Need something to line coop floor....

[Lortiz]

That would be awesome, but I can't for the life of me cut straight with my skill saw! So I was hoping to have something that was easy to cut, and more form fitting lol!

Lumber stores will usually cut plywood to your dimensions.

 

[BDutch]

I really don’t understand why so many people choose materials that have proven to be bad for our health and our environment.

Why not choose bio-based materials like plywood, epdm, marmoleum? Toxic foam or pvc flooring are never a good choice even if its easy to use.

 

[Lortiz]

I really don’t understand why so many people choose materials that have proven to be bad for our health and our environment.

Why not choose bio-based materials like plywood, epdm, marmoleum? Toxic foam or pvc flooring are never a good choice even if its easy to use.

I would be nice if there were lots of products that were 100% safe but there aren't. Plywood off gasses formaldehyde. EPDM off gasses sufurous vapors and is made from rubber, so it may be a problem for people with latex allergies. Marmolium sounds like a great option. It is a brand of linolium flooring. But I'm guessing it's expensive. Linolium flooring is probably the best option if you need to cover your floor. There are very few things that would be completely harmless. Even pine is toxic to some chickens even though it is one of the most commonly used bedding materials, and the wood may be used in plywood. I have heard of all chickens of a certain breed in a mixed flock dying suddenly after someone switched to using pine, and others concurred that it isn't safe for all chickens. Some breeds seem more sensitive. So I don't believe there is any perfect answer. But as long as there is good ventilation, deliterious effects would be minimized. Any off gassing is much more soon after installation and diminishes to very low levels fairly quickly. Thanks for the suggestions. I didn't know about marmolium or that it is a type of linolium.

 

[BDutch]

I would be nice if there were lots of products that were 100% safe but there aren't. Plywood off gasses formaldehyde. EPDM off gasses sufurous vapors and is made from rubber, so it may be a problem for people with latex allergies. Marmolium sounds like a great option. It is a brand of linolium flooring. But I'm guessing it's expensive. Linolium flooring is probably the best option if you need to cover your floor. There are very few things that would be completely harmless. Even pine is toxic to some chickens even though it is one of the most commonly used bedding materials, and the wood may be used in plywood. I have heard of all chickens of a certain breed in a mixed flock dying suddenly after someone switched to using pine, and others concurred that it isn't safe for all chickens. Some breeds seem more sensitive. So I don't believe there is any perfect answer. But as long as there is good ventilation, deliterious effects would be minimized. Any off gassing is much more soon after installation and diminishes to very low levels fairly quickly. Thanks for the suggestions. I didn't know about marmolium or that it is a type of linolium.

Thank you for all you’re explanations. I thought epdm and plywood were made of natural rubber and wood. I didn’t know these have poisonous glue /hardeners too. As you say, most gasses are from new materials . So leaving them to ‘breath’ a week or two before installing it can help a lot.
Marmoleum is made from linseed oil and comes in many colours. Here in the Netherlands it is widely used in corridors, public buildings and schools because of its comfort and long lifespan.

 

[GypsyGemsFarmFL]

You could use spray foam insulation depending how big the gaps are.

Chickens love to peck at, and sometimes eat) styrofoam board made with small white pellets, extruded (smooth) foam board, and great stuff spray caulking foam.

 

[SandyK]

I love my linoleum flooring. It cleans up so nice. I’ve had it in my coop for 8 years now and it looks new. Also have it on the poop boards and they get scraped down every day. Only have changed them out twice now.