OSB for chicken coop walls?????

[chickenlizzy]

We are currently planning our first coop and are incredibly excited. All I need is for the snow to melt and the ground to thaw so I can move some dirt and get building. Anyway, while gathering materials, I am finding that OSB is much cheaper then plywood. Will the chickens peck at it and/or will it be harmful or will it be ok to use? I do plan on painting both inside and outside walls. Thanks for the help.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

If you plan to cover the outside with siding it will work.

OSB wont' hold up to moisture as well as plywood, and untreated plywood won't last nearly as long as salt treated

 

[farmer_lew]

I used OSB for external coop walls. Just be sure to seal it good. I used Kilz2 primer and caulked all seams. Once the final top coat is put on, it should last quite a while.

 

[sherrybwc]

We did the same as farmer-lew...caulked all seams and used "Kilz Siding, Fence, & Barn Paint" (outside only). We've had it up for about a year now and there are no signs of moisture damage so far.

 

[colowyo0809]

I built ours in late july and so far it hasn't fallen apart. No treatment, just slapped it together

However, I fully expect it to not last until July, and am making plans accordingly

 

[patandchickens]

You can *do* it (particularly if you prime and paint it real good -- be aware OSB uses a LOT more paint than plywood, because it is so rough, and you really need to get it *all* covered, and in several THIN coats not fewer thick ones, too. Also make REAL SURE that the bottom parts are not gonig to be EVEN REMOTELY in ground contact, nor embedded in wet weeds half the year, nor having wet chicken-run footing piled up against them; because even if it's painted, OSB does not have a great sense of humor about prolonged dampness.

Whether it's a good idea depends on how long you want your coop to last. With minimal roof overhang and no paint, it may start becoming dangerously weak (from a predatorproofing viewpoint if nothing else) within a few years; with large roof overhang and a GOOD coat of paint you are probably good for 10 years; but plywood would last better and longer.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[chickenlizzy]

Thanks everyone. The coop will be up off the ground at least 2 feet. I am going to cover the inside floor with linoleum that we have left over. My kids will be thrilled to be in charge of painting all the OSB. I will also follow the advice to caulk all the seams and it will have roof overhang all around. Who knows, next year maybe we will add the siding or paneling or something a little "prettier."

 

[AlienChick]

Question:

For the OSB flooring, do you have to paint both the top and bottom of the OSB or just the floor part?

I'm building a coop that is about 18 inches off the ground sitting on concrete blocks.

I just painted the primer on one side of the OSB and waiting for it to dry.

Do I have to turn it over and prime the other side?

And do I paint both sides as well??

 

[farmer_lew]

Quote:
I used 3/4 inch plywood for the floor, mainly because I weigh 256 lbs, and didn't want to worry about falling through while building the coop. If you are going to use OSB for the floor, though, I would definitely prime both sides. The top will be under chickens and the bottom will be exposed to moisture from outside humidity, rain, etc.

 

[THINGUM]

Quote:
It's always best to improve the life of OSB with a good soaking of (OIL BASED) paint, not to mention holding out more moisture bysealing all sides and edges. any ol' OOPS paint will do.