On the new property I have a space in the barn 12 x 24. I am going to use this space to make an enclosed tack room. But am looking for some advice. I am planning to have it heated in the winter. Currently it is only me out there, but might have a boarder or two in the future.
Some questions
Currently it is a wood floor, that is not in great shape. Should I do concrete? Wood? Other options?
How is everyone heating tack rooms? Oil filled heater? Don’t want to do just electric heat as that is way to costly.
It is quite damp in the barn, so I am thinking I will want to run a dehumidifier, and maybe put a window in…thoughts?
What should I put on the walls, tongue and grove? Dry Wall?
I would like to have my feed in there as well, will that be an issue? Should I have a separate room for feed?
Would love to have running water in there but we will see if that happens. Its going to be a DIY project with the help of some handy friends, and to keep cost down.
We had a tack room feed room compo for years and it was fine. In the days after a grain delivery it would be tight but ok. This was a 19 horse barn in about the same size so if you only a few horses you should be fine. My biggest thing is for very stall make sure there’s a saddle and bridle rack. Not having enough is a real pain.
You might find that an oil heater is all you need to keep the tack room dry enough. I live in the wet wet wet (for 9 months a year) PNW and I have a 10 x 20 tackroom that we built into the barn after moving here. Floor is cement (as it is throughout the barn) and I put down an outdoor rug. Added a little oil heater (like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/1500-Watt-Electric-Oil-Filled-Radiant-Portable-Heater-Grey-HD904-A7Q/205210318) and my tackroom is dry and warm all year round. We did drywall + insulation in the walls and ceiling. I often wish I had a little more space, but that has a lot more to do with organization and the mess I tend to let it gravitate toward than the actual size/layout of the tack room.
I don’t store feed in mine, but I don’t think it would be a big issue - well, assuming you mean “grain” when you say feed. There’s no way I could or would want to put hay in there. Aside from the additional fire hazard of hay + heater, there just isn’t that much extra space.
If the floor is strong enough so that it doesn’t need to be replaced, you can cover it. We used “laminate flooring”, that looks like wood, but is indestructible. It is easy to put down, usually snaps together, and you can always put some screws into it- it’s only a tack room. Ours was free, as it was left over bits that was given to us. It doesn’t match, but it is good for a tack room. If you have to buy it, it isn’t too expensive, especially at a surplus store.
Yes to the “oil filled heater”. Just build the tack room correctly, with insulation and house wrap. Windows take up wall space, and wall space is valuable in a tack room for hanging things, and storage or shelving units. We put a door with a window in it rather than take up wall space for a window. We had a fan in our previous tack room, but never used it in 25 years, so did not put one in this one. Just the oil filled heater in this one, and it’s good. It gets cold here in winter (-35C) but dry cold, and hot and dry in the summer (+40C). Good insulation keeps the tack room cool in summer, and warm enough to not freeze in the winter.
For wiring, you will need several circuits, we have four. One each for the heated auto waterers in the paddocks outside. One for the oil filled heater, and one for incidentals and everything else including lights. If your grooming area is next to your tack room, an outside outlet in your grooming area (protected from horse intervention) is useful (for vet work, and we also use it to plug in vehicles stored nearby in winter).
Tongue and groove pine can be bought pretty cheap, and you don’t need the “good” stuff. Cabin grade is fine. We put it on the ceiling, because we are good at doing it on ceilings (experienced at this!) so it was easy. You can put it on the walls too if you like, or look around for other options too. We got some “wallboard” of some sort, also free, surplus stuff. It was very heavy stuff, and had some insulative value of it’s own. It’s dark brown, but we didn’t care about the colour. “Surplus stores” are your friend, it’s amazing what gets thrown out or becomes unwanted by others.
We have a frost free hydrant outside the tack room, easy access. And a kettle inside to heat small amounts of water for bathing injuries or other minor issues.
A “do” tip for you… build free standing saddle racks for the center of the room. 2 X 12s cut with an inverted V on the top edge, and connected with 1 X 4s, 4 on the Vs (2 each side), and at the bottom edge (to form a tray underneath on the floor, and a “foot” on the side of this like a standard, made of 2 X 6. They are easy to make, and can be moved around to suit your needs. Again, frees up wall space for things that hang or actually need to be on a wall, and uses the space in the center of the room instead of leaving it unused. I have a few wall mounted saddle racks too, but it is the free standing ones in the middle of the room that I tend to like better.
Watch out for tack getting moldy. You really really dont want mold on your tack (or tack room walls, etc). Or in your grain for that matter. So a dehumidifier is probably a must; light and air flow also help keep away mold. You can also buy those dessicant buckets (made for things like long term boat storage) at Home Depot and such.
My tack room walls are plywood. It allows me to hang whatever I want, wherever I want. I would NOT use sheetrock in a tack room, because you are then limited to what you can hang…
Floor is concrete.
Walls and ceiling are VERY well insulated, as is the steel door.
I do have a small window and absolutely love it for the fresh air and breeze. I also put a window mounted ac unit in it during the worst of the summer.
I prefer feed room separate from tack room. I always manage to spill a little grain when setting up feed and dumping feed in cans. I really don’t want to risk attracting mice into the tack room. Bad enough in the feed room.
Vinyl flooring, painted/epoxy concrete are both fine. Depending on how bad your wood floor is sand and paint may be an option. I would not go with laminate because it does not hold up to water as well. But we are a very muddy area. Ceramic tile would be fine but probably not worth the expense.
If you can get water/sink and a small hot water heater I would do so. It is so convenient for cleaning tack, washing hands, setting up meds for oral dosing such as SMZ, hot water for mashes etc…
Wood paneling or tongue and groove would be my preference to drywall.
Do not use solid color dark/black counters- it shows dust and dirt too well. Use a nice mud colored flooring- not light or white.
I prefer built in trunks and storage to a mismash of portable trunks. I think the built in trunks maximize space. Decide if you want a saddle rack and bridle hook over each trunk or if you want all the saddles on one wall and the bridle hooks on another wall. Make provisions for wet/damp saddle pads and consider having that space outside the tack room so the tackroom doesn’t smell.
Lockers are another option even if you only build 2 for boarders. It gives them a defined lockable space for their stuff.
I like a lot of light so would want a window. It gives you better air flow to open a door and a window.
If you are very humid then provisions for a dehumidifier or A/C unit is a good idea.
I love having a real fridge not dorm sized. You can keep bottled water, medicines, ice packs for humans and horses, popsicles, lunch, carrots, apples and flax seed cold and safe from critters.
I prefer tack and feed room separate. Even with a barn cat, we get the occasional mouse in the barn. The tack room door tends to stay open for longer periods than the feed room. I would not want grain in there to attract mice.
I have a concrete floor and insulated walls and ceiling covered with drywall. Happy with all. I heat it with an electric oil-filled radiator.
