Gravel and slab floors in North Florida

Gravel and slab floors in North Florida: what to know

The first row of bales is where hay gets lost, because it sits closest to ground moisture. A hay barn floor is usually a raised pad of compacted base material, crowned so water runs out from under the stack instead of into it. Concrete costs more, but it sweeps clean, stands up to loader traffic and lets the barn hold equipment in the off season. Whichever you choose, grade the area around the barn so roof runoff flows away, and let the engineer set the column footings to suit that floor.