Pole Barn flooring/driveway question

[knightryda01]

What is a good flooring choice besides concrete for a pole barn? I am on a budget and I would love to do concrete but its just not in the budget at this time. Barn is used primarily for storage. I don't really view it as an active garage.

Now I need to build up around my barn and raise the flooring level to avoid water issues. I have access to some asphalt millings which I heard it works good for a base material. I was thinking of using the millings for a base in my pole barn and a base on my driveway.

My major concern here is where the pole barn and driveway meet. Will the barn floor level be raised over the driveway? I can't think of another material over concrete that will give me a defined edge or anyway to create a defined edge separating the barn and driveway.

I just do not know alot about this stuff. Every guy I talk to has a different opinion and its hard to really decipher what is the best route to go.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I've seen people use well compacted class 5 gravel and it's a pretty stable floor. However, with anything like that you will have moisture coming up through the gravel, so it's not the best thing for preventing rust.

As for the doorway, you could pour a concrete curb that would provide a defined edge, and it wouldn't take very much. Another possibility would be to use a landscape timber.

 

[FORMUD]

How about run a strip of hot mix at the joint if you use millings?

Are you planning to put a concrete pad in at a later date? If so, I'm not sure if millings would be your best bet. Maybe crusher run or 57 stone and add a bunch of fines to tighten it up.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I can almost guarantee that if you had concrete out there, you would use it more than just for storage.

How big of a pole bldg are we talking ? Are you capable of hauling the stone or millings, would you be able to finish the concrete if you did a concrete floor ?

Take a look at your options and figure out the costs. You may find, depending on your skill set, that one may not cost as much as you think or the cost of the stone may be a large chunk of the concrete costs.

 

[knightryda01]

Barn is only a 16x36 and concrete is gonna run $2000/2500 I just have a lot of projects going coming up like a bathroom remodel etc and was looking to save cash wherever I can.

 

[Flexia]

I has crushers run in mine for a few months and its solid

 

[Rookie2]

gravel or modified maybe. If you use millings , once there down for a while they can't be leveled or moved about without a big machine. they kinda melt like peanut brittle.

 

[Lewisthepilgrim]

Barn is only a 16x36 and concrete is gonna run $2000/2500 I just have a lot of projects going coming up like a bathroom remodel etc and was looking to save cash wherever I can.

I threw 16'x36' into the concrete calculator real quick.... with a 5'' slab I got just under 9 yards. How much are you paying per yard ???

 

[rburke65]

You would have less than $1000 in concrete and have a durable floor! Just a thought.....

 

[1jjpop]

Did you think about recycle concrete or asphalt ? They both work , & real good for base under conc. or asphalt. Put in lifts & tamp the heck out of it. Firms up real good.....

 

[msgross]

The Mennonites doing my pole barn only charge $2.50/sq ft for indoor concrete. I'll drop $500 for stone and have a 1,000 ft floor finished for $2500.

Do 2b or 2a modified (dust) stone for now then you can do concrete later when the money works.

 

[knightryda01]

Well here is the funny thing. Everything I have heard is I should expect $100/yard. I'm in the process of getting bids now. I know I have just over 7 yards of concrete. Not quite sure on how much the re-rod runs and the vapor barriers etc. I've got bids from 1900-2500. It's funny because the 2500 was from a "friend" lol ..... (using that term loosely I guess.) I guess I am paying as much in labor as I am materials.

 

[w33b8t1]

I would only gravel it so that when you concrete later it is simple. No demo work.

 

[ACDNate]

Well here is the funny thing. Everything I have heard is I should expect $100/yard. I'm in the process of getting bids now. I know I have just over 7 yards of concrete. Not quite sure on how much the re-rod runs and the vapor barriers etc. I've got bids from 1900-2500. It's funny because the 2500 was from a "friend" lol ..... (using that term loosely I guess.) I guess I am paying as much in labor as I am materials.

Time to find another friend. Even paying $100 a yd, he's wanting $1000-1500 to finish it. That's awfully high.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Barn is only a 16x36 and concrete is gonna run $2000/2500 I just have a lot of projects going coming up like a bathroom remodel etc and was looking to save cash wherever I can.

You might save some cash by stoning it. If you concrete it, it gives you another place to store materials and work on those house projects. Setting power tools up in the stones **** as does moving stuff in and out of the house garage to do work in there.

You put concrete in now, 5 years from now, you'll be glad you did. Do stone and I bet (especially if you stick around GJ) you'll regret not putting in concrete.