I board at a barn that has rubber mats the length of the 18 foot wide aisle that are riveted(?) or screwed(?) to the concrete floor below. They are solid, easy to clean, non-slip, perfectly fitted and look terrific. I’d do this in a heartbeat! So much cheaper than rubber pavers and real brick. Here in the PNW, where wet is an issue so many months of the year, non-slip surfaces are a must. Rubber mats are replaceable, affordable for a huge job like this big boarding barn (that’s 200 plus feet of barn aisle, plus arena entrance, and grooming/wash stalls too.)
My own barn has smooth concrete floors-- they were there when we bought it. I chose rolled rubber mats (8 feet wide, 1/2 inch thick) to do the length of the barn-- big door to back wall. They stay in place and again, are affordable. I guess if money isn’t an issue, then brick or pavers that need site work (base and sand) and professional installation with machinery is perfectly fine, too.
