1" crack between wood wall and concrete floor - how to close?

[KSH1]

Hi, I'm no contractor, but I need to figure out how to close a crack between my concrete floor and wood wall. There is evidence that mice are already behind the wall and coming through the crack, and there is no feed in there yet (birds aren't here yet). I don't love mice, but I really don't want weasels to come in. What can I use to fill the crack that won't harm the chickens if they dig down through the bedding to get to it? My limited ideas have been steel wool, spray foam, Flex Seal or similar product, stuffing in a strip of hardware cloth, or some combination of those, but I'm betting there is a better option that one of you clever people knows about. Thanks!

 

[DobieLover]

Hi, I'm no contractor, but I need to figure out how to close a crack between my concrete floor and wood wall. There is evidence that mice are already behind the wall and coming through the crack, and there is no feed in there yet (birds aren't here yet). I don't love mice, but I really don't want weasels to come in. What can I use to fill the crack that won't harm the chickens if they dig down through the bedding to get to it? My limited ideas have been steel wool, spray foam, Flex Seal or similar product, stuffing in a strip of hardware cloth, or some combination of those, but I'm betting there is a better option that one of you clever people knows about. Thanks!

Can you please post a picture?

You can pick up a bag of concrete mix and patch it pretty easily. You may have to nail a backer board to one side, mix up a small amount of stiff concrete mix and stuff it in the hole with a trowel or brick pointer or both and keep working it in until the gap is filled.

 

[Banditschickens]

 

[blackdog043]

A picture will help a lot, so we can see what this looks like.

 

[mowin]

Hydraulic cement. It's made to fill larger cracks and holes. It expands as it dries to fill in tightly.

Hydraulic cement has a SHORT working time. Once mixed, you better be ready, because you only have a few minutes to use it before it hardens .

 

[KSH1]

Thanks everyone! I forgot to take a picture when I was out there, sorry. But I found some scrap lumber that I think will work if I screw it to the bottom of the wall. The wall board is about an inch above the floor. It won't look pretty, but I should be able to get it down to 1/2" or less gap, and if I bury it in bedding, no one will know it's ugly! I like the hydraulic cement idea too but it wants temperatures over 65°F day and night, and that's not going to happen for a while. We still have a little bit of snow.

 

[mowin]

If you still have a little gap, grab a can of Great Stuff expanding foam.

 

[KSH1]

If you still have a little gap, grab a can of Great Stuff expanding foam.

I think I might put that in first, to make sure I close the hole but the birds won't be able to get to the foam once I put boards over it. Also I like playing with spray foam.