need advice on using a covering for plywood floor of coop

[onebusymom]

I never said anything about concrete expanding and contracting. I'm sure it does. But when I say the rubberized roof coat is the best, I'm not just talking about a theory of mine. I use it in my coop. Like I said, it has been in there over 3yrs, through all kinds of weather and temp extremes. From lows of 10F(And sometimes below that) to over 100F. It has gotten wet from rain blowing in, and spilled water founts. When I clean out the coop, the roofcoat looks the same as the day I put it in there. There is NO cracking or splitting or separating from the floor. I don't care how it performs on a roof. Maybe it does crack or fail in some way. Maybe it really can't stand up to being exposed directly to sun. Maybe it was improperly applied to begin with. But on a coop floor, under a layer or shavings or sand (Yes, I have both) it just plain works. It isn't a cheap floor treatment like vinyl or linoleum, but it beats the cost, and it's much easier to use than epoxy, no mixing needed.
Jack

You've convinced me! I have a painted plywood floor on the coop I inherited with my property when I bought it. I was going to just whitewash it and add sand, but I am concerned about the wood holding up over time - especially when it's time for a good scrub clean. Do you have any problems with your chickens scratching any loose? Did you go up the sides at all? My little bits are only two weeks old so I have a bit more time to get the coop finished - but not too much.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts. I'm very new to this - feel like I've done more research on chicken keeping than I did on my thesis.

 

[4 the Birds]

In my opinion, there is no need to add coatings or coverings to a coop floor unless you are using thin plywood or particle board. The coop floor raised up off the ground with drainage will stay high and dry and last a lifetime..... Especially if it is pressure treated wood. Keep plenty of pine chips or bedding in the coop to keep things dry. Just my 2 cents worth.

PT wood planks for coop floor


The floor will last my lifetime and probably a few generation beyond.

 

[JackE]

You've convinced me! I have a painted plywood floor on the coop I inherited with my property when I bought it. I was going to just whitewash it and add sand, but I am concerned about the wood holding up over time - especially when it's time for a good scrub clean. Do you have any problems with your chickens scratching any loose? Did you go up the sides at all? My little bits are only two weeks old so I have a bit more time to get the coop finished - but not too much.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts. I'm very new to this - feel like I've done more research on chicken keeping than I did on my thesis.

Chickens can't hurt it, When I throw some scratch in there to make them turn the bedding, sometimes they scratch right down to the floor. No problem, I think they could scratch till doomsday, and they couldn't hurt it. I didn't go up the sides. I sealed up the gap, where the wall framing meets the floor. I slopped some over that bottom board, but I didn't go up the walls. The walls are painted white.
I didn't use any treated wood for my floor. Just exterior grade 3/4" plywood. And at first I thought that would do it. But then I looked at the little gaps between the sheets of plywood, and where the walls met the floor. I figured rain would blow in there every now and again, water would be spilled. Moisture would get into those little gaps/joints and eventually cause problems. So I bought a big can of liquid rubber and totally sealed everything.
Jack

 

[Chicks4me8]

I didn't even think about covering the floor with something. I have those peel and stick tiles that I can use. Just hope that they will work for this.

 

[Chicks4me8]

I didn't even think about covering the floor with something. I have those peel and stick tiles that I can use. Just hope that they will work for this.

 

[MoonShadows]

Quote:
Jack,

Don't know if you answered this already, but how high did you go up the wall with the Blakjack57? (I thought I remember someone asking this, but now I can't find it.) I was looking at Blackjack in Lowes the other day. I'm pretty sure I am going to use it.

Jim

 

[JackE]

Jack,

Don't know if you answered this already, but how high did you go up the wall with the Blakjack57? (I thought I remember someone asking this, but now I can't find it.) I was looking at Blackjack in Lowes the other day. I'm pretty sure I am going to use it.

Jim

I didn't go up the walls at all. Totally covered the floor, and some of it got slopped over the bottom framing boards of the walls.
Jack

 

[MoonShadows]

Quote:

Reason I asked is because I imagine when you do hose it down, some water is going to inevitably splash up on the wall a few inches off the ground, or do you really not worry about that too much?

 

[JackE]

Reason I asked is because I imagine when you do hose it down, some water is going to inevitably splash up on the wall a few inches off the ground, or do you really not worry about that too much?

I don't hose it down. When I clean, I just shovel out the old shavings. Then, depending on how energetic I'm feeling, I may give it a sweep with a broom. Then just dump in a few bags of fresh shavings. I don't think there is any need to hose down and mop it out, so I don't.
Jack

 

[MoonShadows]

Quote:
OK, thanks for the input.