New to building coops..need advice from the seasoned chicken owners!

[CherG07]

I am finally building our first coop and I find myself wondering about the finer details like painting. ...What kind of paint do I use!? Obviously we all want our coops to stand the test of time and weather so what recommendations do y’all seasoned builders and owners recommend? I want to paint the inside as well as the outside. Or even stain it if there’s any good options out there for that. I won’t be painting the inside of the floor though. I will be gluing down a sheet of (now I don’t remember what it’s called)...old style flooring that looks like tile but it’s not. I’m so excited to fiiiinally be getting around to this project!! Thank y’all in advance

 

[Jammy Dodger]

Great to hear I would recommend sealing the floor though with a good exterior water proofing. I sealed the interior of our girls sleeping quarters with BEHR Premium transparent water proofing wood finish 2 years ago and it still looks new and has never bothered them. Good luck!

 

[cmom]

Everyone is different. Also the coop size will be determined by your future flock size. I did paint the inside and outside of my coops including the floors in the coops with floors. Check out the different coops in the BYC coop section and you will get a lot of ideas. Good luck and have fun...

 

[aart]

I am finally building our first coop and I find myself wondering about the finer details like painting

Paint is one of the least important details.
Size and ventilation come first in design priorities, IMO.

I will be gluing down a sheet of (now I don’t remember what it’s called)...old style flooring that looks like tile but it’s not.

Vinyl?
Don't glue it down, just tack it at the edges.

 

[blackdog043]

I didn't paint the inside, but I used Black Jack 57 on the floor and about 12 inches up the walls. If your using vinyl don't glue it down, in case you ever have to replace it. For the outside, use a good quality paint so it will last. If you use cheap paint, it may only hold up for a few years.

 

[jreardon1918]

For the outside I bought paint that was on sale and matched the house. The flat roof on the run, I slap a coat on each spring. The inside, the walls and floor are bare. The coop is quite dry. I had always intended to put vinyl on the floor. But that never happened and it seems where the floor stays dry, it is likely to last a very long time. So, don't stress too much over paint. YMMV.

 

[Cindy in PA]

If you are using something like T1-11 siding, an opaque stain looks just like paint & doesn't peel off in later years. You just have to clean & re-stain once in awhile. My grey stained coop has only been stained 3 times in 26 years. If you use something like OSB, this will not work.

 

[Cryss]

Just curious. How far are you in your build? I'd love to see what you've done and watch your progress. I'm sure I'm not alone. Of course we want to see your chickens! (*blatent plug begging for pictures*)
I'm so close to the point of putting my chickens inside that I can taste it! I need locks, and trim to keep out gap drafts, and need to snap off tips of screws and nails so the gals don't injure themselves. They can go inside for a week while we continue the build of the breezeway between the coop and the run. Then paint! I have a thread with my veeerrrry ssslloooww progress. Oh, and I also sealed my floor with blackjack 57. Good stuff.

 

[HopeSprings]

I used vinyl flooring -- remnant pieces for cheap! -- not only on the floor, but up the walls to about 4'. (Poop boards are set at 30" with roosts about 10" above.) I used a staple gun to keep it in place: easier to pull up if ever necessary!

 

[Criticalicious]

I painted the inside of my coop to make it easier to clean rather than bare wood. The floor has a sheet of glassboard which also scrubs clean easily.

For the inside of my coop I bought a latex paint from the clearance section of the hardware store. I wanted an outdoor paint but they only had indoor on clearance and the chickens don't care what color it is (it's pink). The roosts I painted with white Barn paint. The outside of the coop came painted with Behr outdoor paint. So far it's holding up well against the elements.