Agricultural Flooring Installation Guide
When it comes to selecting the right flooring for your barn or livestock, the health and safety of those on the farm are paramount. Perfect Surfaces’ DuraRUBBER®, VersaRUBBER®, and LongHorn pad and pour agriculture flooring are durable, safe, and reliable options for a wide variety of agricultural spaces.
Designed to repel urine (and other liquids) and tolerate heavy wear and tear from animals and farm equipment, Perfect Surfaces’ barn mats and agricultural flooring solutions also provide adequate grip to prevent slips and falls, ensuring the safety of both animals and workers. In this segment, we will share a few installation tips to ensure that your barn floor performs at its best.
Pre-installation Preparation for Agricultural Floors
Perfect Surfaces agricultural flooring products can be installed over just about any compacted sub-base, from concrete or asphalt to wood or compressed rock. Please note that all substrates (especially new concrete) must be fully cured for 45 to 60 days prior to installing rubber products. Next, it is crucial to ensure that the subfloor is firm and levelled, free of lumps, dirt or stones that may adversely affect the installation. Once the subfloor is adequately prepared, unpackage and lay the new rubber farm flooring out to acclimate for at least 24 hours prior to installation. This acclimation period will allow the product to gradually adapt to the temperature and humidity of the new location- preventing it from shrinking or expanding after installation.
When installing rubber farm mats, the following tools are important to have on hand: a utility knife, adhesives (tape or glue), cleaning supplies, and safety gear like gloves and glasses. For best results with DIY installation, reading the product installation manual will help yield a professional-looking finished floor. Professional installation is only required for LongHorn pad and pour animal flooring; VersaRUBBER® rubber animal mats and DuraRUBBER® rubber cow mats are both DIY-friendly, saving on professional installation costs.
Agricultural Flooring Installation Process
Agricultural flooring products like our VersaRUBBER® equine and livestock mats are extremely easy to install. Once acclimated, VersaRUBBER® sheep mats can be loose-laid and taped or glued down for semi-permanent or permanent installation on the ranch. DuraRUBBER® rubber stall mats are another DIY-friendly ag rubber flooring option since they are heavy enough to be loose-laid without allowing much movement—no glue or tape required. When installing rubber animal mats, it is best to begin at the center of the room and work outward to the wall or stopping point of the space. If the mat exceeds the floor space, a straight-edge knife and utility knife can be used to trim the excess flooring. In applications where adhesive is required, gloves are strongly recommended. Before gluing or taping down the farm rubber flooring, dry-fit the floors to ensure mats are settled in the correct place. Then, glue or tape will be applied under each mat until it is complete.
Post-installation Care for Agricultural Floors
Once installed, there are a few tips to ensure the new rubber farm flooring is long-lasting and performs its best. Petroleum—and citrus-based products, including solvents, adhesives, and sealants—must not be used on recycled rubber flooring.
For everyday cleaning and maintenance of rubber agricultural mats, simply sweep, sponge mop, or vacuum dirt and debris. For more extensive, thorough cleaning, a neutral-PH cleaner and degreaser like CleanBreak with a sponge mop and water should do the trick. For more information on how to maintain rubber animal floor mats, please contact the Perfect Surfaces product specialists.
