HELP! Used Cabot oil-based stain by accident

[DenaRenee]

Help - I'm freaking out.
After a discussion in ythe BYC FB group about what kind of stain to use on my coop, I decided to go with Cabot Australian Timber Oil. We've been using it and I stopped at the store today to get another gallon. I asked the employee why some cans had a blue top and some did not, he said one was water-based and one was oil-based. WHAT?

I took this picture today - the labels are identical! I think that's why I was strongly questioning the use of this Cabot's oil because I had read the label and it didn't seem like it should be used on the coop. Not once in all my research did anyone mention that there are two versions! I also watched a Carolina Coop video about their use of this product - they highly recommended it but also didn't mention that there were two versions.
I've been using the oil version. I've stained the entire outside as well as a some of the wood for the Run, which I haven't built yet.
BUT - we also stained some of the interior wood (like roosts) to make them waterproof to chicken poo.
What do I do now? We are in a time crunch to get this coop & run finished by this Friday because we have to leave next Friday for a funeral out of state and I want peace of mind that everything is working as planned.

Can I just sand the interior wood and everything will be ok?? Please say yes

I know there will be little spots that we won't be able to fully sand down.
I'm so distraught!!

 

[Livia Ammon]

I’m new to woodworking, what’s wrong with an oil based stain?

 

[DenaRenee]

I’m new to woodworking, what’s wrong with an oil based stain?

It gives off too many fumes and will kill them.

(that's what all my research showed, but the comments I'm getting are that as long as it has plenty of time to air out the girls should be fine. Ideally, you'd want to always use water-based, but it looks like I dodged a bullet with this mix up)

 

[nuthatched]

As long as the coop airs out some and isn't air tight, they should be fine

 

[DobieLover]

It gives off too many fumes and will kill them.

Not once it's completely dry. It's actually a more robust product. Just put a floor fan blowing through it for a day or 2. It's not a big deal.

 

[DenaRenee]

Not once it's completely dry. It's actually a more robust product. Just put a floor fan blowing through it for a day or 2. It's not a big deal.

Oh, thank you so much for commenting DL! The inside was done a few days ago and it was a very thin coat. We aren't planning to put the girls in there until Friday or Saturday.

Is it ok that the outside was coated in it too? The outside is made with T-11 Siding, so it's very rough and soaked up ALOT of stain.
Since we needed to get a second gallon, I'll just get the water-based and stop using what's left of the oil-based. I feel much better after these comments, thank you.

 

[DobieLover]

Since we needed to get a second gallon, I'll just get the water-based and stop using what's left of the oil-based.

I would use what's left of the oil-based. It's perfectly fine. Everything is outside with max ventilation and breezes. The solvents in the oil-based products are very volatile and will disperse quickly in such conditions. Just leave the coop open with a fan the entire time until the birds need to be in it. And keep your ventilation open. Can you post pictures of your coop?

 

[DenaRenee]

I would use what's left of the oil-based. It's perfectly fine. Everything is outside with max ventilation and breezes. The solvents in the oil-based products are very volatile and will disperse quickly in such conditions. Just leave the coop open with a fan the entire time until the birds need to be in it. And keep your ventilation open. Can you post pictures of your coop?

I'll take some pictures when I get home.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Oil-based stains are generally better in the long run than water-based stains. Oil-based stains penetrate the wood and eventually only fade while water-based stains tend to sit on top of the wood and crack and peel off.

Be aware that applying a water-based stain over an oil-based stain is not usually advisable.