post your chicken coop pictures here!

[Sylvester017]

Was curious about the safety and whether I could use it so called the company and they said not to use it for a chicken coop because it has not been tested around animals and contains mildicides and chemicals that might be harmful.

Yeah, that's a problem with calling manufacturers - they exercise on the side of caution and tell you not to use it around animals to cover their lawsuit butts yet the product might be 100% safe even if it hadn't been tested around animals at their mfr plants. That's why I'm asking advice from actual chickeneers if a product is safe or not around chickens. Thank you very much for your concerted efforts to explore my query.

fumes at first but it will go away.... But it wont sink in because the paint is already there.
Hi perchie - we only experimented painting a small sample section so the majority of the particle board is as yet untreated. It's a shame such a well built American coop used cheap interior walls. I've complained loudly to the company as to "what were you thinking?!" using particle cardboard for coop walls! They have taken a lot of their customers' comments and made modifications in the past so hopefully this is one complaint they will also take to heart to adjust.


In the long term you should replace that particle board with plywood. The mfr is a Utah based company and I know the particle cardboard is used only for coop insulation in their colder climate. If the walls get so bad to need removing, we or the chickens wouldn't miss it but I still want to use the best paint material for coverage in the interim.

Sorry not the answer you wanted... Thompsons water seal is designed for bare wood.... Its actually a solvent and will penetrate into the wood if there is no other barrier.
I did a search just to be certain... and to find something that will seal it.
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070914123239AAOFdyI The marine paint sounded the best solution so now to check around as to who carries it. What about the black tar-looking paint chickeneers have painted on their particleboard floors and walls? Have any idea what that stuff is called?

I dont even think paint on truck bed liner will stick to it. (often used in coops its a two part process that renders the walls washable even under pressure washing)
It will last you probably a year or two if its inside... But expect to have to replace it.
But hey you got the store bought style you wanted it should be a simple matter of replacing the particle board one piece at a time. The way perches and windows are secured to the wall with lots of screws and bolts there is no way to disassemble the old board or even a way to cover with new plywood except for parts of the bottom 1/3 of the coop. Still have to figure ways of doing the best we can think to water seal for a longer lifespan. We took very good care with our old little OSB coop and it lasted 4-1/2 yrs in excellent shape that our friends want it for their chickens now. Any kind of particle or OSB board is crap around animals but if you start with a plan to find a solution it will extend the life of the structure. After seeing all the creative ways chicken owners have solved their coop building problems I'm sure there's a workable solution. Thanks for the research, Deb

deb

edited to add: I preface this with "Its my opinion"

For what its worth I do not care for OSB either.... I know its less expensive and considered a good substitute for plywood. but I have OSB in my carport exposed to the elements... It is peelling and dangling bits of wood from it.

Both OSB and Particle board are made of particles of wood... they are HELD together with adhesive... Particle board is more dense and heavier and its particles are smoother... But consider it a sponge for water.
Yep, I think we've all been there - had that happen to us in the past. I have plywood and that stuff is not the best either but certainly a better choice than any particle stuff. Thanks for the input!

 

[alltransmogrify]

I have only heard of the caution towards horses regarding Black Walnut... so I dug a little.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1148.html

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/plants-that-are-poisonous-to-chickens.html

and finally a discussion about black Walnut trees right here on BYC

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/671317/black-walnut-tree

I think the consensus here is chickens wont eat it if they are fed well and in foraging they dont seek it out.

deb

Wow thanks for all the research, I hope someone else with the same question can put it to good use too!

I also checked and it's an English walnut tree

 

[lynnehd]

[COLOR=0000CD]So - using the Thompson's would be better as the undercoat on the particle board in your opinion?  And the latex as the topcoat?[/COLOR]

I'm just not sure they are compatible to be used together. Paint might not 'stick' to the seal, for example, or visa versa. If they would, great!
You'd want to double check.

 

[bruceha2000]

So - using the Thompson's would be better as the undercoat on the particle board in your opinion? And the latex as the topcoat?

Yes.

Well, the reason we thought the Thompson's Sealer would be good is because the interior walls of the coop arrived with actual cardboard-ish type particle board (not the sturdier OSB stuff you see inside Tuff-sheds). We experimented on one little part of the wall of the coop and the latex paint just soaked into the particle slab and we applied 3 coats and felt the cardboard stuff would disintegrate with any more wet coat applications. That's when we decided to get a can of Thompson's to really seal-up. My main question is whether the Thompson's will give off any chemical fumes over the long-term.

Interesting that the latex soaked in. I don't use that sort of "sheet product" so I have no experience, but from what I have seen with REAL wood, never finished, is that even "primer and top coat in one" latex doesn't adhere at all well to the wood and certainly doesn't soak in and bond with it.

What I don't like about latex (as MeepBeep suggested with the elastomeric roofing paint) is that it will encase any moisture that does manage to get under it. What do you get then? ROT! Lots of ROT! And you don't see it until you decide it is time to scrape and paint. The latex peels off in sheets, the wood underneath is wet and punky. So a good oil based primer is a must whether under an oil or latex top coat.

Was curious about the safety and whether I could use it so called the company and they said not to use it for a chicken coop because it has not been tested around animals and contains mildicides and chemicals that might be harmful.

I guess I would agree from the point of view that inside a chicken coop is a very confined environment. But the stuff is made to seal wood, concrete, etc where humans (including barefoot I'm sure) and animals including chickens go so I would guess it is not too toxic.

I'm just not sure they are compatible to be used together. Paint might not 'stick' to the seal, for example, or visa versa. If they would, great!
You'd want to double check.

The can very specifically says how long to wait before painting OVER it so it can be done.

