Chicken Coop stability issues

[oneofseven]

the quickest way to get rid of the wobblienesswould be to put 45 degree studs in the top 8 corners. This will prevent shaking without having to take apart anything.

 

[Toothless Willie]

OSB was never developed for exterior uses. It was developed to be used as a subfloor in areas that do not have a high risk of exposure to moisture. In exterior applications it has a habit of warping, and under extreme sun or moisture will de-laminate. I would suggest 3/8" exterior grade plywood. It is lighter, stronger, cheaper, and with a good coat of exterior paint last much longer than OSB.

 

[chemew]

Ok - one last question. Does it matter if the CDX is applied vertically to the frame or should it be horizontally? I'm not sure if it matters but thought i'd ask anyway.

 

[oneofseven]

As long as it is secured to at least 2 sides of the frame... (side and bottom etc. )

 

[steedchristopher]

Just finished our new coop this yesterday...phewwwww! Anyway, if you're using hardward cloth, once it's applied the coop should definitely become more stable. Try to keep the hardware cloth in as big of sheets as possible to work with. the more corners you take with a single sheet, the more rigid the structure will become. As suggested by an earlier post, bracing the seams (where the wood joins or makes corners) with metal bracing will help a lot was well. Plus you still have to build the inner hen house which will help further. Good luck!

 

[KDK1]

Quote:
It may not have been developed for exterior use but is widley used (and approved by the 2001 national code) for exterior sheathing and roof decking... especialy in FL.

 

[ECBW]

There is a national code?! We are talking about hobby chicken coops, right?

I use the free stuff to reduce the initial cost. Make sure it is structurally sound. Protect it from the element for durability. Other than that, be as creative as you wish.

 

[angry gary]

Quote:
i agree 100%! i wish i had the carpentry skills that would require me to consider a national code. so far my chickens have not figured out their coop will fail an inspection!

 

[KDK1]

Quote:
Yes there is a national code for occupied dwellings and no, we're talking about the codes for an occupied dwelling and the use of OSB. Even though the same standards are not enforced for livestock shelters, they shoud be for safety factors.

 

[ECBW]

Quote:
Yes there is a national code for occupied dwellings and no, we're talking about the codes for an occupied dwelling and the use of OSB. Even though the same standards are not enforced for livestock shelters, they shoud be for safety factors.

Actually, I am in agreement with you and I am using OSB on exterior (because it was there and free).