# Tutorial : How to make a wooden slate floor by Shadybug Lofts



## Shadybug Lofts

Materials 

1"x 2" wood slats
5/8 wood dowels
Drill press
5/8 boring drill bit 
brad nailer
1"brads
1 1/4" brads
Wood Glue
chop saw 
First set your drill press up by screwing two boards on each side like this










Make a template of your slat the size will vary accordingly










Use the template to mark all your slats


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## Shadybug Lofts

Drill the holes 2 slats at a time










Put the first slat on the dowels and nail with the 1" brads










Then start sliding them over the dowels and put spacers in and nail


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## Shadybug Lofts

When you get this far










Put wood glue on the ends and nail a slat across them


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## Shadybug Lofts

Finished floor


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## Shadybug Lofts

My floors are done and I will stain them tomorrow. It took me approximately 8 hours and the cost was about 13.00 each.


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## Matt Bell

That is awesome looking. Any idea on the weight limit?


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## Shadybug Lofts

The closer you put the slats and dowels the stronger. The dowels are 7" apart on this one and 3/4" between the slats my old loft floor is 1 1/4" between the slats and it holds me up 196 lbs and it is 6' long by 3' wide. These are 4' x 30" I would not be afraid to put 400 lbs on these.


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## Jay3

Wow! Great job! Looks nice.


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## Matt Bell

Shadybug Lofts said:


> The closer you put the slats and dowels the stronger. The dowels are 7" apart on this one and 3/4" between the slats my old loft floor is 1 1/4" between the slats and it holds me up 196 lbs and it is 6' long by 3' wide. These are 4' x 30" I would not be afraid to put 400 lbs on these.


Thats what I was wanting to hear, I am pushing 260 now so its gotta support my lard butt, lol.


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## Bluecheckard

wow I have been wanting to build one like this before. but not really sure where to start. thanks for sharing this idea shadybug.


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## sreeshs

Excellent, thanks a lot


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## Nictorious Ali

Wow! That looks great! Nice work


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## rapid fire

Nice. What do you use to scrape them? Seems like a scrape would gouge the wood.


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## Shadybug Lofts

I use a 12" drywall knife a couple times across and your done. Keep it kinda flat and it slides right across.


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## Shadybug Lofts

Stained and ready to lay in place when i finish the place for them to lay. LOL


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## Wingsonfire

Dang nice job on the slatted floor


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## Matt Bell

Can I just hire you to build my loft?


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## Shadybug Lofts

Matt Bell said:


> Can I just hire you to build my loft?


na it would cost to much because i take to long.


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## Wingsonfire

I hear U!!! A few people asked me how much I would charge to build them one and I said you cant afford me


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## Shadybug Lofts

People dont realize that with a couple simple tools they could build a great loft. A chop saw is a must every board will be cut square every time and any other angel is there at your fingertips. A table saw and skill saw for the log cuts. If everything is square when you cut it when you put everything together it will be square. In theory. Ok that's your carpentry lesson for today. LOL


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## tony_333

ShadyBug,
Are you laying these flat on the floor or are you elevating them a bit?


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## Shadybug Lofts

They are 5" from the floor and only supported around the outside. The poop dries on then and when the birds walk on then it comes off and goes under.you dont have to scrape them every time you clean the loft. They work really well. I scrape them while there down then lift them up and clean under them and you done.


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## JaxRacingLofts

Cool tutorial thank you for posting Shadybug Lofts. I like the idea of staining the wood when finished. That makes all the difference in how long they will last. I tried a plywood floor in my "mini loft" and when I scrap it it leaves a residue..If I had sealed the wood first I bet I could of kept it looking brand new.


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## Shadybug Lofts

jAxTecH said:


> Cool tutorial thank you for posting Shadybug Lofts. I like the idea of staining the wood when finished. That makes all the difference in how long they will last. I tried a plywood floor in my "mini loft" and when I scrap it it leaves a residue..If I had sealed the wood first I bet I could of kept it looking brand new.



What really works great is what i used on my other loft slatted floor I used treated wood and painted it with orange shellac. I would have used it on these but i cost to much. I got ceder latex stain at walmart 8.00 gal and I'm going to spray the inside of the new loft with it so it all looks uniform.


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## Skyeking

Shadybug Lofts said:


> They are 5" from the floor and only supported around the outside. The poop dries on then and when the birds walk on then it comes off and goes under.you dont have to scrape them every time you clean the loft. They work really well. I scrape them while there down then lift them up and clean under them and you done.


They look really nice!

Do you have any problems with rodents or snakes or other small critters getting inside?


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## Shadybug Lofts

jAxTecH said:


> Cool tutorial thank you for posting Shadybug Lofts. I like the idea of staining the wood when finished. That makes all the difference in how long they will last. I tried a plywood floor in my "mini loft" and when I scrap it it leaves a residue..If I had sealed the wood first I bet I could of kept it looking brand new.


I Took a broom with plastic bristles cut the bristles off so there is only about
3-4" left and a lot of the time i just brush the slatted floor off it comes fairly clean


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## Shadybug Lofts

Trees Gray said:


> They look really nice!
> 
> Do you have any problems with rodents or snakes or other small critters getting inside?



They are inside the loft 5" above a solid floor. I will put a tarp under it to collect the droppings for easy cleaning. When i get the inside finished i will post all the goodies


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## sky tx

I used Metal Grateing for my floor--Shop around for Seconds--it will be about the same price as PlyWood. Mine? they had missed a few welds and was unpainted.


