Need Advice on Coop Materials Please

[newchck]

Hi all!

We are starting our coop in a few days and I plan on purchasing materials tomorrow. What type of wood is best?, is there anything to stay away from? Treated? Untreated? Same for plywood (for the flooring and walls) should the plywood be treated as well? Is there a specific wood that I should be using for that? Thank you so much!!

 

[Slippy]

Any wood that will be in contact with the ground/buried in the ground should be pressure treated otherwise you will be rebuilding your coop in a couple of years.

No need for pressure treated plywood for the floors or walls especially if you are going to add siding over the plywood on the walls.

Any wood in the interior of the coop can be simple framing lumber SPF (spruce/pine/fir)

 

[3KillerBs]

If you're not going to use siding, be sure to purchase some form of exterior-grade panel such as T1-11 because ordinary plywood or chipboard will rot.

You may find materials hard to source or more expensive than usual -- we needed one more exterior panel to finish a shed on our new property and ended up having to get a different brand from a different supplier for a third again the price due to the shortages caused by all the COVID-lockdown people doing their long-neglected DIY projects.

If you'll be painting, consider using barn paint because it's designed to go over rough, unprimed wood in one coat. The drawback being that your color selection is extremely limited.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I agree, any wood that touches the ground needs to be treated and rated for ground contact. In general, the other wood does not. But.....

If your coop floor is wood it needs to be protected. Poop and bedding can cause it to rot, especially if it stays damp. There are certain protective paints like blackjack people use for that. Some people cover the floor with a waterproof layer of linoleum. Your bedding will be touching the bottom of your walls too. That area needs to be protected, paint or linoleum.

You want a roof that slopes enough for water to run off. Any water that stands will either leak through joints, rot the wood, or rust metal.

Any wood exposed to the elements needs to be painted. It will last a lot longer. This is especially true if water splashes up on it when it rains. I don't paint the inside of my coop, I don't find it necessary, but you can if you wish. That's a personal preference. But the outside, yes, paint it.

 

[Slippy]

Be careful when specifying T1-11 Siding. T1-11 originally was a plywood siding but now you can get it in OSB (Oriented Strand Board) or Plywood.

TREATED T1-11 is the key for longevity. LP makes a T1-11 OSB Siding that has an impregnation that is weather/rot resistant. Otherwise shop for a pressure treated product.

But keep in mind that Paint and Sealer can make a huge difference in reducing the propensity for water damage and rot. So I wouldn't worry too much about siding if it is painted. Un-painted...see above

 

[newchck]

Any wood that will be in contact with the ground/buried in the ground should be pressure treated otherwise you will be rebuilding your coop in a couple of years.

No need for pressure treated plywood for the floors or walls especially if you are going to add siding over the plywood on the walls.

Any wood in the interior of the coop can be simple framing lumber SPF (spruce/pine/fir)

Thanks!!

 

[newchck]

I agree, any wood that touches the ground needs to be treated and rated for ground contact. In general, the other wood does not. But.....

If your coop floor is wood it needs to be protected. Poop and bedding can cause it to rot, especially if it stays damp. There are certain protective paints like blackjack people use for that. Some people cover the floor with a waterproof layer of linoleum. Your bedding will be touching the bottom of your walls too. That area needs to be protected, paint or linoleum.

You want a roof that slopes enough for water to run off. Any water that stands will either leak through joints, rot the wood, or rust metal.

Any wood exposed to the elements needs to be painted. It will last a lot longer. This is especially true if water splashes up on it when it rains. I don't paint the inside of my coop, I don't find it necessary, but you can if you wish. That's a personal preference. But the outside, yes, paint it.

Thank you!!!