# DIY Stall Grills



## cwilko75

Hi, We are adding an extention on our pole building of 3 stalls. I want to have stall grills between the stalls. I am on a budget and cannot afford to buy pre manufactured stall grills. I have seen in the past people talk about using conduit piping for DIY stall grills. So I went to the store to see what I could find. I went to Home Depot and found in the Plumbing aisle gas piping which was pretty expensive but seems to be very strong and thick gauged. Then I went to the electrical aisle and found something actually called conduit (3/4" EMT Conduit pipe). It seems much thinner in gauge but strong. Posts on other DIY sites always use the term conduit in the electrical aisle so I can't imagine there are that many different varieties. 

So a couple questions:
1. Does anyone have any experience with using electrical conduit for their stall grills. 
2. Which is the best way to go? gas piping, or electrical conduit or does it really matter (pros/cons)
3. If you have used these have you had any issues with it bending?
4. Do you have a better idea than what I listed above that is relatively inexpensive and safe? 

Thanks!


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## Chevaux

Hi cwilko. When built our stalls, we just made the common/partition wall a little higher and didn't bother with grills. I think we did them at about 6 ft high - that's sufficient for my horses as nobody's over 15 hands; for the front of the stalls we built the short wall at 5 ft and the gate/door at about 3 1/2 ft so they can put their heads over to look around and keep tabs on what is going on.

Other places, if you want to keep with the grill plan, to look are used metal/recycle stores that buy and sell metal. Some of those places are set up to cut the metal to your specs as well.


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## horselovinguy

If you have a Tractor Supply Store by you they sell "livestock panels"...they come in various dimensions or 2"x4", 4"x4" and a graduated sizing of smaller on bottom to 4"x4" on top.
Panels are on average 3' - 4' high and 16' long. Range in price from $18.99 to $75.00. "Cheapest" is the 4"x4" opening size...which for a divider is really sufficient unless you have small ponies. 
They are made of heavy welded steel, strong enough to be used for turnouts for all types of livestock is what they are made for actually.
Your local farm supply store may also have them at competitive prices.

Otherwise... the Home Depot, Lowe's route is fine but you can also do this with with white plastic pipe... not the flimsy stuff but it is certainly more cost friendly than using conduit pipe... It comes in various sizes. Here is a link to what I refer to available in Home Depot..
_http://www.homedepot.com/p/Charlotte-Pipe-EverTUFF-1-2-in-x-10-ft-CPVC-Pipe-11150/202820373_

Same idea though is make a frame, drill holes in the bottom strand, fit the pipe, now drill only a smaller depth hole not all the way through...the trick is lining them up.
I have a friend who did this in her barn, looks nice. She also made a spot by her feed tub that she can slide the bars up so she can dump feed and not have to go in the stall if she chooses and horses can't put their nose around a corner and get it bit from pestering their neighbor. I think those sliding bars are offset to the stationary ones, with the bar longer than the opening. She has a very nasty horse at feeding time and this was really nice so no one, animal or human, got bit or lunged at.Her barn also has the doors with the "V" gates so down they can put the head out, up they are behind a barrier gate.
_I after talking with my friend found out the section that moves is sitting on a second bottom board but the top board has holes cut all the way through so the entire pipe length just slides up._

Good luck in your barn building alterations... pictures when you finish your project. I would love to see the "finished look"
:wink:


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## GhostwindAppaloosa

http://www.horseforum.com/barn-maintenance/homemade-stalls-116848/


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## Nickers2002

cwilko75 said:


> Hi, We are adding an extention on our pole building of 3 stalls. I want to have stall grills between the stalls. I am on a budget and cannot afford to buy pre manufactured stall grills. I have seen in the past people talk about using conduit piping for DIY stall grills. So I went to the store to see what I could find. I went to Home Depot and found in the Plumbing aisle gas piping which was pretty expensive but seems to be very strong and thick gauged. Then I went to the electrical aisle and found something actually called conduit (3/4" EMT Conduit pipe). It seems much thinner in gauge but strong. Posts on other DIY sites always use the term conduit in the electrical aisle so I can't imagine there are that many different varieties.
> 
> So a couple questions:
> 1. Does anyone have any experience with using electrical conduit for their stall grills.
> 2. Which is the best way to go? gas piping, or electrical conduit or does it really matter (pros/cons)
> 3. If you have used these have you had any issues with it bending?
> 4. Do you have a better idea than what I listed above that is relatively inexpensive and safe?
> 
> Thanks!


