Blacktop barn floor?

[cold1313]

Anyone use blacktop for a post frame floor?

I'm finishing up my budget for my new building and a friend of mine has blacktop in his hay barn. Not as "pretty" as concrete but cheaper I'm sure. Thoughts?

 

[crashz]

For a hay barn, that might not be bad, but for a shop, I'm not sure you would want it. Even cured, it remains soft and flexible. So heavy things with sharp, small feet/wheels will indent. I'm think heavy cabinets, floor jacks, etc. Not as clean either. Until the top layer of asphalt is worn away, you'll get some sticky residue on things that touch the ground.

 

[Roadworthy]

It could work for a barn, depending on what you do in the barn. I have asphalt in my carport. It keeps the dust down. I put a board down when I jack the car, though. You don't want to spill oil or fuel on the stuff ever. It's better than gravel or dirt but not as good as concrete. Would I do it again knowing the shortcomings? Yep. It serves my purpose, it's just not the best.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I know someone who did it and said NEVER again.

When he wanted to jack something up he always had to put a support under the jack and when his tractor leaked a little gas, it softened the paving and made a mess.

He absolutely said it was a poor choice for his barn that he parked tractors in.

SR

 

[TractorGuy]

I talked to a guy that sells it and he didn't recommend it for that purpose. When I went to the yard that has different materials I saw a section with crushed red brick I figured it would look pretty good in my barn red building so I bought that. Unfortunately they only had 15 tons so I wasn't able to level the whole surface with it but it still looks pretty good. Building is scheduled to be put up next Thursday.

 

[k0ua]

Asphalt would be the very last thing I would want for my barn floor. And that includes gravel and dirt. For the reasons already stated by others. Concrete, gravel, dirt, asphalt, in that order.

 

[kthompson]

Asphalt is suppose to be a good choice in haybarn as it does not have condensation as does concrete. That is why you see it in haybarn.

 

[4570Man]

I’d just gravel it until you have the budget to finish it. I think you’ll find asphalt isn’t much cheaper anyway.

 

[RoyKing]

Crushed concrete that has been cleaned and sized,

 

[TractorGuy]

Crushed concrete that has been cleaned and sized,

I considered this but it would be dusty. We used it on our road and it's held up well. Not as dusty as washout but still dusty when dry.

 

[EddieWalker]

I've seen it in some older barns and it's never flat. There are rolls to it. I have no idea how it was applied, or if the ground was prepped, or what quality of asphalt was used. I thought it was better then dirt, and maybe better then gravel, but nothing close to what concrete is. I am curious how much cheaper it is?

 

[Doofy]

There are possibly some asphalt sealers that could solve some problems. If the base is good and the asphalt is properly compacted I'd go for it, if the price was right.

 

[fried1765]

Anyone use blacktop for a post frame floor?

I'm finishing up my budget for my new building and a friend of mine has blacktop in his hay barn. Not as "pretty" as concrete but cheaper I'm sure. Thoughts?

It is a BAD idea!
Don't even think about it.
Doing nothing would be better.....and cheaper yet!
Concrete...or nothing!

 

[Peter 315]

I have dense grade road base in my barn now but its dusty because the way the exhaust blows down I will put down concrete in a few years working on the house now to many project not enough time........ I think we pay 60.00 a ton for hot mix at work the price changes ever year and can be 10.00 bucks different from plant to plant per ton...

 

[Hay Dude]

It is a BAD idea!
Don't even think about it.
Doing nothing would be better.....and cheaper yet!
Concrete...or nothing!

Blacktop is the best HAY barn floor. No floor moisture will wick up through it because its oil based.
Concrete can wick up moisture.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Blacktop is the best HAY barn floor. No floor moisture will wick up through it because its oil based.
Concrete can wick up moisture.

Thing is, we have never had a problem with concrete doing that...

SR

 

[EddieWalker]

Blacktop is the best HAY barn floor. No floor moisture will wick up through it because its oil based.
Concrete can wick up moisture.

Does the oil leach into the hay?

Eventually I'll get around to building my hay barn and I'm leaning towards a gravel base. I never thought of asphalt.

 

[lowandslow1]

I have a polished dirt floor. After years of walking around with a little bit of moisture it is a smooth dirt floor. (notice I didn't say even). I even sweep it now and then. I we had hay up on a tongue and groove wood floor. Split my tractor on the dirt floor. Jacks and supports right on top of the "dirt". What little oil leaked wicked into the "dirt". But my choice would be concrete.

 

[Hay Dude]

Does the oil leach into the hay?

Eventually I'll get around to building my hay barn and I'm leaning towards a gravel base. I never thought of asphalt.

No not at all. All the big hay barns up here are paved inside. Not as smooth as concrete, but waterproof and much cheaper.
If the floor is prepped correctly, it works great as is the case with all surfaces.

 

[Hay Dude]

Thing is, we have never had a problem with concrete doing that...

SR

For sure. Sometimes it works out, but once you get floor wetness through concrete, sometimes it takes a lot of work to get rid of it.
I’d have to be making shopping bags of money to prep and pour concrete properly in the barns I use.