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UPDATED AGAIN! Asphalt Millings

Update post 41

My dirt work guy says that the locally available screenings aren’t an ideal choice for my barn pad. This is the third local professional that has told me this. I am in the panhandle of FL. Despite COTH wisdom saying otherwise I’m cautious of of disregarding theses guys’ opinions.

The contractor I like the most suggested asphalt millings when I explained that I wanted the horses to be able to walk comfortably in it. He states it mostly fines. He says overtime they will pack up hard, almost like the road.

Any experiences with asphalt millings?

My farrier prefers the millings for horse feet. However, what do you mean by barn pad? I would think that the millings might not be the best choice to build a barn on top of, if that’s what you mean.

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That will be VERY abrasive. Maybe that’s okay for your horses and their feet, but consider what happens if they lie down to rest or roll. Also consider the potential for toxins to leach, or be ingested.

I have millings under the mats in my barn, which was a mistake. I thought it would be a good idea because a boarding barn I’d been at used millings in the run in, and that worked well. But I’d be hesitant to use them like that in an area exposed to weather, or where horses are fed, or as the major footing in any area.

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As in millings spread on top of the clay pad. I am having a hard time getting this project done!

They do great on the driveway, but I’m not sure I’d want a pen made out of them.

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Hmm hmm. So not a glowing recommendation at all. It would be for the stalls and the center aisle so not exposed to much weather.

This project has been the most frustrating part of setting up this property so far

Yeah my google shows a lot of use for driveways etc.

I’m over this project already lol

I’d say absolutely no to the stalls, with or without mats. Too abrasive without mats, and just awful trying to install mats on top. You really want screenings there.

Millings could be fine in the aisle? Might be a nice choice there. Still as hassle to install mats on top, if you think you’re going to go that way in the future.

I think I’d rather have the same surface through out. Maybe.

I start getting the screenings aren’t a good choice line from the contractors when I mention I want something that will pack hard. Either my idea of pack hard and their idea of pack hard is way different or the local product doesn’t actually pack hard.

Maybe this a sign I should pony up the dollars for straight concrete

I love asphalt milling for driveways or equipment pads but I agree on them being lumpy/abrasive for a horse area.

I did get my barn pad (stalls,awning, main barn) done with lime fines and I love it! Super affordable in my area and it packs down like concrete. My mats sit perfect on it in my stalls with no shifting. We cans drive the truck and trailer through the barn and it barely leaves tracks!

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I’m in the Florida panhandle. I did not need anything but dirt for my pad in order to build. I was told not to do anything else until the building was finished due to having large equipment all over the property during construction.

Once the barn was up the dirt guy came back to get my run out done with limestone screenings. I ordered an extra truckload so I could put them under the stall mats & fill in the run as needed.

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I’m near Pensacola so I probably don’t need anything but clay either. Certainly clay or concrete is what we see locally. The barn builder suggested having the screenings put down first. But my barn is a glorified carport so maybe that’s why

Why don’t these contractors like the screenings??? It’s driving me nuts lol

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Have your contractors done horse barns? If they’ve used millings somewhere, can you go see that? Can you go see where these local screenings haven’t packed well?

Maybe it’s possible that millings could be milled enough to pretty much turn into “screenings” and that might be okay, but geez, that’s a tough leap of faith.

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I’m awaiting on a response regarding screenings that didn’t pack that I can see.

Yes, but only barns with concrete or clay.

Maybe this screenings issue is why we only have concrete or clay here lol

I’ve been directed to a driveway done in asphalt millings.

Definitely a leap of faith. I’d far prefer some sort of material that other horse people recommend but I don’t like discounting opinions of the folks working with these materials for a living either!

Ehhhhhhh, if they haven’t done a BARN in millings, don’t be the first one. Someone else gets to be a guinea pig.

Can you call the quarry and talk to them about what you need? They might give you a different perspective on the screenings.

I can tell you that the blue stone dust screenings here in CT don’t pack as well as the lime screenings in the Midwest (location does matter!) but unless the quarry is producing some sort of rounded product, it’s gotta pack in some manner.

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I was the first person to ask my dirt guy for screenings around here. He had to do some research. I think most people just tend to go with clay.

It’s not close to you but there is a place in Andalusia, AL that should sell screenings. I don’t know if that’s where mine came from but it was about $1000 a truckload. At one time he mentioned that they might come from Birmingham.

There should be a decent amount of barns in the Milton area if you want to see what other people have done. Most of what I’ve seen are dirt aisle ways or matted concrete at a more high end place.

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Hmmm hmmmm. I’m not keen on being the guinea pig either.

What we have here is limestone. Maybe it has sand in it though or something. Seems like sand gets in everything else around here.

My horse is boarded in Milton. Garçon Point area as it was convenient to our previous home in Gulf Breeze. It’s all concrete or red clay in every barn I’ve visited here. I’ve not seen mats in any of the local barn aisles. I’ve not been in every barn for sure, but a goodly number of them. There is that newer dressage facility and I haven’t seen her place in person

I was told about $1000 dollars per load for screenings as well. I’m not sure where they come from. Seems like Andalusia would be a long ways to haul them! There are some tractor implements for sale there that my hubs wants to go see so maybe I can go see the screenings lol

It’s good to know that my contacts aren’t the only ones unfamiliar with screenings.

Any chance you can verify where yours came from? Or if it had any other descriptors beyond screenings?

I appreciate you sharing!