I just redid all 3 of my stalls with metal conduit. It was so easy and after speaking to a few people with high end barns that use it - I knew it was the way to go  I used electrical 3/4" conduit - it's was about $4 per 10' piece. I haven't had any issues so far.


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## cwilko75

I was just talking to the contractor building our extension and he told me to stand on the conduit pipe. It bent! Rather easier than I would have imagined. Nickers2002 have you had an issues with it bending so far?


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## Saddlebag

Have you priced out chain link fencing?


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## Nickers2002

I was trying to reply yesterday but kept getting pulled away lol.

I've only had mine up a week, but my guys have played with them a little and they're holding up great. I went with the 3/4 inch because it's bigger and more sturdy. Used a 1" drill bit to make the holes and they slid right in. They do have some wiggle room, but I like that if I ever need to make future repairs 

I spoke with one barn owner extensively about using it because she made her own stalls the same way. She's had it up for almost 10 years now and the only problem she has is a couple in one stall have a small amount of rust due to her one horse being a licker  Lol. He licks his salt, then licks the bars. Other than that she's very happy she used it because they look and have held up great.

I also spoke to a few more people who board at a few nice places and they are slowly replacing their beat up and rusted grills with conduit. When you think about it, the spacing between bars combined with the vertical angle make it very hard for a horse to grab onto them fully. So how would they damage them? I have my 1" holes drilled 4" apart and that makes the inbetween bar space around 3". Standard grill spacing is a full 4", but I wanted the gaps smaller to reduce the risk of hooves/noses getting into trouble even more.

Here are the stalls with the wire mesh and then the conduit. I think the conduit looks much better. Also, do not use rebar - I've seen horses cut their mouths if they play with it and my mare actually ripped one of them off of her stall once at a boarding facility.


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## ButtonwoodFarn

*Home Made Stall Grills using Lowes Deck Balusters*

Here was my solution to the expensive stall grills and not paying freight to have them delivered. We used aluminum deck balusters (Brand is Deckorators they have a website) We spaced them as instructed on the directions which made them 2 3/4 inches apart. Ramm stall grills are 3 1/4 inches apart. Cost $105 for a 4 foot section. We did both stalls with all the grills you see for $120 total. My daughter has Ramm stalls and the aluminum is the same gauge as the Ramm stalls! So instead of paying $520 for material from Ramm we spent $120 and NO SHIPPING! Also with a Lowes being just about everything material is easily attained. We have had no problems at all with durability. We lined the exposed wood edges with aluminum sheeting that was already bent and fit perfectly. It was only $3 a sheet for 10 foot. NO CHEWING! If anyone is interested I can give detailed building details. My stalls are 10 ft fronts and 12 foot sides.


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## Saddlebag

If the addition is for your own horses, they would be happier to mix in one large run-in area with two doorways. Horses need to be able to touch each other. I have two large stalls and when the bugs are bad, I find them in the larger stall. Each has an doorway to the pasture. When two boarded horses lived here all four would be in the larger stall which is 16'x16.


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## caseymyhorserocks

I would use a welded wire mesh instead. Like you said, conduit pipe bends really easily. I wouldn't really trust anything not meant for horses. A horse could roll or aim a kick at another horse and get a hoof stuck as the bars bend. I have heard of horses getting hooves stuck in between bars even made for horses, and wouldn't want to risk it with some possibly "dangerous" bars. 

I would recommend using welded grill wall or live stock panels.


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## cwilko75

Thanks for all the replies...the added pictures are hugely helpful. It helps to see how and what others have used.


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## GinoPaoli

I was wondering if you could send me some more information on how you did your stalls. I think this is a great idea. I have been pricing from Triton and Ramm and the prices are crazy.


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