soil stabilization/soil cement roll it out and let it set up. I have no idea if this is viable option but I know it sets up hard and relatively strong.

 

[Patchwork]

Well, there are 28 - 4'x6' windows on each side of the building. Then there are the sliding doors on each end and each end has another 6 window cells that total to 4x9 on each side of the doors. The window cells all come out to make one big hole with a single stay in the middle. Ventilation would not be an issue. lol

 

[Patchwork]

That sounds like it will be incredibly dusty and a massive amount of work

Work I'm not afraid and good Lord willing, have time to do.

 

[Patchwork]

I've made repairs and a lot of cleaning since these pictures. What looks like holes in the ceiling are actually busted foam panels.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4L3UefyhxUBYjaNS9

 

[mike93lx]

Pics aren't showing

 

[Patchwork]

Pics aren't showing

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4L3UefyhxUBYjaNS9

 

[tdkkart]

So concrete 50ft or so for a work area and just use the rest for dry storage.

 

[matt_i]

Many good ideas, I would consider just concreting the areas you need to use regularly. The center could be a two-track.