# What's a little better than a dirt floor, and really cheap? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 11, 2019, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-little-better-than-a-dirt-floor-and-really-cheap/832373 "2019-04-11T01:49:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2019, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-little-better-than-a-dirt-floor-and-really-cheap/832373/1 "2019-04-11T01:49:54Z")
I have a pole barn with a dirt floor, and I want to improve the cleanliness of the space and reduce humidity. Concrete would be fantastic, but pretty pricy, too. What are some halfway measures? I’ve been thinking of gravel, maybe with stall mats on top of it. Or perhaps a plastic tarp to block moisture, then plywood right on top of it. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2019, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-little-better-than-a-dirt-floor-and-really-cheap/832373/2 "2019-04-11T01:57:58Z")
Gravel with stall mats makes a good floor if the drainage is good. You’ll need fines on the top (granite dust, road base rock) and a tamper. It isn’t permanent, things settle and shift, animals burrow etc. but it’s easy to pull up a mat and fix it. The main thing that is going to reduce humidity is really good drainage. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2019, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-little-better-than-a-dirt-floor-and-really-cheap/832373/3 "2019-04-11T02:21:16Z")
I’d think the plastic would _trap_ moisture, not block it. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2019, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-little-better-than-a-dirt-floor-and-really-cheap/832373/4 "2019-04-11T12:50:02Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > I’d think the plastic would _trap_ moisture, not block it. It does. Traps it in the ground. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2019, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-little-better-than-a-dirt-floor-and-really-cheap/832373/5 "2019-04-11T13:02:14Z")
How about [Soil Cement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_cement), also know as Dirtcrete. And at the bottom of the Wiki, check out Rhino Snot. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2019, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-little-better-than-a-dirt-floor-and-really-cheap/832373/6 "2019-04-11T14:11:55Z")
> [@GaryM](#): > > How about [Soil Cement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_cement), also know as Dirtcrete. > > And at the bottom of the Wiki, check out Rhino Snot. Check with local construction companies and/or their suppliers. There are a variety of mixtures you can use that compact well and form a hard and durable but imperfect surface. But to stop the moisture you’ll need something solid or a vapor barrier like plastic. I’m not sure you can beat the cost of concrete over time, although compacted mixtures will make a good base for pouring concrete in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-little-better-than-a-dirt-floor-and-really-cheap/832373/7 "2019-04-12T06:45:30Z")
> [@Napier](#): > > I have a pole barn with a dirt floor, and I want to improve the cleanliness of the space and reduce humidity. Concrete would be fantastic, but pretty pricy, too. What are some halfway measures? > > I’ve been thinking of gravel, maybe with stall mats on top of it. Or perhaps a plastic tarp to block moisture, then plywood right on top of it. Note that concrete isn’t waterproof either: if you want to exclude moisture, you have to put a waterproof layer under the concrete. I don’t know if it’s any cheaper, but a properly compacted surface made with gravel, sand and water (fines) wears better than dirt. Another possibility would be would be to lay wood directly on the floor: it doesn’t last forever, but it’s nicer than dirt. Or just wood chips or straw, and muck out as necessary. I wouldn’t go with a fibre-dirt floor – it’s a lot of work and difficult to get right. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-little-better-than-a-dirt-floor-and-really-cheap/832373/8 "2019-04-12T11:43:47Z")
I wonder about the vapor barrier. Sheet polyethylene is very cheap but not so strong. Pond liner is tougher and more nearly designed to block moisture in dirt. Are there special barriers? Do I have to spread sand or geotextile or something above and below it to avoid puncturing it with gravel? I think I like gravel with a barrier under it. I don’t need the surface to be very fine – in fact it would be nice if I could use a leaf blower on it without picking up the gravel. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-little-better-than-a-dirt-floor-and-really-cheap/832373/9 "2019-04-12T11:54:14Z")
