# Epoxy vs wood floor



## red2x (Nov 20, 2008)

Starting to plan my next loft and have read that wood floors allow the droppings to dry better for easy scraping. On the flip side I've read that epoxy is super durable and allows for better disinfecting/cleaning.

Do you have a preference and why?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

The only thing I can think of as far as myself, is with wet boots on an epoxy floor, I would proably slip at some point or another knowing me.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

If you have enough air flow droppings will dry on both floors. I have a plastic fiberglass floor in one loft and the droppings dried better than a wood floor. On the wood floor the droppings dried but the wood is always wet. I have a wood board over the plastic floor now so I can pull it out and scrape it and its wet all the time after I scrape it.


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

If you really want to make the scraping easy, don't scrape. Use shady's raised floors, and put 4 mil plastic under it (or feed bags, newspapers, your children, etc). Then on cleaning day just pick up the floor cover (the one under the raised floor) and dump it. 

I use one 8x10 sheet under each 8x8 loft section. During winter I dump every 1 to two months. Breeding and racing time I dump every other week. The sheets never exceed 50lbs and are typically under 15lbs. i get at least 3 uses out of the plastic (the barn floor eats them every now and then) and have one that is on its 15th use. I buy the plastic from the hardware store in a 24x10 roll for $US12.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

I put construction paper under mine and it worked well. I ran out and was to cheap to buy any more, so I put plywood under there.


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

What I like about the plastic (and the feed bags) is that it is reusable. That and it never really falls apart like the paper. 

Those floors of yours are very useful.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

You could also use a plastic tarp.


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

Jaysen said:


> If you really want to make the scraping easy, don't scrape. Use shady's raised floors, and put 4 mil plastic under it (or feed bags, newspapers, your children, etc). Then on cleaning day just pick up the floor cover (the one under the raised floor) and dump it.
> 
> I use one 8x10 sheet under each 8x8 loft section. During winter I dump every 1 to two months. Breeding and racing time I dump every other week. The sheets never exceed 50lbs and are typically under 15lbs. i get at least 3 uses out of the plastic (the barn floor eats them every now and then) and have one that is on its 15th use. I buy the plastic from the hardware store in a 24x10 roll for $US12.


Your children? We can use them for that?


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## red2x (Nov 20, 2008)

I currently have a wire floor in my loft with trays under it and I like it a lot in summer. The problem is in winter. Everything freezes harder than a rock before it can go though and then it's welded to the wire in huge piles until a spring warm up. This past winter I put a plywood floor over and litter and just scooped a couple times a week and it worked great.
Just looking for new options.


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

Shadybug Lofts said:


> You could also use a plastic tarp.


I think it really is dependent on size. the tarps are a bit more expensive than the whole roll of plastic. they only seem to last a few changes longer so it is pretty much a wash. Plus I use the plastic for other things...

But tarps would work.


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

almondman said:


> Your children? We can use them for that?


the hard part is making them hold still. once you get that part down...

There is a bit of an inside joke there. Our aviaries are over the entrance which means that everyone is a "poop catcher" as some point in time.


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

red2x said:


> I currently have a wire floor in my loft with trays under it and I like it a lot in summer. The problem is in winter. Everything freezes harder than a rock before it can go though and then it's welded to the wire in huge piles until a spring warm up. This past winter I put a plywood floor over and litter and just scooped a couple times a week and it worked great.
> Just looking for new options.


line the ply with painters paper or news paper. Then change once a week. the paper will keep the poop from freezing to the wood. 

keep in mind that if you use news paper you will need 2 or three layers.


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

Gotcha! I just thought it was funny. So did my wife, the kids, not so much!


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

funny was when the YB hen laid an egg just as my 17 year old daughter passed under the aviary. not only did I really wish I had that on tape, but I also learned "it is time to separate the YB". Or as I said it at the time "double bonus!"


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

That would have been worth seeing!


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

I kind of felt sorry for the hen though. All that noise AND her egg was gone. The bird got over it pretty fast. The kid... not so much. I still have to make all the birds go into the loft and shut the aviary exit before she'll come out. 

Not too bad a trade off when you think about it.


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