stain/paint for plywood coop question

[dftkarin]

I just brought home the pieces/panels of my new coop - it has plywood walls and was made to be easy to screw the panels together on its base. Its totally unfinished and its humid rainy weather here in the Northeast but I want to paint the inside and outside while its still in panals - so it will be easier. I would love to paint the exterior with a semi-transparent stain in a rich indigo color, and the inside any light color. I've been told that using exterior paint on the inside and outside is what will protect and preserve it the best. I googled stains to see if any come in righ interesting colors and the options are overwhelming!! Can someone just tell me what exactly I should look for? latex or oil? something I can paint on in this weather/humidity, etc? Can I go to a local paint store or if I want a fancy color will I have to go to Home Depot? I think it is supposed to rain for the next few days. Any guidance would be very appreciated!! How much does stain cost?

I'm usually a cheapskate and I almost always am happy with whatever is the most economical option - but this chicken thing is a folly and I love a certain deep rich purple-ish blue color and I'm prepared to splurge to be able to paint my (small plywood) coop a color that I will love to look out and see every day. This whole chicken business is an expensive adventure for me - living in a condo with only 4 hens in my back yard, etc....

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Ok, I may not be the best person to ask because I am El Cheapo!! My coops (and everythingelse around my yard) are painted with the reject paints from Lowe's. You know the ones setting around the paint dept that someone brought back? The $5 stuff? That's what I have used. I've gotten $30 Olympic, Valspar and other paints for $5!! Most are interior laytex paints but at the cost of $5 I can paint ever could of years with and still be cost efficent! Not a sign of paint peeling and it's been a year.

 

[Renee]

Paint it the color you like!

If you want a semi-transparent indigo stain, buy a good quality one at Home Depot. The problem with transparent stain is that it must be sealed against the weather. Yearly. With the right sealer. Mucho labor every year.

If you want a little less labor, go with either latex or acrylic opaque stain or a good quality exterior paint. I do not recommend oil paint at all. Behr paint brand at Home Depot is highly rated by Consumer's Reports. Buy good paint, because cheap paint always takes more coats and ends up costing more. (Be sure to first prime it with a oil-based primer like Zinsser or Kilz.) If you go this route you will only have to repaint every few years, depending on weather (where I live, every ten years). It does not cost any more money to get it the exact color you want. They will mix it for free.

Don't use any kind of an oil-based product in extremely humid weather. No stains, paints, or sealers, because they will not dry and you will get a sticky mess.

I know, you can't see the wood through opaque stain or paint. We stained and sealed our hand-built windows because we wanted that look. The labor was incredible, sanding and re-staining and resealing every year... we didn't get to it last year and almost lost the windows. They are painted now, and they look better than they did!

 

[dftkarin]

thank you!! Just the info I was hoping for. Let me ask you this though, is there anything I can use and just paint a single coat? That was actually why I liked the idea of a stain - I figured that I could paint a single coat to seal the wood, apply some color and not have to worry about coverage (well, I mean, the wood showing through because its just a single coat). I want simple and quick and do-able in rainy/humid weather - is that going to be too much to ask? Thanks for your help!!

 

[JohnL11935]

If you are choosing between Home Depot (Behr) and Lowes (Cabot), hands down Cabot is the absolute best in my book.

Example - I painted our deck (floor and rails) with Cabot and it still looked fantastic after three years. Even the floor held up very well with just one coat.

However, just last weekend I was painting a bare-wood shed with some left over Behr from HD and quickly remembered why I don't buy it anymore - it just doesn't cover as well. I will have to go buy another gallon for a second coat. Yes, I did prime it beforehand.

Also, keep in mind that I am speaking of Exterior Solid Color Stain and not "paint."

Hope this helps.

 

[dftkarin]

Just reporting back in in case others might be interested in hearing what I've settled on: I'm going to stop at Home Depot today and see if they have any light color mistinted exterior acrylic/latex paint and I'm going to paint the insides of the panels as soon as the weather and my schedule allows for it. Then I might put the coop together and paint the outside once its put together. I plan to splurge on a gallon of Cabot solid stain (either decking or siding, I'll figure that out at the store) in a custom color (so my local hardware stores couldn't do that) because the standard colors in their brochure are not what I'm hoping for.

So:
any cheap light colored exterior paint for the inside

Cabot 1-coat solid stain for the outside (and it sounds like that might cost $35+!) and there are no Lowes around me so I guess I need to plan a trip to even get it!

 

[lilchick]

I bought a can of mistinted at Lowes and it is the best paint I have ever used. It is Valspar.. It goes on thick and drys to a nice even sheen. It is latex semi gloss.
If you buy mistints keep in mind that if you run out well they won't have another! Good luck..

 

[kinnip]

It wasn't on the list, but I'm a fan of old fashioned whitewash, especially for the interior. It's very cheap-- hydrated lime, salt, water and a bucket-- less than $10 will keep you in whitewash for the next 2-3 years. It's antimicrobial, water and mildew resistant and it looks cool.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Prime first!! YOu will so regret it if you don't. The paint will start peeling off within a year, I promise. I know it is an additional expense and work, but do not skip it, realio trulio.

Have fun,

Pat

 

[mamaKate]

Quote:
I love the whitewash idea!

What are the proportions?