Feed passage floor finish

[beefandsleep]

I’ve seen bare concrete, heard of tiles, paint, resin. What gives the best, smoothest, easy to clean finish alongside a feed barrier for on floor feeding. I’m building a new shed and I want it perfect.

 

[Wesley]

Resin...but not if you intend to clean waste silage away with a loader bucket.

 

[beefandsleep]

What’s resin like with a tractor scraper? Better off with a brush? I know by hand is probably the best way but I know when I’m not there myself the staff will put the attachment on the loadall rather than get off their arse, especially at weekends.

 

[e3120]

I have resin, and it's remarkably resilient to the bucket. The purchaser does the driving, though.

If I knew I would be laying resin, I'd make a slight mark in the concrete where the edges will be to hide them/give a very tidy job. The finish on the concrete makes a big difference to how far the resin stretches.

 

[MrA.G.]

If you decide on resin make sure you leave it a year or so after laying the fresh concrete. This helps the resin bond to the concrete better as all the concrete laitance will have worn off.

 

[HarryB97]

We have tiles in our raised feed passage which works really well as they are set down about half a foot below the floor level where the tractor drives so you wont damage them with the bucket or lift them up. On a completley flat floor definitely go for a resin.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Tiles for where the forage lays. Seen them a lot on farms on the continent. Can be cleaned very nicely and I understand they improve intakes as well.

 

[beefandsleep]

Tiles for where the forage lays. Seen them a lot on farms on the continent. Can be cleaned very nicely and I understand they improve intakes as well.

I was hoping resin would give an equivalently smooth easily cleaned surface and be both cheaper and more durable.

 

[beefandsleep]

Can resin coatings be repaired if damaged? Can anybody recommend a product? How is it applied? Cost?

 

[sheepwise]

Can resin coatings be repaired if damaged? Can anybody recommend a product? How is it applied? Cost?

You going ahead with the slatted shed then? Any chance of some pictures.

 

[beefandsleep]

You going ahead with the slatted shed then? Any chance of some pictures.

Yes I will take plenty. Hoping to start mid April, I have some site clearance to do first.

 

[fermerboy]

I had never seen tiles used till I was on study tour in Austria.
Looked a good job but time consuming to lay perhaps.
My old man would destroy them with the loader I reckon....

 

[Suffolksucklers]

 

[mo!]

Has anyone seen an increase in intake or performance generally with these coatings? I've been quoted 50 quid a metre to plane down/resin and 10% increase in intake. The question then is what does a 10% increase in intake equate to in DLWG?

 

[e3120]

I was mostly motivated by prolonging concrete life. As you can see, it has a store ration (decent silage + plenty straw) on it so hardly pushing for dlwg at this stage.

 

[cowhouse]

Resin supplied and installed £35 perm2 on new concrete. New concrete needs to be 21-28 days old depending on time of year. Surface is grinded to take away laitance. Scraper is fine. We don’t recommend putting bucket on it but most do.

 

[beefandsleep]

Resin supplied and installed £35 perm2 on new concrete. New concrete needs to be 21-28 days old depending on time of year. Surface is grinded to take away laitance. Scraper is fine. We don’t recommend putting bucket on it but most do.

How wide do you recommend? 2ft?

 

[cowhouse]

Can resin coatings be repaired if damaged? Can anybody recommend a product? How is it applied? Cost?

How wide do you recommend? 2ft?

How wide do you recommend? 2ft?

Usually 1m-1.2m to get full benefit. You could perhaps get away with less if you feed little and often.

 

[cowhouse]

3 part epoxy. Resin, Hardener and Filler. Applied by trowel to depth of 2-3mm and rolled with a spiked roller to get rid of trapped air. Can be repaired if damaged. Only damage I have repaired is water damage if caught out by weather/leaky gutter. 24hrs after application and passage can be in use again. Wait 5 days before scrapers, feed pushers etc go over it

 

[beefandsleep]

I assume you mean water damage before it had cured? It is suitable for external feed fences isn’t it?