 

[Latestarter]

OK, been reading along and need to put my 2 cents in... If you're buying a wood sealer (Thompsons) then WHY would you want to paint over it? It's doing the job that EITHER is essentially designed to do, though each does the job differently. The Thompsons is designed to be absorbed into the wood sealing water out, yet still allowing moisture inside the wood to escape. Paint coats the wood not letting water move in or out, causing the potential issue Bruce alluded to above. You can use either (though I believe the Thompsons is a MUCH better choice than any paint) for the purpose intended. The thing for me is; paint is normally designed for everything OTHER THAN floors, and Thompsons is designed primarily FOR floors (decks etc). Why not use each as they are intended?

Another issue for me is that paint flakes off (no matter what you do to stop it) eventually, and the chickens will eat it. Thompsons (since it is absorbed into the wood) can NOT flake, hence no issue. I'll bet if you contacted the paint manufacturer, they too would say their product is not safe to be used with livestock because it was never tested for that purpose. Let's use a little common sense here. Once either is dry the amount of off-gassing will be minimal & will diminish over time. Since by design, a coop (should be) is well ventilated, it shouldn't be an issue.

Now for the problem... we aren't talking solid wood here... we're talking particle board (sawdust mixed with glue and compressed). If you use Thompsons on it, and the particle board absorbs it, (which it should) the particle board is going to expand, much the same as if it absorbed water, which technically is going to weaken its structure. At the same time, once it HAS absorbed it, there should no longer be any issue with it absorbing water. Paint (even water based latex) typically is NOT absorbed into the surface, but simply coats it. and since it's near impossible to coat the particle board 100% (including all edges and the back), the particle board, over time, WILL absorb moisture through those other surfaces, and degrade.

So, the obvious solution here is to remove the particle board and replace it with stainless steel panels that will out last your life span as well as probably your kids.

 

[MeepBeep]

At the same time, once it HAS absorbed it, there should no longer be any issue with it absorbing water.

Back in my home remodeling days I sealed a lot of decks (and fences) with Thompson's and similar solvent/paraffin wax soak in sealers and I really don't care what they advertise it only last 6-12 months before it fails and lets water back into the wood... Their own application literature won't even give you a life span and suggest you test it annually to see if it has failed and needs to be redone...

 

[Bryant Redhawk]

I agree with MeepBeep, Thompson's waterseal is not going to last more than 12 months. I have even applied it with an airless spray painting rig and while that does get it deeper into the wood (solid boards not OSB or Particle board) It simply does not last more than 12 months.

Now, I would recommend this procedure for keeping the elements out of OSB (nothing will actually keep moisture out of Particle board that is exposed to the elements of nature except 3 coats of an elastomeric roofing coating(rubber you can roll on)).

Seal the OSB with a coat of thinned shellac, this will soak in and actually seal the pores of the wood chips that make up the OSB.
Once this is dry apply a coat of primer then when that is dry apply two coats of a good quality latex exterior paint. This will keep the moisture out for 5 years, at which point it is time to apply new finish coats. I have a coop that has an exterior of 7/16 OSB that was painted as I have outlined, it is now two years old and still looks very good and weathers heavy rains quite well. I expect to have to give it a paint job in three more years.

For any treatment of a chicken coop I would give it a full week before putting birds into the fresh coop. This will allow all the solvents to evaporate and that means it will be safe for chooks to peck at, which they will end up doing at least once.

If you are wanting a one shot done coating for OSB used as siding then the Black Jack roofing product or any other elastomeric roofing coating is the way to go. You can get coatings that are pure white, can be tinted for other colors and once rolled on and dried for 24 hours, will last at least 7-10 years. They are rubberized so they shed water completely. They are patchable should something puncture the coating and they are highly reflective so the interior will not heat up as fast as it will with a regular paint product.

 

[MeepBeep]

Seal the OSB with a coat of thinned shellac, this will soak in and actually seal the pores of the wood chips that make up the OSB.
Once this is dry apply a coat of primer then when that is dry apply two coats of a good quality latex exterior paint. This will keep the moisture out for 5 years, at which point it is time to apply new finish coats. I have a coop that has an exterior of 7/16 OSB that was painted as I have outlined, it is now two years old and still looks very good and weathers heavy rains quite well. I expect to have to give it a paint job in three more years.

I love shellac, and use it all the time, it's my go to wood sealer... But, if it's used outside you must be beware that you need to keep up with the top coat and keep the shellac covered as ammonia breaks down and destroys shellac much like a paint stripper... Basically if bird, poop and animal urine get on exposed shellac they will strip it off...

 

[Bryant Redhawk]

I love shellac, and use it all the time, it's my go to wood sealer... But, if it's used outside you must be beware that you need to keep up with the top coat and keep the shellac covered as ammonia breaks down and destroys shellac much like a paint stripper... Basically if bird, poop and animal urine get on exposed shellac they will strip it off...

Totally agree with you. That's why I laid out the seal, prime, double coat paint and repaint regimen. You can't skip a step and you have to be diligent in upkeep.

I have discovered a super product that is fast becoming my new favorite for top coats. Sta-Kool 770 cool roof Elastomeric, the stuff is 73 bucks for 5 gal but when properly applied it forms a thick, water proof coating that binds so tight to new wood that you can't peel it off when you want to. It is also tintable and actually reduces roof heat by 20 degrees if you leave it pure white. It can be used on bare wood, metal, or shingles (takes three to four coats for best coverage of shingles). If you do manage to tear it, just touch it up and the seal is good as new. I am expecting it to last on walls for around 7-10 years. On Roofs it lasts 5-7 years before needing a recoating.

 

[rreid87]

6' x 6' coop
25' x 35' run topped with netting