# Goat House Floor



## Capegoat (Feb 3, 2014)

Hi Everyone,

We need to have a wooden floor for the goat house we are building (for 2 Nigerian Dwarf/Fainter cross wethers). I know dirt floors are supposed to be easier to deal with, but because of our location, etc. we can't do a dirt floor. We've already made that decision!

SO, since we need a wooden floor, do we need to coat it with anything, or is it better to leave it bare? I don't want to coat it with something that would make it slippery for the goats, or be dangerous for them. 

We are also planning on keeping a good layer of bedding down to help absorb some of the liquid. We will be able to keep on top of the cleaning in there in general.

We were thinking of having one layer of plywood, a thicker layer, then covering that with a square of thinner plywood that we can remove every few years and replace. It is going to be a fairly small barn so it wouldn't be a big deal to have this upper layer replaced every 5 years or so, or when it starts to get "funny." 

:think:I'd love to hear from anyone who has wooden floors in their barn! What do you do as far as maintenance? Do you coat it with anything?

Thanks for any info!


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## crzybowhntr (Oct 18, 2013)

I am geting ready to re-purpose an old stock trailer into a buck barn. It currently has 1 1/2" rough cut white oak as the floor and has small spaces between the boards. I feel the spacing will allow for body fluids, and errand water to flow out. I probably would not make the floor a solid one for that reason.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

I don't have wooden floors but I think the only ones I've seen photos of are like slatted? Like a deck? Planks with very small spaces between. I imagine the space would get plugged with hay or shavings and eventually urine would not be able to get through until the next clean out - but you could hose the floor down in that kind of set-up (depending on how your drainage under the building is)... I'm thinking the composite decking material they make would be non-slip and VERY long lasting (it's partially made of concrete, some type of binding agent, and wood products) and would not get saturated as it is sealed but could be insanely expensive.

I've also heard of people coating wood surfaces with paint or sealer that they mixed sand in to to give it a rough, non-skid type surface.

Just some ideas - hopefully others have some insight for you!


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## giddysmom (Mar 12, 2014)

We have wooden raised floors in the goats sleeping area (we live near a river so incase of tidal flooding). I find some drainage holes plus a good thick layer of shavings under straw works pretty well if changed out weekly


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## giddysmom (Mar 12, 2014)

Btw, we have had the same floor in there for 4+ years and it is just plain old wood and still going strong. So if you sealed it I bet it would be even better!


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

I have wooden pallet floors in our goat shelter. I personally like it b/c it lets things drain. the poop falls through the spacing in the slats, which can create build-up underneath (which is annoying), but I don't find it smells much. just throw down lots of ag lime underneath to pick up the extra smells. when it's hot, I like to sweep it around almost daily so they get the dry wood to lay on (not as hot), but it works with deep litter as well.

hope that makes sense.....


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