Friday, March 12, 2010

How to build horse stalls on a budget

In these tough economic times, trying to build horse stalls can seem like a project beyond your budget, but it really doesn't have to be.
One of the major costs is lumber. Many people believe you must use a hardwood like oak to build your horse stalls, but in reality you can use a yellow pine or ponderosa pine with excellent results. We do not suggest a white pine as it is too soft for building horse stalls.
Tongue and groove boards are the best as they interlock together and are much stronger than dimensional cut 2 x 4 or 2 x 6. Using dimensional cut lumber, the boards will bow and gap as the wood shrinks and swells with the humidy in the barn.
The only boards that should be treated lumber are the bottom board of the stall. This is the area that will be subjected to urine and manure and the treated boards will help delay wood rot. The rest of the boards should NOT be treated lumber so the horse can not ingest the treating chemicals if they crib or chew on the wood. This can save you money as the cost of untreated boards are much less than treated boards.
Need help planning your horse stall project? Talk to the experts at http://www.countrymanufacturing.com/ They have many years of experience in horse stall building and can help you decide what products you will need to stay within your budget.

No comments: