Asked by Rene from Alberta Canada
What floor would fit an old barn? I would like to stay a way from concrete but would also still have a useable floor.
Would 3×12 roughcut shiplap douglas fir in lengths varying from 14′ to 18′ be something to look at?
How did they do that in the old days? Were the boards just laid in a compacted bed of sand (like pavement stones)?
Thanks for any input!
René
Thanks for your question Rene!
The 3×12 douglass fir should be a very strong barn floor. It is important to support that floor with adequete joists.
Traditionaly barn floors are made using large half round or 3/4 round log joists spaced roughly 24 to 30 inches on center. The floor itself would be made from 2 or more layers of 1 inch thick hardwood laid in opposite directions of each other. Kinda like a really big sheat of plywood.
I would not recomend placing your wood barn floor material on sand, it will hold dampness and rot very quickly.