Housing is a key factor in animal welfare as it determines whether or not cows spend time in a comfortableliving place. Appropriate housing results in healthy cows living in a comfortable barn, optimizing production andreproduction.This article reviews some critical points of housing dairy cattle. In particular, free-stall barns with cubicles arediscussed, as these are the most common barn type in Belgium. First, the dimensions and all parts of the free-stall areconsidered as not applying the recommended dimensions leads to adverse consequences for welfare, hygiene and udderand claw health. Next, different types of bedding material and floor type, including their advantages/disadvantages, arehighlighted. Finally, the effects of photoperiodicity and stocking density are discussed.