You can always apply cow dung, as they do in India and parts of Africa. Really. Apparently it has many advantages, including being a disinfectant. (Reallly, again.) > **[Why Gobar (Cow Dung) Is Applied On Walls And Floors Of India](https://www.speakingtree.in/allslides/why-gobar-cow-dung-is-applied-on-walls-and-floors-of-india)** > > Here are some customs which are followed in India from ancient time and people are following them because their ancestors asked them to do so. It may sound disgusting to many but people in Indian villages implant cow-dung in their homes > **[Who uses sh\*t to build a house?](https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/who-uses-sht-to-build-a-house/)** > > This poop-tastic dwellings might make you rethink your dream home. > **[COW-DUNG FLOORS AND PLAGUE PREVENTION.](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(00)52624-5/fulltext)** > **[Why is cow dung used to clean house floors?](https://www.quora.com/Why-is-cow-dung-used-to-clean-house-floors)** > > Answer (1 of 2): As I have said earlier on a similar querry, cow dung consists of millions of bacteria that are harmless to human beings. Their sheer number is a good ammunition against any harmful bacteria that may enter the home vide air or... ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-little-better-than-a-dirt-floor-and-really-cheap/832373/10 "2019-04-12T12:40:42Z")
The wood 1 1/2"X16" floor in the drivein section next to the milkhouse in my 100yo barn still exists. It’s been open to the elements (no garage door) at least the past 25 years. Good place to do my car oil changes – no pan needed. Edges have curled a little but really not much. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-little-better-than-a-dirt-floor-and-really-cheap/832373/11 "2019-04-12T13:53:48Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > You can always apply cow dung, as they do in India and parts of Africa. I was going to enquire if the OP had access to any bullshit… 😃 It really is a good flooring. But it takes experience to apply it, I gather. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-little-better-than-a-dirt-floor-and-really-cheap/832373/12 "2019-04-12T14:17:07Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > I was going to enquire if the OP had access to any bullshit… 😃 > > It really is a good flooring. But it takes experience to apply it, I gather. Well, you can’t just slap just any old shit around and expect to get good results. ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-little-better-than-a-dirt-floor-and-really-cheap/832373/13 "2019-04-12T14:42:35Z")
> [@PoppaSan](#): > > The wood 1 1/2"X16" floor in the drivein section next to the milkhouse in my 100yo barn still exists. It’s been open to the elements (no garage door) at least the past 25 years. Good place to do my car oil changes – no pan needed. Edges have curled a little but really not much. YMMV according to wood species and local climate. ---
**Author:** ![Stana\_Claus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stana_claus/32/13874_2.png) [@Stana\_Claus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stana_Claus)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-little-better-than-a-dirt-floor-and-really-cheap/832373/14 "2019-04-12T15:19:16Z")
What are you using the pole barn for? Since you mentioned stalls, is it safe to assume horses are involved? Once upon a time (pre-divorce) I had a barn full of horses and had uneven, poorly draining footing in the stalls. To fix that problem, I put in enough finely crushed limestone to level everything up and then put down rubber stall mats. We would then bed the stalls with coarse sawdust from a local lumber mill or bagged shavings. The hay stall had the floor covered with a tarp then the hay bales stacked on wooden pallets. The feed/tack room had a wooden floor. To keep the dust down, the center alleyway had a layer of the coarse sawdust spread out and raked periodically. That worked pretty well for us for the 15 or so years we lived there. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-little-better-than-a-dirt-floor-and-really-cheap/832373/15 "2019-04-12T15:40:42Z")
Depending on cost where you live, rather than normal gravel go with red-stone/red-dog [![](https://i.pinimg.com/236x/20/3f/fa/203ffa69ec3f7bef4606fb3418aeb451--concrete-edging-chips.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/236x/20/3f/fa/203ffa69ec3f7bef4606fb3418aeb451--concrete-edging-chips.jpg) or reclaimed crushed brick gravel [![](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/CF709H/natural-texture-red-broken-rock-gravel-arizona-CF709H.jpg) ](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/CF709H/natural-texture-red-broken-rock-gravel-arizona-CF709H.jpg) (not the best images but my Google-fu is weak today) We always had much better results with it than the usual gravel but we’re also close to cheap surface mines of the natural stuff and the cost is dirt (sorry) cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2019, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-little-better-than-a-dirt-floor-and-really-cheap/832373/16 "2019-04-12T15:48:03Z")
Depends on what you’re using the pole barn for, but my dad lined the crawl space of his house with discarded billboard plastic. He had a friend who gave them to him for free, but you might call some advertising companies to see if they’ll sell you some cheap. It’s a really thick plastic and is nicer than dirt, at least. Might be an option if you’re looking for a very cheap option.