Staining an existing coop

[leisterbrau]

When re-staining a coop, do most of you remove old chicken wire and hardware cloth prior to cleaning wood and re-staining? I have hardware cloth on outside and chicken wire on inside. Seems like you would need to remove to thoroughly to clean the wood. But enough of a pain that I wanted to see what others do.

Thanks,
Doug

 

[Percheron chick]

I wouldn't. You will end up trashing all the boards that sandwich the wire.
Do you have a power washer? That would be the easiest way. If not, I would just hit it with a wire brush, hose it down, dry than stain. It's a chicken coop. They won't notice.

 

[leisterbrau]

Thanks. Unfortunately don't have a power washer. Any secrets on painting wood underneath hardware cloth? Is it better to use a sprayer? Brush doesn't want to spread the stain.

 

[aart]

Spray would work much better than brush....but....problem is getting that wood down low dry enough to soak up any stain.