Vinyl sheet flooring over stall mats in stall. No! or YES!

[EyesForward]

Hello,
I have been doing what seems like an extensive amount of time reading about stall mattress systems or EVA mats and their reviews.
For a more affordable option…Is there any reason to not use EVA mats and then use 12x12 sheet of vinyl flooring as the top cover securing that to stall wall using screws and 4" Rubber/orPlastic garden edging? Materials and Shipping costs are through the roof theses days trying to be resourceful and practical, but do want it to last and keep the urine from seeping in between mats… Thanks for any responses or other ideas. Or simply tell me that the money is worth it in the end to buy a mattress system. ( am leaning toward Soft Stall as Comfort Stall seems TOO squishy).
Stall base is concrete.

Also wondered from those using EVA interlocking stall mats… does urine seep underneath via the interlocking seams or is it so tight that the shavings or pellets keep it from seeping.? thus no need for a seamless top cover?

[QHEventer]

My first thought is that vinyl flooring would be really slippery, especially when topped with shavings!

I also have concrete floors topped with mats (not interlocking) and I never notice an ammonia smell in my barn. I bed deeply and my horses are out far more than they are in, however. I also pull the mats and power wash the floors 2x/year.

[Simkie]

Why would you want to do that?

The slip factor would be high, horses will shred vinyl flooring quickly. Why spend the money, time & effort?

[EyesForward]

I am thinking that with the evolution of patterns/quality of vinyl with a textured imprint, it would be consistent with rubber flooring… thus same slip factor as rubber mats. What do the mattress companies’ top cover have to make it not slippery?
Why wouldn’t vinyl hold up as well as mats if it’s on EVA mats on a flat concrete foundation?

[Simkie]

@EyesForward

Why wouldn’t vinyl hold up as well as mats if it’s on EVA mats on a flat concrete foundation?

Because they’re totally different materials? 3/4 inch of rubber doesn’t come close to less than a mm of vinyl.

I have vinyl floor in my chicken coop. A hen decided she wanted to lay in the corner instead of a nesting box. She scratched through the vinyl.

If a four pound hen can get through it, a 1200 horse will shred it like paper.

The stall skins are heavy duty geotextile. You could use something like that, but I still don’t see the point to putting anything over rubber mats.

[NaturallyHappy]

We use interlocking mats and do not have a problem w urine soaking through. We bed deeply, though. I don’t want a horse slipping on a rubber mat. I believe there is the thought out there that rubber mats save on the amount of bedding used. I disagree…I think it takes more.

[Zu_Zu]

NO !

[2DogsFarm]

Even if you go for the industrial vinyl flooring used in commercial kitchens, garages, etc. This:

10’ width will run you $20+/linear foot.
Pricier than a standard stall mat.
And not intended for 1000# of horse.

I’d worry about it getting slippery under shavings, pellets or any other bedding.
And it sure as heck won’t drain unless you install a drain.
That could compromise the flooring too.

I have no mats, stalls are floored with compacted screenings & have been for 15+yrs.
No ammonia smell, even though I bed with shavings using a deep litter method < stalls do not get stripped, top layer is taken out, new bedding added.
Same when I used pelleted bedding.

[poltroon]

In addition to not being purpose built for horses, I also wonder if you’ve priced vinyl flooring compared to stall mats or geotextile; I don’t think in the end it would save money even if it wasn’t too slippery and even if it would hold up. Urine will get between the gaps but if the stall is properly bedded I don’t think you’ll have a problem with smell.

[walktrot]

The reason the vinyl in my house looks good is because I am one person with 2 cats. I wear shoes made out of leather and/or plastic. Cats are barefoot. The horse has fronts. The vinyl is installed over plywood which is probably why it wears reasonably well. The barn we moved to a year ago has the pillow-style mats. They are worn out and are being replaced with regular rubber mats. The barn was built in 2006.

[Obsidian_Fire]

I have had concrete floored stalls, with mats over, I just bedded deeper and kept them clean. Did not have any problems, but horses went out daily too.

[EyesForward]

Thank you all who has offered opinions. Greatly appreciate your input. Seems vinyl is not an option as a top cover.
Does anyone have interlocking EVA mats? with a average bedding… are they stable (not slippery) and keep the urine OUT from seeping underneath the mats?

[sascha]

Proper amount of bedding (deep) is the only thing other than specific mat cover$ that is going to keep all urine out from under mats. And, if you’re not going to bed deeply enough to prevent urine from pooling/saturating bedding are you really ok with your horse standing and lying in urine?

[trubandloki]

I will add to the vinyl flooring no. I too have vinyl flooring in the inside part of my chicken coop. We bed deeply (fine shavings) in that part of the coop, but some how the girls have scratched enough that the top layer of the vinyl flooring is peeling.

[EyesForward]

hi Sascha,
I would always use bedding just not have to bed deep save a little cost of shavings and the waste removal… Just thought using EVA Mats or a thin mattress system like what Soft Stall or Stable Comfort offers would be a good choice I think the Comfort Stall mattress is too soft/unstable. and Equimats look like an amazing option but with shipping from Canada to SoCal would likely reach 4k per 12x12 stall… waaaaay out of my price range. The idea is to help my older boys 26yrs/21yrs enjoy their retirement a little better.