Which lumber do you prefer for stall walls?

[Nlevie]

Yeah BUT, we planted trees for the horses and fenced around them and they do NOT stand in the shade !!! So don’t worry too much about that. . .

[justdandy]

@Romany;5178019

Just putting together the contracts for building a new 6-stall barn, and thinking about which lumber to use for the stall walls.

The wall boards will be 2xsomething, probably 2x10 or 2x12, 12’ long. They’ll sit in a metal channel so we can pop them out to double the size of the stalls if necessary.

Previously we used green hemlock, but as it dried it bent slightly - no biggie - but it also splintered, so there were jaggy bits sticking out in the stalls - BIG biggie.

So - what other woods suit? We can get spruce, ash, oak, hemlock, pines, poplar, milled locally to any dimension we want.

I’d love to know the pros and cons, and what people’s experiences have been.

We also have a MOUNTAIN of 100yo barn board, having just had to demolish the old barns which is probably pine, and there are enough boards in good enough condition to use - thoughts?

TIA!

We used rough cut oak with the metal channels you’re talking about. We braced the walls with 16’ 2x4’s on each side of the center of each wall - screwed into the trusses and several screws going down the wall. The barn’s been up for 9 years and the boards haven’t warped yet.

[tasia]

[QUOTE=Nlevie;5180152]
Yeah BUT, we planted trees for the horses and fenced around them and they do NOT stand in the shade !!! So don’t worry too much about that. . .[/QUOTE]

:lol: I know. Most of mine are on night turnout in the summer, but every time I walk down to the barn and the heat index is 105, I plan where the next tree is going. I can’t put too many in the pastures, we cut hay, but outside the fenceline is going to be tree lined:yes:

[Romany]

Tasia = brilliance!

Tasia, you’re a genius!

Instead of fiddlefartin around with the contractors, the mud, the snow, the ice, and encroaching superstorm, I’m going to move to FL and stay with you: you don’t mind, do you? :yes:

I’ve been trying to explain to architect, engineer, contractors, etc, for AGES your system, which I knew could be figured out - thanks for all the photos and the explanation!

Just thinking, maybe instead of me moving to your place, you could just send your contractor up here?

[tasia]

[QUOTE=Romany;5181134]
Tasia, you’re a genius!

Instead of fiddlefartin around with the contractors, the mud, the snow, the ice, and encroaching superstorm, I’m going to move to FL and stay with you: you don’t mind, do you? :yes:

I’ve been trying to explain to architect, engineer, contractors, etc, for AGES your system, which I knew could be figured out - thanks for all the photos and the explanation!

Just thinking, maybe instead of me moving to your place, you could just send your contractor up here? [/QUOTE]

Sure, come on down:lol: Please bring some rain. My barn builder is the genius. He suggested the sliding wall instead of having to remove boards. Check out the center aisle pics too. The rubber mats worked out really well:yes:

[camohn]

we have yellow pine tongue and groove for the stall fronts and rough hewn oak for the other 3 walls.

[Romany]

For those of you who have 10" or 12" x 2" x 12’ boards, T&G or straight-edged, how heavy are they? My husband is getting the heebiegeebies about hefting them all out…and back in again.

I could go to the lumber store and practice, but COTHers are nicer.