Aisle Mats: Best sources for a roll suitable for a shedrow barn?

[TMares]

I want to put an aisle mat down in my 40’ x 10’ aisle. It is currently crusher run gravel that goes EVERYWHERE. I’m getting by with some strategically placed mats but I’m ready to bite the bullet. It’s an east facing aisle, rain and such is not an issue (I know, I’ve had this barn for almost 20 years).

What I want:

• 10' wide, and either in 10-20' increments or a 40' roll - I cannot use traditional mats, they'll shift too much
• Some tread or grip to it, nothing slick
• at least a 1/2" thick or thicker
• Nothing porous/grids that would trap hay, shavings. A solid surface.

I have the tractor and such needed to set it in place. I know freight will suck.

Because anything horse is more $$$, has anyone found a dairy supplier or other similar source that was ‘more’ reasonable?

[Simkie]

How about traditional mats with stall mat clips? http://www.stallmatklips.com/products.html

I have these in a few places where mats aren’t bordered by a hard edge. They work very well.

Or install a hard edge with 4x6s. That would look sharp.

[Sansena]

I was thinking recycled gymnasium mats, but good luck finding a gym that’s closing.

Wonder if you’ll have luck from a place like this?
https://www.rubberflooringinc.com

[TMares]

@Simkie

How about traditional mats with stall mat clips? http://www.stallmatklips.com/products.html

I have these in a few places where mats aren’t bordered by a hard edge. They work very well.

Or install a hard edge with 4x6s. That would look sharp.

oh, interesting! So those clip the mats to each other? Doing the edge does sound cool, I’ll have to ponder on that, that’s an interesting idea I hadn’t considered

[Simkie]

@TMares

oh, interesting! So those clip the mats to each other? Doing the edge does sound cool, I’ll have to ponder on that, that’s an interesting idea I hadn’t considered

No, the clips pound into the ground and provide an edge to keep the mats from shifting. They’re L shaped or T shaped. There are pics on the website.

I did my run in with 4x6s. I screwed down the leading edge of the mats, which is another option for you, but you could also just leave the wood border tall enough to butt the mats up to it. I have pics around here somewhere…let me see. Ah. Here. I really should have used stall mat clips on the three loose mats on the slope in front, sigh. The horses dragged them away and then dug out all that fill. Jerks. :lol:

[YankeeLawyer]

This company makes large mats in any size (ie for a 12x12 stalls, they recommend 2 pieces that are 6x12 each). They also have “alleyway” mats that are precut in modules. Some COTHers (eg I believe “Gloria”?) have been happy with them

http://rubbermats.com/horse-mats.php

[TMares]

@Simkie

No, the clips pound into the ground and provide an edge to keep the mats from shifting. They’re L shaped or T shaped. There are pics on the website.

I did my run in with 4x6s. I screwed down the leading edge of the mats, which is another option for you, but you could also just leave the wood border tall enough to butt the mats up to it. I have pics around here somewhere…let me see. Ah. Here. I really should have used stall mat clips on the three loose mats on the slope in front, sigh. The horses dragged them away and then dug out all that fill. Jerks. :lol:

Ahhh- that won’t work- too much gravel that would have to be removed to start over, round poles, nothing is remotely square, etc etc LOL- BUT- I will continue to ponder putting in a ‘front rail’ foot so that could be the anchor? HMMMMMMM

[Simkie]

@TMares

Ahhh- that won’t work- too much gravel that would have to be removed to start over, round poles, nothing is remotely square, etc etc LOL- BUT- I will continue to ponder putting in a ‘front rail’ foot so that could be the anchor? HMMMMMMM

Yeah, I wasn’t suggesting that you do the grid that I did. But the front rail in 4x6 to either screw to or butt to would be nice. Or use the stall mat clips there for the same effect.

[Miss_Motivation]

The rubbermats.com suggestion is Linear Rubber Products. LRP have been around forever (although recently sold…) and have been my go-to for mats. They will prepare custom sizes and they are heavy, thick, strong mats. You will still need to do some fine tuning cuts to put them down, so expect that. They usually number them so you know how they go together. Nothing works better to cut them than a very sharp utility knife- buy extra blades!

Take care with your base, too… it’s really worth it to get the right material (we use what is called decomposed granite) then level it, laser level if you can or run a board from side to side to find and fill low spots, and then compact it. Rent a vibrating plate for an aisle= worth the rental. Dampen your base material too for best compaction. Don’t skimp on this preparation!

