Need help waterproofing barrel coop

[JulieAdams]

So, we have a mini-coop made from an old wine barrel -- purchased used from someone who'd had it for 4 years.

During the rain, we discovered that the barrel is no longer watertight. We have leaks along some of the slats.

Does anyone have suggestions for how to seal it up with something nontoxic? If the sealant's going on the inside, I don't want any fumes or enticing peck-able materials, and if it goes on the outside, it needs to be aesthetically harmonious with the outside of the barrel. I'm hoping to resell this thing (which has turned out to be cute, but not terribly functional) as soon as we get a suitable home built.

Help???

 

[ams3651]

i dont have solution for you but click the post because it sounded interesting....have any photos?

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

Silicone caulking, maybe? Not sure if it is non-toxic though but if you put it on the outside and use the clear scrape it down to being level with the wood I wouldn't see a problem with it.
I know it worked great for sealing up my windows to keep out the rain and cold, so it may work for you although I'm not sure if the chickens would peck at it or not I wouldn't think they would if you use the clear kind this is just MHO so good luck to you.

Edited for Spelling -EFS

 

[RocketDad]

Clear polyurethane. Apply to the outside and let it drip through the leaks. It'll seal and help preserve the outside of the barrel. Yes, it will darken the wood, and it might horrify you to see the result at first, but I think it would be a better product in the end. Look at it again after you've let it dry, and I think you'll like how it looks.

For a first coat, just brush it on, don't get too heavy. You want to figure out where the leaks are by watching where it drips through. You want the poly to soak into the grain an into the cracks.

The subsequent coats should be applied to the leaks, to help fill in. If you have really big gaps, try jamming a bit of paper (maybe brown paper bag bits, to be darker) down into them with a putty knife. Big drip blobs can be cut/scraped off from the interior with a putty knife, too. Do it before the poly gets really hard and it's easier.

You might want to sharpen or even grind the putty knife edge to fit the curve of the barrel. I've used a sander to do that in the past, and a few times have used a sidewalk to sharpen/grind blades.

Chickens won't peck at the surface "just because," they have to have something that draws the eye and gets them started. An even surface coat shouldn't present problems, and the results will be quite striking.

Pix!! Show us what you've built!

{edit to fix typo}

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

Quote:
Now why didn't I think of this DUH ME!! Minwax makes a line of stains with stain and poly in one you may even find a stain you like I use it all the time. It can be used inside or out.

way to go RocketDad good thinking.

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
My first thought was clear, silicone caulk. It's a wonder what it can do!

 

[RocketDad]

Clear silicone was my first thought too, but it tends to attract dust, and it's easy to make a messy job of it. The OP wants to sell this coop, so they want it look great, not slap-dash.

Now, if I put on my "Captain Overkill" hat, I come up with covering the outside with a layer of thin fiberglass and epoxy. THAT would keep the rain out! But boy, it'd be an overpriced hassle.

 

[JulieAdams]

Great suggestions. Thank you everyone. For those who were wondering, a photo:

This was when we first got it. We've since rubbed it down with a linseed/combination oil so it looks a little sharper, and we built a run for tractoring around the yard (and protecting the girls from the cat):

We're surprised that it leaks at all. One would think a wine barrel would be watertight? But maybe the wood just shrunk and expanded over the seasons outdoors, I guess.

 

[JulieAdams]

Update:

Found out the source of the problem. Wine barrels only stay watertight as long as they are full of liquid. So, anyone considering building a coop out of one, you've been warned.

I imagine that if we had gotten this when it was brand-new five years ago and hosed it out every week, it might have stayed watertight. But I'm not sure.

 

[j3707]

Neat little coop. Really like it.

Cat seems to be pretty interested