how to stop my chicken coop from leaking - update with pictures !

[Ole rooster]

The floor is what we call particle board or press board. It's nothing more than wood chips glues and pressed together to make a desired size sheet. It is basically a sponge. You may be able to buy exterior sheet but I don't know. Let it get wet and it will come apart. Piece by piece but it will fall apart. Before it was used I would have painted it and water proofed it the best I could. Me personally, I would never use it for a floor. On a roof as an underlayment, or wall cover, but not on a floor. And you see why.

The water runoff needs to be directed in a way not to even get around the base of the coop. The floor is going to cease to exist. You ae going to walk in there one day and your foot is going to the ground. The other wood needs to be sealed to keep moisture out. Regardless what kind of wood it in it does need to be sealed. I use lindseed oil on all woods I intend to leave to outside exposure.

 

[Chemguy]

It looks like the interior walls and floor were wet the day you took that picture. Is that right? If that's so, that might be a good indication of how water is getting in. Short term, you could cover the exterior on that side of the coop with a tarp or plastic sheeting. Then, once it warms up follow geoff's advice.

Tiny cracks let in water just like big cracks do. Water will just wick right through.

 

[chickchicks]

thank you i will hopefully get a good day and seal as you have sugested to make it better.

i did not know aboutthe particle wood being that way - it was bought by the person inthe picture buildingit , he said it would be ok as it was water proof

its a lesson learnt . duringthe weekend i will take a picture of whatis wet and the outside floor to showhow high incase you all have any more good adive and i will do my best to post ASAP .

yor advice is very good keep it coming

 

[Fred's Hens]

Any wood flooring needs to be high and dry. Wafer board, particle board, OSB, even plywood is fairly quickly ruined by repeatedly getting wet. About the only wood designed for constant moisture is marine grade plywood and that stuff is wildly expensive.

A wooden floor is fine for a coop, but the coop must be raised up substantially. It cannot sit directly on the ground, but you know that.

A photo would help us see how it is sitting. That would be helpful in providing better guidance to you.

 

[Darklingstorm]

Diffidently get it up higher, I used patio/pier concrete blocks so that the wood would not be standing in water causing rot. We also used Barn paint on the coop, takes forever to dry but repels water like a duck.

 

[chickchicks]

Fred's Hens :

Any wood flooring needs to be high and dry. Wafer board, particle board, OSB, even plywood is fairly quickly ruined by repeatedly getting wet. About the only wood designed for constant moisture is marine grade plywood and that stuff is wildly expensive.

A wooden floor is fine for a coop, but the coop must be raised up substantially. It cannot sit directly on the ground, but you know that.

A photo would help us see how it is sitting. That would be helpful in providing better guidance to you.

i shall take one otmorrow morning in stuck in work for now and wheni get home its pitch black no lights outside

thank you all for the help its really good​

 

[Time-Out]

Quote:
The boards overlap, not quite shiplap, though.

It does look like it's coming through the corner on that photo.

Those sheds look so flimsey to me

I wouldn't want to use one.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Quote:
We cannot really tell from the interior photo alone, but horizontal siding can indeed leak, as Geoff says, if the product isn't designed for horizontal application. Horizontal siding needs to be able to shed water as it cascades down the siding. It does this as the boards are "lapped" or tongue and grooved in such a way that water is diverted from one board to another without allowing rain to "back into" the coop's inside surfaces. If water is entering this way, the siding will have to be completely re-thought. Temporarily, you could "wrap" the coop with roofing tar paper or wrap with house wrap. Neither will withstand long term exposure to the elements.

But we are speculating without seeing a photo of the outside construction and placement.

 

[Time-Out]

These are prefab sheds. The four sides get put together upon delivery.

Like so: http://www.diy.com/nav/garden/garden-buildings/sheds-garden-storage-workshops/wooden_sheds/-specificproducttype-single_door_sheds/Apex-Shiplap-6-x-4-Shed-Honey-Brown-10226611

Except... that photo makes them look absolutely stunning lol.

 

[Ole rooster]

In the same light as what Fred says, my little coop has a plywood floor. It's covered with the rolled linoleum. 3 inches of sand on top of that. But it is 3 feet off the ground so dampness in not an issue with mine. Just dry yours out good and raise it up, but seal it somehow. This just started so it's not to late to correct the conditions.

When the particle board comes apart the shavings that are glued together will come off one or two at a time. Then it just bows all out of shape. The glue is not water proof. We all have to learn. Mercy I've had to.