The mats have a bit of texture to them that provide good traction, but if they get wet any horse could possibly slip doing horse acrobatics. Much better traction than concrete though, and they keep the barns so much cleaner than dirt and are much easier to take care of.

I have tons of mats at my barn, including the aisles of 5 different barns, the largest aisle being 16 x 120’. We used Linear Rubber for all of them, and for about 50 sets of stall mats too. I bought the two-piece stall mats (2- 6 x 12’ per stall) which have been much better than using 6 of the 4 x 6’ mats… bigger mats have fingers to fit together down the middle (as do the aisle mats) and the big stall mats hardly shift at all.

Freight on mats can be shocking (ship from Wisconsin I think) but my considerable investment in these rubber mats has been an excellent long term investment. They should last just about forever.

I think Linear’s widest mat is 6’ so you probably will have to piece your aisle the short way. 7 pieces of rubber 6’ x 10’ long, with one piece having 2’ trimmed off the 10’ side. Even those mats will be very heavy to move around. A 10’ wide mat 40’ long, if you could ever find one, would be very (maybe impossibly) heavy to move with any kind of ordinary tractors/humans.

[TMares]

Thank you to everyone who’s shared ideas and tips. @Simkie the more I marinated on the idea of the grid the more I think it’s warranted and likely the right route to go for us. I’ll show DH over the weekend. We would definitely rent a compactor to settle the existing hall and would/could easily add more stone to make it firmer, too. Now I’m excited, those clips and the grid would make this really doable. WooHoo.

[ShotenStar]

I will third the Linear Rubber products. My barn aisle, stalls, sawdust storage, and tractor shed are all done in Linear Rubber products. The stall and aisle mats are now 25 years old and going strong. Linear Rubber will work with you to cut things to your measurements if you have odd places you want to mat. I will caution you about getting mats in too large a size – the 10x12s in my barn aisle weigh the proverbial ton and were hard to handle / wrestle into place.

star

[TMares]

@ShotenStar

I will third the Linear Rubber products. My barn aisle, stalls, sawdust storage, and tractor shed are all done in Linear Rubber products. The stall and aisle mats are now 25 years old and going strong. Linear Rubber will work with you to cut things to your measurements if you have odd places you want to mat. I will caution you about getting mats in too large a size – the 10x12s in my barn aisle weigh the proverbial ton and were hard to handle / wrestle into place.

star

I did want ‘larger’ before I learned about the clips, but yes- I can see where that’s a concern. We have a 4-ton track hoe, a Bobcat and a big tractor- and with it being a shedrow, easy access down the length of the hall, it’s a pole barn so it’s literally just poles on the leading edge.

I’m serious about the grid and the clips @Simkie shared, that does make it much more reasonable to use more, smaller (4X6) mats.

WOOHOO. Merry Christmas to ME

[Simkie]

@TMares

I’m serious about the grid and the clips @Simkie shared, that does make it much more reasonable to use more, smaller (4X6) mats.

WOOHOO. Merry Christmas to ME

You don’t need both. It’s grid or clips. They both provide the same function of securing the edge.

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[HungarianHippo]

Check out RepurposedMaterialsInc.com !! I LOVE that site. They offer used conveyor belts that come in large rolls. You’d have to put down a couple strips to get the 10’ shed width, but the 40’ uninterrupted length is totally do-able. You can cut to size yourself.

[TMares]

@Simkie

You don’t need both. It’s grid or clips. They both provide the same function of securing the edge.

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Yes, barn fart. It’s the grid that will be easy to do and then secure the mats to it.

[SashaBast]

@HungarianHippo

Check out RepurposedMaterialsInc.com !! I LOVE that site. They offer used conveyor belts that come in large rolls. You’d have to put down a couple strips to get the 10’ shed width, but the 40’ uninterrupted length is totally do-able. You can cut to size yourself.

I’ve been looking there! Have you used conveyor belts before?

[HungarianHippo]

I haven’t yet. We have a crushed rock (now mostly dirt) aisle and I’m waiting until I can put concrete in.

I expect I’ll need to use some kind of fasteners into the 'crete to hold the conveyor strips in place, but that wouldn’t be hard.

[Bluey]

Our vet clinic uses conveyor belt for different places, between horse runs also.

There are different kinds of conveyor belting, some are mostly rubber, some rubber mixed with cloth or wire.
You at times need to wait for repurposed belting they have to be the right kind you want.