Pea gravel is an inexpensive alternative to a cement kennel floor.
Pea gravel has long been used as a surface for kennel runs; however, it is a material you should use with consideration for pet safety first. According to the veterinarians at Pet Education.com, kennel floors must be made of impervious materials that can be properly cleaned to avoid bacteria and parasites that can harm your dog. Used wisely and kept properly maintained, pea gravel is an alternative to an expensive cement kennel floor.
Foundation for Kennel Deck Flooring
A safe and effective use for pea gravel is to utilize it as a foundation under slatted, ventilated kennel flooring. Pour 3 to 4 inches of contained pea gravel under Kennel Deck flooring, which you'll find at a variety of online hunting and pet supply retailers. You can keep the pea gravel in place by building a simple containment system. Frame the outside bottom perimeter of the kennel with 2x4s or untreated railroad ties to keep the pea gravel in place. Pea gravel used in this way serves to help drainage and provide a beneficial cushioned foundation for the Kennel Deck.
Foundation for Rubber Flooring
Use pea gravel in an innovative way by pouring 2 to 3 inches on a kennel floor that has the perimeter framed so the pea gravel can't disperse. Level the pea gravel, and place a heavy layer of weed prevention landscape fabric on the top of the pea gravel surface to allow the level surface to remain in place. Install interlocking rubber kennel matting on top of the entire floor surface so that none of the landscaping fabric or pea gravel is visible or accessible to the dog. Matting is available from a variety of home supply or online pet product distributors. Using pea gravel in this way allows you to have a beneficial cushioned kennel floor surface that will provide excellent drainage for daily cleaning of the solid rubber mats. The landscape fabric is breathable and porous so it won't hold in odors or impair your ability to cleanse the kennel floor.
Contained Pea Gravel
Pea gravel is used on its own as a kennel flooring surface; however, it is not recommended for use with puppies or dogs that might chew or eat the gravel. Take the health of your dog into consideration prior to using pea gravel. The gravel doesn't provide a supportive surface for dogs that have problematic feet or orthopedic problems. Pea gravel floors are best used in small kennel runs where dogs spend only a small portion of their time.
To use pea gravel as flooring, groom and level the dirt underneath. Contain the pea gravel with use of poured concrete curbing, an external perimeter of 2x4 boards or untreated railroad or landscaping ties placed just outside the perimeter of the kennel floor. Dust a 1/2-inch layer of baking soda on the dirt floor, and add 2 to 3 inches of pea gravel. Clean the pea gravel prior to using, or purchase it from a source where it has undergone a cleaning process. Make certain it is free of debris. You can place a raised PVC platform bed or a doghouse with a solid floor in the kennel run to give your dog someplace comfortable to lay away from the pea gravel.
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