Is this wood sealant safe for chickens? Oil based vs water based?

[Skyla]

Hello,
I plan on sealing the interior of my coop (which is plywood) and have read Minwax Helmsman Interior/Exterior Clear Spar Urethane worked well for their coop. I just wanted to double check that this produce is safe for chickens. Also, should I get the water based or oil based sealant? I'm not sure what the difference is. Thanks for the response!

 

[Big Doggie]

Hello,
I plan on sealing the interior of my coop (which is plywood) and have read Minwax Helmsman Interior/Exterior Clear Spar Urethane worked well for their coop. I just wanted to double check that this produce is safe for chickens. Also, should I get the water based or oil based sealant? I'm not sure what the difference is. Thanks for the response!
View attachment 2359797

No real need to seal the walls or ceiling. If this is for the floor just make sure you let it dry according to the instructions whether oil or water based. The vapors should be diminished after comple drying.

 

[Alaskan]

I like sealing walls and floor... paint or stain or whatever.... bare wood absorbs so isn't the best long term choice.

Usually
Oil based goes on oil based..

And water based goes onto water based...

But either is safe once dry.

 

[Folly's place]

Water based has less odor, and dries faster, and is easier to work with. I'd use the water based anything. Here we finally used solid water based stain on the inside of our coop (not all done, but some of it) and it's fine. We used light colors to brighten up the place, also good. Stain from the 'woops paint' department at the big box store, in colors that we can live with.
Mary

 

[Skyla]

No real need to seal the walls or ceiling. If this is for the floor just make sure you let it dry according to the instructions whether oil or water based. The vapors should be diminished after comple drying.

Honestly I'm paranoid so sealing it will give me some peace of mind. The plywood for the inside is really thin and the last thing I want to deal with is putting it up for any reason. Probably unnecessary, but I also heard it makes cleaning easier so that's a plus. Good to hear it will be safe as long as its dried. Thanks for the response!

 

[Skyla]

I like sealing walls and floor... paint or stain or whatever.... bare wood absorbs so isn't the best long term choice.

Usually
Oil based goes on oil based..

And water based goes onto water based...

But either is safe once dry.

I probably should've also sealed the floor now that you mentioned it however I already have linoleum down and tearing it back up would be a major pain. Thanks for responding!

 

[Skyla]

Water based has less odor, and dries faster, and is easier to work with. I'd use the water based anything. Here we finally used solid water based stain on the inside of our coop (not all done, but some of it) and it's fine. We used light colors to brighten up the place, also good. Stain from the 'woops paint' department at the big box store, in colors that we can live with.
Mary

You make a good argument for water based, however the reviews for this particular sealant for water based were pretty bad, most saying that the oil was way better. Do you have any suggestions on a different sealant? Also I love going to the 'woops paint', I always find myself wanting to buy the paint even if I have no reason for just for the reason of it being so cheap.

 

[aart]

Honestly I'm paranoid so sealing it will give me some peace of mind.

What are you paranoid about with the bare wood?

I also heard it makes cleaning easier so that's a plus.

I could, if prep and application is done properly at the right temps for full curing to happen. Once cured it should be fine for birds.

 

[Folly's place]

I don't have an opinion for floor sealants, having concrete here. For walls, I don't think expecting anything reasonable to use to actually 'seal' wood walls will be a stretch.
And, the kind of steam cleaning practiced by commercial all-in, all-out poultry operations is just not relevant. At home, we have outside (uncleanable) spaces, buildings that can't be actually sanitized, and at least some birds who stay for life.
This is why practicing good biosecurity is so very important!!! Marek's disease, if it arrives, will be there for at least a year after all chickens are gone. Other diseases require culling all birds, cleaning, and waiting weeks before starting over. Neither scenarios are good.
Mary

 

[Skyla]

What are you paranoid about with the bare wood?

I could, if prep and application is done properly at the right temps for full curing to happen. Once cured it should be fine for birds.

I'm worried about moisture from the birds and their droppings and such eventually warping or staying in the wood. I just want to make sure the wood lasts as long as possible since it was such a nightmare to put up lol. Do you happen to know the right temps and way to do it so it fully cures? I had just planned on slapping it one, wait 4 hours, do another coat and then let it air out for 24 hours. The temps around her are around 60 f.