Stable Upgrade - researching best practice

[JenHunt]

So... I am looking at doing some work on my stables - there's other plans for the other buildings around them, and part of that will mean significant disruption to my little yard. It's going to be dropped by 18inches for a start, new drains put in, and then resurfaced for me! As a result of the yard being dropped, I'm going to have to re-do the floors to make sure they still drain properly, and Dad has said that we'll get the electrics and water supply redone too. The internal walls will be stripped of paint, and screeded to shoulder height I think as they are just rough stone (cobbles low down, blocks higher up and then breeze blocks above head height to the rafters)

My stables are a block of three, stone built former dairy byre, set into an earth bank on 2 sides. I'm losing the largest (but lowest roofed) of the three as part of the other works, and also my feed/rug store (but that's another issue!). The building was recently re-roofed entirely (new joists, batons and felt...) but the woodwork (doors and windows) need sorting out still. As part of that I'm contemplating replacing the traditional doors with sliding doors (the top bit is never shut currently, in fact I don't even have a top door on one of the stables!)...

So my questions for the HHO massive:
1) Where do I find information about current best practice?
2) Recommendations for floor design for stables? especially making sure drainage is good!
3) Recommendations for stable windows (preferably with an option for custom sizing!)?
4) What do you lot think about sliding vs traditional stable doors?
5) With the screeding, is it worth a waterproof membrane on the subterranean walls being put in to help keep the stables drier?
6) Anything I haven't considered?

At this stage it's only about the possibilities and best practices... it will obviously be then costed out, prioritised and done according to what's affordable!!

I'm thinking that as part of this I might treat myself to a hippo shower too... get it wall mounted and hooked up to the mains water

 

[JenHunt]

nobody?

 

[WelshD]

I think your set up is very different to the average so people may struggle to answer but here are my very uneducated thoughts

I would definitely want a damp proofing barrier between the banks and the stable walls

My worry about sliding doors is that bedding will jam them, I suppose that could be coped with indoors by keeping bedding well back and sweeping regularly but if outside you'd have the added complication of leaves and the breeze to contend with and I wouldnt have them outside

My stables have windows but not with a frame or glass etc, they are just square openings, it allows for a brilliant airflow through the stable and with the sheltering roof overhang above the doors there have only been a handful of days where I wish there were proper windows

I'm not sure about the floor but if I were building stables I would have a gentle slope as they did in days gone by before rubber mats became king