cleaning my new 'old' coop and sealing plywood floor with varnish???

[saltdean norm]

I took delivery of my bargain coop yesterday, and its in a pretty good shape. I'll add a thread with pictures when I start the renovation.

The construction is good, solid thick external ply has been used throughout. And its big, 8ft L x 4ft H x 3ft D and very very heavy!

It needs some attention to the roof, I haven't decided wether to use roofing felt or wooden feather board / shingles and needs some new door hinges and latches. Its also going to get a nice thick coat of exterior grey gloss to pretty it up.

I've cleaned the mess out from the previous occupants out but its still quite funky, Is 1:10 bleachy water the best thing to use? Then when its totally dry I was thinking of a couple of coats of heavy duty varnish to help seal the internal wood and make cleaning slightly easier in the future. Is this a good idea or should I be considering something else? I'm on a tight budget and don't have a huge amount of time to spend on the build either. We should be getting 4 birds so they've got enough room.

Cheers for any help offered.

Norm

BTW - I'm loving the forum, I've learnt so much already just from reading what other people do, so thanks to you all.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

The bleach solution you speak of will be fine. Just leave the coop open so that it can completely dry and air out. If sealing the inside will make your cleaning easier, I say go for it. I personally do not do the roosts due to most finishes making them slick. Plus its just a waste of time as the chickens will wear the finish off very quickly.

Marty

 

[saltdean norm]

I guess maybe i could lay some lino down on the floor, i must be able to find some for free....

 

[CityChook]

I don't know where you live, but I found that the deck-sealant that I used (Thompson's Water Seal) on the exterior of my coop only survived ONE WINTER before it started peeling up. I wasn't very happy about that one. Had to sand it all off and then I just sealed the whole thing in linseed oil/mineral spirits, mixed 50/50. The mineral spirits helps the oil to absorb into the wood. Any residue after 15 minutes can be wiped off. If you skip this step and there is any residue on top of the wood, it will get sticky like sap. Anyways, I am very pleased with how it has held up. I know that I'll have to re-oil each spring, but it's quick and easy and cheap. The linseed oil will make the wood waterproof and easier to clean.

Personally, I prefer paint on the interior of the coop. It is significantly easier to clean and makes the interior nice and bright. Your coop isn't that big - it wouldn't take more than a day or two. Make sure you prime first - that would be sufficient to seal the wood.