To help clear some things up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particle_board
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriented_strand_board
OSB is pretty much the same as wafer board. If you walk into a Home Depot, Lowe's or Menards and ask for wafer board they will direct you to OSB. As you can see in the links above all contain some form aor amount of formaldehyde in the resin that is used for the adhesive to bond the materials together. Some boards do emit some toxins but not in dangerous levels.
I'm sure some animal rights activists would say it is not safe and should not be used but a chicken coop should have ventilation which would eliminate any possible fumes.
One thing to note is that OSB also comes in many variations and is used on pretty much every house built in the last decade or two. It's the outside skin and also used as sublflooring along with particle board. Particle board has been used as subflooring in mobile homes for several decades. I have not heard of any negatives from those. Alot of people would not be using green treated lumber as much as they do if they new that cyinide (i don't think i spelled that right) was in it.
Some people say paint over it but what about that toxins in paint?
To sum this up. Use OSB. Do not use the particle board even if you paint it. OSB especially the 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch is very durable and if you keep the shiny side toward the chickens will last a long time. Treated lumber even treated plywood is not a good thing. Many toxins there. Many more then OSB but will last longer. Just my input.
Jeremy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particle_board
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriented_strand_board
OSB is pretty much the same as wafer board. If you walk into a Home Depot, Lowe's or Menards and ask for wafer board they will direct you to OSB. As you can see in the links above all contain some form aor amount of formaldehyde in the resin that is used for the adhesive to bond the materials together. Some boards do emit some toxins but not in dangerous levels.
I'm sure some animal rights activists would say it is not safe and should not be used but a chicken coop should have ventilation which would eliminate any possible fumes.
One thing to note is that OSB also comes in many variations and is used on pretty much every house built in the last decade or two. It's the outside skin and also used as sublflooring along with particle board. Particle board has been used as subflooring in mobile homes for several decades. I have not heard of any negatives from those. Alot of people would not be using green treated lumber as much as they do if they new that cyinide (i don't think i spelled that right) was in it.
Some people say paint over it but what about that toxins in paint?
To sum this up. Use OSB. Do not use the particle board even if you paint it. OSB especially the 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch is very durable and if you keep the shiny side toward the chickens will last a long time. Treated lumber even treated plywood is not a good thing. Many toxins there. Many more then OSB but will last longer. Just my input.
Jeremy
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