Barn Pad Construction: Building a Livestock Foundation in Mount Perry Ohio

Double B Excavations & Grade LLC

WHY YOUR BARN PAD SHOULD MATCH HOW YOU'LL ACTUALLY USE IT

Not every barn pad needs to be built like it's supporting a fleet of concrete trucks.

That's the reality we're working with today out in Mount Perry, where we're cutting in a 60 by 50 foundation for a livestock barn.

And because we know exactly how this barn will be used, we can build it the right way without over-engineering it.

Here's what I mean: A lot of contractors have one approach to barn pads - throw down the biggest stones, add multiple layers, and charge accordingly. But that's not always what your project needs.

When you're housing livestock instead of parking heavy equipment, the foundation requirements are completely different.

Building smart means understanding those differences and making choices that give you the best value without cutting any corners on quality.

That's exactly what we're doing in Mount Perry this week.

A straightforward two-day project that'll result in a solid, long-lasting barn pad built specifically for its purpose.

Let me break down something that might save you money on your next barn project. When we talk about barn pads, most people think there's just one way to build them. But the truth is, a barn for livestock needs a completely different foundation than a barn where you're storing tractors or running a workshop.



Think about the weight differences. A cow or a horse - even a whole herd of them - puts way less pressure on the ground than a single loaded truck or a piece of heavy equipment. When we build pads for equipment storage or areas where delivery trucks will be coming through, we use that two-layer system I've talked about before - big #2 stones for the base, topped with 304s. That's because you need serious load-bearing capacity.

But for livestock? They're not going to compact the ground the same way. Their movement is spread out, constant but light. That means we can build a solid, stable pad without all the extra material and cost that comes with preparing for heavy equipment loads.

Here's the bottom line: Over-building costs you money without giving you any real benefit. Under-building causes problems down the road. Smart building means matching your foundation to your actual needs.

So how are we actually building this Mount Perry barn pad? Let me walk you through both days so you can see the process.



Today, day one, is all excavation work. We're out here with the machine, cutting in the full 60 by 50 area. The goal is to get everything level and properly graded. This property has a slight slope, so we're working with the natural lay of the land while making sure water will drain away from where the barn will sit. Nobody wants standing water around their livestock.

We're also dealing with that overhang I mentioned - the barn design calls for a small overhang beyond the pad, so we're pulling T-posts that were marking the old garden area and making sure our measurements account for that. Precision matters, even on straightforward projects like this.

All that soil we're moving? We're relocating it to another area on the property. The customer wants to start a new garden, and this topsoil is perfect for that. It's one of those details that doesn't add much time to our day but makes a real difference for the property owner.

Tomorrow morning, we've got 60 tons of 304 stone being delivered. Once that arrives, we'll spread it across the entire pad area, compact it properly, and create a stable surface that'll support this livestock barn for decades. Single layer, done right, built for purpose.

Even on a straightforward project like this, there are details that separate okay work from work that lasts. Take that overhang, for example. The barn design calls for the roof to extend past the pad, which means we need to account for that in our layout. Get the measurements wrong, and suddenly the overhang doesn't line up right with the foundation. Those are the kinds of mistakes that cause headaches later.



Grading is another detail people overlook. We're not just making this pad flat - we're making sure water moves away from where it needs to go. Livestock barns deal with moisture, and the last thing you want is water pooling around your foundation or creating muddy spots right outside the barn. Proper grading from the start prevents those problems.

And then there's that soil relocation. Could we just pile it up somewhere or haul it off? Sure. But taking an extra hour to move it where the customer can actually use it for their new garden - that's the kind of detail that turns a transaction into a relationship. We're not just here to move dirt around. We're here to help people make the most of their property.