should I put a finish on the coop?

[fargosmom]

We built it out of redwood and cedar and right now it looks really pretty but I know the wood will darken as it ages. I know I DON'T want to paint it but is there any finish we could apply, that would keep the wood looking newer, that wouldn't need to be re-applied every year? And of course something non-toxic to the chickens. Or should I just let nature take its course and let the wood age naturally?

 

[Superior Chicks]

We use the same stuff we use on the deck to protect it. I think it's "Thompsons" wood deck perserver. Doesn't change the color, but protects the wood.

HTH
Ma

 

[CityChook]

I used cedar on my run and T1-11 on the coop and sealed everything in waterproofing stain. Got it at Home Depot. Absolutely no regrets.

 

[AnKa]

When we got our playset, which is made out of cedar, we applied a sealer from Home Depot to it. It is supposedly non-toxic and didn't smell too bad. It was easy to apply and the wood is still nice-looking after the winter.

 

[rhythmicgoldfish]

i would ask for a food safe wood seal at a hardward or woodworking supply store

 

[patandchickens]

But no matter what you use, you WILL have to reapply it every year or two, sorry.

Pat

 

[fargosmom]

Any votes for NOT finishing it? And if I do decide to go ahead, is it ok to apply finish when the chickens are in it? I guess I'm just brushing the finish on the outside, right? Boy I hope I don't sound too dim!

 

[Ridgerunner]

If you finish it because of looks, you are finishing it for yourself. The chickens don't care. Finishing it might make it last longer, but redwood and cedar will last a long time.

Dad built a barn out of oak from his woodland more than 50 years ago on a hilltop in East Tennessee. A local sawmill sawed the logs. It was not treated or painted and is still in good shape. I'd expect cedar and redwood to last even longer.

So it is a personal choice. How do you want it to look and how much work are you willing to put into it to seal and reseal?

 

[flopshot]

if you like the look of it now then you should apply a sealer. the cedar will turn gray and the redwood will also lighten a bit. it will take many years of constant exposure but untreated cedar and redwood will go bad without any treatment at all if allowed to get wet. i use the clear weatherproof from Flood Mfg on my log cabin dog houses and cedar porch columns every two or three years. thomsons is overrated and need to be applied anualy. there is a product called
"One Time" that lasts up to seven years but it's very expensive at 80.00 per gallon.

 

[patandchickens]

Personally I don't think I would finish it, I like the look of weathered wood myself and vertical cedar/redwood planks will last PLENTY PLENTY long without a finish.

The only reason I could see for finishing it is if the planks are the inside walls as well (i.e. they are exposed on the inside, there is no double wall) and I wanted to finish the inside there (which I would! poo *does* get on the walls and is much harder to get off naked wood than painted, plus a coat of white paint *way* brightens the coop) and was concerned about the planks warping with just one side painted. I am not sure what I would do in that circumstance, honestly, I'd be about six-of-one-half-dozen-of-the-other

If you do put a finish on, if it is only on the outside I wouldn't worry too much about the chickens as long as you do it on a somewhat breezy day -- but if I was putting on something relatively slow drying and fume-y I would probably do only one or two walls per day, because of the likelihood there will be some lingering fumes getting into the coop at night.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat