The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Izzy on July 19, 2016, 05:34:33 pm
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my henhouse has a good design in that it is bolted together. It can be taken apart to tackle red mite. The wall with nest boxes wasn't very weather proof so after 5 years or so I took the house apart and replaced that wall with replacement marine ply cut to size at a builders' supply. I'm beginning to wonder if it isn't exterior grade as in 18 months it is more rotten than the original. So I plan to replace again this summer. What material do I look for?
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I've had coop plywood quality problems as well Izzy. Seems you can't buy decent stuff anymore. I used to get hardwood (called 'far eastern') exterior ply, but the last lot claimed to be exterior grade but appeared to be softwood and readily disintegrated.
The best quality would be marine ply, but it sounds as though that's not what you were sold and maybe you can't buy it anymore? Perhaps you could try plastic 'stock board'- the stuff that some coops are made of entirely?
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With my past experience of (amateur) boat building, exterior ply and marine ply are the same except marine ply is guaranteed not to have any flaws in the individual board layers.
Otherwise, same material and same adhesives are used.
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Yes, it's now rubbish. I replaced the roof of a small coop two Winters ago. The original ply roof had lasted 12 years, the new one will disintegrate this year, espite3 being creosoted and having the edges sealed with mastic. Twin wall polycarb may do the job.
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Proper marine ply is very expensive and not easily obtained from ordinary builder's merchants. A lot of the stuff advertised as "marine" ply simply can't be because of the price. Any plywood needs to be properly sealed with paint or other treatment for it to last at all.
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With my past experience of (amateur) boat building, exterior ply and marine ply are the same except marine ply is guaranteed not to have any flaws in the individual board layers.
Otherwise, same material and same adhesives are used.
Yes, I believe that is correct. The usual description for standard exterior ply is "WBP", or water & boil proof. The main differences between exterior and marine ply are the number / size of 'voids' in the plies, and the amount of filler used.
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Ah well that sounds like I need to do more researching and thinking. Thank you all for your input.
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Sounds like the solution is the plastic 'stock board' Izzy. We have a "solway" coop made of the stuff. No good here because it would melt but, like "green frog" uses it so it's a good material.
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Beware of the recycled stock board that's like honeycomb inside. The outer surface weathers to the same texture after a couple of years and it's no longer waterproof. It's also red mite Heaven!