what to seal my coop with?

[kari_dawn]

So, I have been toying with the idea of using a deer blind to turn into a chicken coop for my small backyard flock because of the super high prices of chicken coops in my area, and my lack of carpentry skills, combined with "cheap" deer blinds available on craigslist.

Finally, I got a deer blind, and my wonderful ex boyfriend (we are still really great friends

) and another friend of mine helped me pick it up and unload it. It is made out of particle board mostly, but it will have a corugated metal roof on it to help keep it from weathering. My question is what can I use to seal it to help it last longer? I was thinking of painting it inside and out with something like kilz paint or some other product? I even thought about insulating it and putting siding on it, but that will be a LONG time coming.

Of course, my roosts, nest box, and bedding will all need to go in, and soon. There is supposed to be a cold front coming through next week I think.

So, I need the help of the wonderful people here on BYC to guide me.

 

[Judy]

A few good coats of paint will extend it a few years, especially if no raw edges are exposed to the weather. I wouldn't buy Kilz, I don't think it will seal any better, but I'd buy exterior paint with some gloss to it, high or semi gloss. Years ago I'd have bought oil based but that may not be any advantage any more.

 

[hemet dennis]

yep just get some good exterior semi gloss paint

 

[geoff40]

Use a good, outdoor caulking on the seams between pieces of wood, but on the outside where they won't eat it. The paint suggestion is also good, BUT I highly suggest rustoleum glossy paint for the floor inside your coop. It'll take a few coats to cover it all well, but there is no other paint I know of that dries as hard and durable as this paint will. It's made for metal, but works excellent to seal a wooden coop floor from waste.
A box of outdoor deck screws and a driver will also do a lot to tighten things up, if that blind has been outdoors for a few years.

 

[cravenchx]

We used barn paint on ours, and caulked around
the windows and seals. It is vented at the roof,
but since the cold weather, I have used those great big
gray packing thingys that come in big boxes, and stuffed
them in the vents. We still have ventilation.
I finally got MY Page set up with some pictures, if you
want to take a peek.

 

[twopeas]

What ever you do, don't use Great Stuff to seal. What a mess that makes! And the birds like to peck at it

 

[kari_dawn]

Quote:
well, it's brand new...the guy built it after I said I would buy one. Kinda the reason I went for it...maybe Im a freak about cross conamination, but you BYCers have put the fear of god in me so to speak. Coryza and other nasties that I didn't know about before finding BYC are not my friend, and his were the cheapest, closest blinds around.

So just a general out door calking? I think I actually have some roustoleum, but not alot, and it's black, and I live in Texas...should I get a lighter colored rustoleum for the heat or will it matter? I would only be putting it on the floor as you suggested. Do I caulk before I use rustoleum?

 

[kari_dawn]

Quote:
Thanks for the tip! Thanks everyone, and please keep the suggestions coming! I want to do this right the first time so I don't have to do it again later!

By the way, it has a wood floor, but I think it is particle board like the rest of it (I didn't look at it closely, so it may be pressure treated plywood, but I doubt it). Will it be okay if I coat it really good on the inside and out? I don't really have any pavers to put under it, and I cannot use cinder block because they are too tall (not really handy enough to modify my dog kennel, so the coop has to go inside, and I can't redo the wire mesh on top, so I am restricted to the six foot clearance I already have).

I went out and checked, and the floor and roof are plywood, which makes me feel better.

 

[kari_dawn]

...I think I know the answer to this, but is liquid nails the same as caulk?

 

[jnswright]

If at all possible, try to keep the particle board from contact with the ground (elevate it if possible). I used the 1/2 cinder blocks to raise mine. Then seal as suggested above. When you have a few extra dollars, you might want to get some exterior siding and nail it up. You might keep an eye out for houses being built and see if you might be able to score some free left over siding (it sounds like you won't need much).

I know particle board disentegrates very quickly around here...