Dirt floor vs. raised wooden floor coop construction

[GardenFae]

I use a rubberized roof coat product from Lowes(Blackjack #57) This stuff, unlike vinyl or linoleum, becomes part of the floor, protecting it from everything. Nothing gets under it. It seals the gap where the walls meet the floor. This stuff has been down in my coop going on 4yrs, and it looks as good as the day I put in down. IMO, it is the BEST wood floor protector for a coop.

I'm planning out my coop right now and I am really interested by this stuff - is it like the rubberized truck bed liner stuff you can find in spray cans? Does it dry smooth or rough? I looked it up on Lowes' website but they really didn't have much information on it. It beats the idea of using sheet vinyl, though!

 

[JackE]

I'm planning out my coop right now and I am really interested by this stuff - is it like the rubberized truck bed liner stuff you can find in spray cans? Does it dry smooth or rough? I looked it up on Lowes' website but they really didn't have much information on it. It beats the idea of using sheet vinyl, though!

The link below, is what I used. It drys smooth. I would not trust the stuff you are talking about in the small spray cans.



http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay...gId=10051&cmRelshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1

 

[Granny Hatchet]

i want to do this too. can you tell me drying time to keep chickens out and what you put it down with? how hard is it to use? and will mice chew through? what is the difference between it and the more expensive one? too many questions.sorry

 

[JackE]

i want to do this too. can you tell me drying time to keep chickens out and what you put it down with? how hard is it to use? and will mice chew through? what is the difference between it and the more expensive one? too many questions.sorry

I put it down in the spring, the temp was in the high 60s-70s, and it was dry within 24hrs. To apply, I stirred well(I mean it, stir well, it's a big bucket) then I just dumped a big dollop on the floor and pushed it around with a paint roller on a stick. Then dumped more as I went through the coop. I put it down thick, it all settles out anyway. You can't get easier than that to do a coop floor. No measuring and cutting and fitting vinyl or linoleum, and stapling it down. Then doing the same thing a few years later when it craps out. I read here about one guy who fit and installed linoleum, then a few days later watched his chickens merrily shred and tear it all up.
I don't know about mice chewing through, they may. I don't have any rodent problems in my coop, so I don't really have a answer for that. As far as the difference between the Blackjack#57 and the more expensive stuff. I don't know, I got the cheapest roofcoat they had, and it has worked great for me.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

thats awesome thank you. im sure i will be doing this when the weather warms then. did you do the sides where the 2 by 4 is at the bottom? i really appreciate the info

 

[JackE]

thats awesome thank you. im sure i will be doing this when the weather warms then. did you do the sides where the 2 by 4 is at the bottom? i really appreciate the info

Yeah, I pushed it up to, and over the bottom 2X4s in spots. I sealed the little gap that was between the 2X4s and the floor. I did not go up the walls though. Didn't want to slop up my white walls.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

Yeah, I pushed it up to, and over the bottom 2X4s in spots. I sealed the little gap that was between the 2X4s and the floor. I did not go up the walls though. Didn't want to slop up my white walls.

lol, thats good. bet i have a hard time just getting it clean enough to put it down. i never did anything to my walls. its just the framing and treated plywood. i did paint and decorate the out side though

 

[Utard]

If one uses linoleum is there a higher risk of mites 'nesting' between the wood and linoleum and would you have to replace the linoleum occasionally?

I make the mistake of getting some cheap home depot linoleum.

Well it ends up that it is mostly paper and the chickens like to rip it up if they find a corner to pick at.

Spend a little more if you use this and don't make my mistake.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

i just kept mine as treated wood and was thinking of pulling it up but i am going to do this. seems like linoleum would cost about the same as black jack ?

 

[JackE]

lol, thats good. bet i have a hard time just getting it clean enough to put it down. i never did anything to my walls. its just the framing and treated plywood. i did paint and decorate the out side though

You know, cleaning the floor good would make sense. But, I think, from what I've seen of this stuff (The Blackjack) I don't think it would really matter if the floor wasn't spotless. It's a very thick mixture that really attaches itself to things. So some debris on the floor would just be sealed permanently under the rubber. Now of course, I'm not saying to just dump it down over loads of chicken crap and bedding debris(LOL). But a decent cleaning, and you should be good to go.