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## chayi

nice job, geting alot of nice ideas thanks to you all...


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## billyr70

Great job, looks awesome...


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## Shadybug Lofts

I will have pics of them installed this week end.


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## hillfamilyloft

I also saw some similar built using threaded metal rods. Made for a nice floor the birds liked.


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## bjanzen

I have given this design more thought.... may be great for a walk-in aviary floor. Would have to put hardware cloth under to though to keep the critters out......


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## Feathered Dragons

I came across this a few days ago and I really like it. I will be putting it in my new loft this spring. Nice job and thanks for the post.


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## NayNay

Those are awesome. I am researching loft design so I can get my first loft as "right" as I can the first time around. So, I have this question for you. Can't mice climb on up between the slats? Or Rats! (yuck). I'm sure they would be attracted to all the "stuff" under the loft...


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## Shadybug Lofts

The slat floors are used inside, 5" above a solid floor, lift up to clean under or have slide out boards to clean check my post out.

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f38/shadybug-lofts-new-loft-43792.html


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## NayNay

Wow- your loft is amazing! 
Thanks for clarifying the slat situation.


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## Feathered Dragons

I know when I was over to your place you didn't have the birds moved over yet but how the floors holding up now that they have been put into everyday service? Is there anything you would do different?


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## Shadybug Lofts

Nope. I love them, I just scrape them then pull the boards out and scrape them. I even put a board in the old loft, but its 3x6 and it gets a little heavy with poop some times. I will cut it in half this spring and have 2 boards. That will make it a lot easier. The one in the old loft is going on 5 years old and when I power wash it which i do several times in the summer, they still look good and if the top does get bad from scraping you can always turn it over and it would be new again.


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## Lovelace

Shady bug were do you live, if you don't mind me asking?


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## Feathered Dragons

He lives in PA.


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## Feathered Dragons

Gary, was the actual size of your slats 1" x 2" ?


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## Feathered Dragons

*Thanks Gary*

I'm glad you made this tutorial. I followed your idea of making a pattern and jig. I will tell you this though, if you build them out of red oak it will take you longer than 8 hours to build. Thanks again.

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/album.php?albumid=2119&pictureid=22149


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## Shadybug Lofts

Your probably right, but they will last forever. You could burn up a bit if you go to fast.


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## Feathered Dragons

Shadybug Lofts said:


> Your probably right, but they will last forever. You could burn up a bit if you go to fast.


I bought 2 bits. I would change them out every few slats so they would cool.


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## mrbluebar

will the droppings go straight to the floor


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## Shadybug Lofts

Most of them go through to boards under that I take out and scrape, you still have to scrape the top now and then.


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## mauimiho

thanks for the slatted floor tutorial...you make it look easy. I have some extra oak flooring and decided to do my loft with slatted floors. What would you say, would be a good spacing for the slats? I'm anxious to start it. Aloha and Mahalo!


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## Shadybug Lofts

mauimiho said:


> thanks for the slatted floor tutorial...you make it look easy. I have some extra oak flooring and decided to do my loft with slatted floors. What would you say, would be a good spacing for the slats? I'm anxious to start it. Aloha and Mahalo!


 In the old loft they are about 1 1/8" apart and the new loft they are 3/4" apart. The old loft slats work a lot better than the new loft slats. I would make them 1 1/8 to 1 1/4 apart


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## Feathered Dragons

*1 1/8"*

I went with the 1 1/8" spacing and I think Gary hit the nail on the head with that measurment. The droppings fall through well and the birds don't have any problem standing on the either.

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/album.php?albumid=2119&pictureid=22162
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/album.php?albumid=2119&pictureid=22168


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## Shadybug Lofts

I thought that bar is to keep the birds off the feeder. LOL


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## Greek Boy

Feathered Dragons Loft- Garys measurement of 1 1/8" between slats is on the money. Garys tutorial on slatted floors is a great help to all. Thank God for you fanciers on Pigeon Talk for sharing information and great photos so others can learn and have the same designs in their lofts. I personally thank all of you for sharing your skills and knowledge with all of us. You know who you are and deserve it. Yours in sport - Nick..


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## Feathered Dragons

Shadybug Lofts said:


> I thought that bar is to keep the birds off the feeder. LOL


Yeah it doesn't work well.


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## Greek Boy

Feathered Dragons- I'm sure you already know this about that dowel across the top of your feeder. It's suppose to spin freely so it rolls a bird right off. The easier it spins the better. Yours in sport- Nick..


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## Shadybug Lofts

If its metal over wood it would be harder to spin I would think.


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## Shadybug Lofts

Greek Boy said:


> Feathered Dragons Loft- Garys measurement of 1 1/8" between slats is on the money. Garys tutorial on slatted floors is a great help to all. Thank God for you fanciers on Pigeon Talk for sharing information and great photos so others can learn and have the same designs in their lofts. I personally thank all of you for sharing your skills and knowledge with all of us. You know who you are and deserve it. Yours in sport - Nick..


 Thanks Nick


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## aarongreen123

can you post a pic of them in your loft? how did you suspend them?


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## Shadybug Lofts

Go to my shadybug new loft thread page 15 and 18 you can see. I just used a 2x3 around the outer edge, that holds them up It's basically the same in the old loft.


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## nancybird

That looks very nice.


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