Ideas for stable retasking

[Kainedogg]

Ok,

I have a 40x80 foot barn with 2 stables 16x9. I was going to fill in the stables with dirt and concrete but I really don't want to permanently get rid of them.

I plan to actually turn one into a paint booth for personal projects. However if I decided to sell the house someone with horses might be turned off from the conversion. I need a solution I can undo when needed for the floor.

I have no clue, so my initial thought was to pack dirt to within 1 inch of the surrounding concrete floor. Hard pack it with those machines from Lowes, make up the other 1" with plywood and park my projects in there as necessary.

Is there a more attractive, cost effective alternative?

 

[metal1313]

granite filings, backs super hard but can be easily dug out, topped with stall mats

 

[rkstr]

How about installing pavers. Could also sell them if you ever had to remove them.

 

[Eriehunter]

So the floor is concrete around the (2) 16x9 areas? If so I would put some expansion joint around the perimeter of the area and then concrete the inside. If you ever sell the place a target saw and jackhammer will get it out.