Sustainable Hardwoods

Truly sustainable hardwoods are FSC-certified. The FSC is the Forestry Stewardship Council, a non-profit group responsible for certifying sustainably harvested wood. The stringent requirements placed on the loggers and forestry management organizations help ensure that forests are managed to meet the "social, economic, ecological, cultural and spiritual needs of present and future generations." FSC-certified woods can sometimes be more expensive, but offer the peace of mind that the harvesting of the wood was responsibly managed.

Reclaimed Wood

Wood salvaged from old barns, buildings and other locations can create a rich and beautiful look, while still relying on the principle of "reduce, reuse, recycle." Barns, doors and stalls can be built with reclaimed wood from your property or purchased through Lucas Equine Equipment.

Exotic Hardwoods

There are some exotic hardwoods that exhibit properties that make them particularly long-lasting. Many of these options can be selected in FSC-certified options. For example, a recently popular wood ipe (pronounced e-pay) is an extremely dense dark reddish-brown lumber, offering the same fire rating as concrete and steel! This durable hardwood is also rated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Forestry as "very resistant to attack by decay, fungi and termites." Other interesting exotic woods include sapele (an African mahogany) and Brazilian cherry.

Domestic Hardwoods

Domestic hardwoods usually offer the most cost-effective option when it comes to lumber. Many domestic hardwoods can also be easily found in FSC-certified versions. These hardwoods can include oak, douglas fir, cherry and mahogany.

Softwoods

Softwoods are generally not recommended for use inside horse stalls. Due to the rough and tough nature of the environment inside a horse stall, yellow pine is the only viable option in the softwood category. While yellow pine sacrifices some of the strength found in other hardwoods, it offers a low-cost alternative to hardwoods.

Wood Alternatives

There are several high quality wood alternatives on the market today. Talk to your Lucas Equine sales and design expert about HDPE options and other wood alternatives.

Hardwood Selection

Check out our Online Hardwood Selection Matrix to read more about the pros, cons and unique features that make each type of wood good, better or best for your horse stalls.

You can request a quote or consultation on wood, steel or combination stalls and doors from a Lucas Equine Equipment expert.

Wood Stalls with No Nails + Easy Replacement

When designing stalls with a wood fill, we keep nails out of your stall design with our wedge design. Stalls from Lucas Equine Equipment are designed with a unique U-channel and wedge design that securely holds tongue-and-groove wood slats without dangerous nails or screws. This system is also used for Lucas Equine Equipment wood doors, wood sidewalls, and even wash stalls.

Plus, this smart design makes future wood replacement easy. Check out this video to see the wedge design in action.

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