Building a Chicken Coop: Choosing the Right Wood Preservative

If you’re planning on building a chicken coop or you have already completed the construction of your project, you will need to give some thought to how best to protect it from the weather.

If you want to make absolutely sure to achieve the maximum lifespan and years of service from your chicken coop it would be well worth considering using pressure treated lumber from the outset. Although it’s a little more expensive to buy it is probably the most effective form of wood preservation available since the preservative is driven deep into the pores of the wood to provide maximum protection from the elements.
It also saves you the task of applying the treatment by brush once the project is complete.

Even if you do opt for untreated wood, it’s a simple task to apply a few coats of preservative once you have finished building the chicken coop.

There are many different types of finish to be considered and you may well have a preference for colour but your primary concern when choosing a product should be preservation of the wood and protection from rain, fungal and insect attack.

In most diy projects it should be a pretty easy task to find something that meets all of your requirements but when building a chicken coop you must also give consideration to the safety of your chickens and make sure to use a non toxic wood preservative.

In days gone by, the first and most obvious choice of product was creosote. It was a very effective treatment for all types of outdoor lumber and fence posts but was also among the most toxic to any animal and plant life it came into contact with.

These days, with manufacturers taking a far more conscientious approach to the environment, there are many products available which are completely harmless to animals and plants which can be safely used when building a chicken coop.
Not only are they safe for animals, but they are a lot less unpleasant to apply by brushing or spraying since most of them are water based and as such, don’t have the toxic fumes associated with the chemical based products.

Most wood preservative products give protection in three ways- Protection from water penetration, protection from fungal attack and protection from insect attack such as woodworm.

When you choose your product, make sure that it provides these three basic levels of protection to be assured of maximum protection and a long, reliable service from your chicken coop.

Preservatives should ideally be applied to the framework and structure of the chicken coop before the wire mesh is fixed in place thus ensuring proper coverage to all exposed areas of the timber and making application quicker, easier and cleaner.
The most likely method of application is by brush but most products can also be used in a spray gun so if you have one available it is worth making use of it as it can often provide better coverage in hard to reach areas and joints.

Make sure to apply at least three coats of wood preservative to ensure proper coverage and adhesion and if you have the time to spare and enough of the product left to give it an extra coat then do it, its better off on the chicken coop than sitting in the end of the tin!

Finally, once your chosen product has ticked all the boxes in terms of protection and preservation, pick a nice attractive colour that’s pleasing to the eye and blends well with the setting and surroundings the chicken coop will be placed in. After all, you’re going to be looking at it for a long time!

 See also ~ Choosing a location for your chicken coop