Anybody have experience with concrete coatings for a barn aisle? I have a 250 ft concrete aisle. I had planned to use mats, but my farrier mentioned coatings. Pavers are out. The only threads that have come up with a search are tucked in discussions of mats vs pavers and are dated. I’m a little commitment phobic, so the thought of a permanent coating makes me a little nervous. I’d love to hear your experiences.
I always thought it would be a great idea but I have never seen it done. They even sell coating with sand in it to make it extra grippy. I hate mats and that would certainly eliminate them. Maybe the cost is high?
nothing in construction is permanent, some may be longer lasting but still can be remove (may require a larger bulldozer)
A concrete grinder can be used to remove sealers/paints from a concrete surface
What are you wanting this rubberized coating to do… is it for a nonslip surface or a cushioned surface?
Ohh kinda like the spray-on or paint-on line-x type stuff? I know they sell that at Home Depot (and etc) but the only experience I’ve seen with it is my Dad’s porch steps, and it’s coming off. Granted it may not have been property prepped or installed, because he bought the house a year ago and the whole porch was painted with the grippy stuff on the stairs, and it is all coming off in big swatches, so it looks like they slapped it on to sell.
I would be curious to hear more if anyone has anything to say.
YES!! Thank you. I guess it’s used in barn aisles and wash stalls too. Wondering how practical it is.
That WERM flooring looks very interesting.
Wish they would say more in their web site.
Look at this third option, polylast, seamless coating, that is being sold to vet clinics, etc:
http://equinesystems.com/products/rubber-flooring/
If you are interested, you could ask where to go for references that is using it, so you can find out more about it, from the horse’s mouth.
I have polylast and I like everything about it except you pretty much have to wash it down, it is so grippy you can’t sweep it effectively.
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Many years ago in a previous house, we used a rubberized coating - designed to cover concrete swimming pool decks - on a set of wooden steps so that our large, elderly dog could safely navigate them. It worked fine for that purpose and held up to dogs and humans, but I don’t know if such a product would handle livestock traffic in a barn, or whether something like it is still on the market.
The one we used (don’t recall the name, as it’s been forever and a day) had small but visible pieces of rubber chips or shards in it, and it was painted on.
I would research this very carefully. I haven’t looked into what is new on the market. But I wouldn’t try any new product that hasn’t gone through the test of time when used in a large scale with a fair amount of horse traffic. With a lot of verifiable reviews. I have seen the rubber coating used in a 14 X 14 wash and it worked well. But I don’t consider that a lot of traffic. Only know of one barn that used it 10-15 years ago. It delaminated in places and continued to. The “guarantee” is pretty much the same that comes with 20 year caulk. If it fails they will replace the tube of caulk. But not pay for the labor to get rid of the failed caulk and re-caulk.
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I wonder if that was the concrete floor thick paint we used on our tack room floor, that has little plastic colorful speckles all thru it?
They sell that for fancy garage floors and many are now also using that in houses with concrete floors in place of staining the concrete.
That paint is holding great to foot traffic, not sure how it would to hooves, especially shod ones.
Coatings rely heavily on a very well laid and prepared surface to adhere. The only “coating” that would compare to rubber mats (in terms of horse welfare) would be a rubberized pour on, to about a 1" depth. Much more expensive than mats.
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The only barn I could find in the area has some delamination issues, likely due to improper instillation. Too much of a gamble for me given the cost. We will stick with mats for now.
Tryron Equine Clinic in Tryon, NC (where WEG was held) has 2 different densities of a coating in their facility. They use them to jog a lame horse for diagnostic purposes. It is a newer facility so I am sure they would be happy to give you the info. Give them a call to discuss. 828-894-6065
A 250 foot aisle (10’ wide?) would be a pretty big expense with most of the products discussed. In our wash rack and vet/farrier area we have a fairly aggressive “roughing” of the surface. The traction is excellent and we’ve never had a slip or fall in the 23 years the barn has been there and we’ve had a few fractious horses over that time! It cleans easily with either a heavy bristle broom or just a water washdown. If it gets heavily dirty we can pressure wash it. It has held up well. Would having your present surface “roughened” be a viable alternative?
G.
