New Loft Under Construction

[RichK]

I'm going from a 4'x4' to a 12'x8' loft. I may add a 2' aviary on the 8' side but I'll worry about that at a later date.

We framed the floor and used treated 2x4s. I think I am going to use an outdoor paint on the floor to make it as waterproof as I can without spending the money on treated plywood.

I don't have any building plans on paper, they're in my head so that explains why the plywood is 1.5" short on the sides. A simple miscalculation.

Should I have two separate areas in the loft. One for flyers/breeders and one for young birds or young birds/breeders?

[DonF]

That is not plywood, it's chipboard. You don't want it on the floor. Won't hold up with moisture anywhere near as well as plywood. You can use that stuff on the walls and even the roof if it's sealed really well. Moisture will lay on the floor and you gouge it scraping poo up. Great idea to go to the larger house! My homer loft is 8'x16'.

[cjhills]

Divide it or the pigeons or the pigeons will be hard to catch.
Actually not chip board. It is osb and will hold up quite well. Treated plywood is a much better option and definitely worth the money. measure twice and cut once......................Cj

[RichK]

Divide it or the pigeons or the pigeons will be hard to catch.
Actually not chip board. It is osb and will hold up quite well. Treated plywood is a much better option and definitely worth the money. measure twice and cut once......................Cj

I have this same sub floor in the other loft and it has held up quite well in the past year.

I'm thinking of doing an 8' and 4' area for the divisions.

[cjhills]

Mine is the same size. Divided 6x8. I keep the young birds in a different loft. In the fall and winter the breeders use the whole loft. It is nearly impossible to catch the birds in a 8x12 area.
The floor needs to be kept dry or it will deteriorate over a long period. If the birds bath in aviary and you use waterers keeping it dry should not be a problem.............................Cj

[Fun dog]

I used raised expanded metal for my floor and really like it.

[RichK]

I used raised expanded metal for my floor and really like it.

I considered it but I'm trying to keep as much stuff that shouldn't be in the loft out of the loft.

[Duckdog]

I'll just add to what was mentioned before...
If you're in this for the long haul, and you think this loft will need to be around for quite some time,
You really should find another type of sub-flooring. OSB just won't last. There are just too many cracks and joints between the pieces that make up the product, for moisture to sponge into.

And, that's exactly what it'll do...sponge.
That doesn't mean you have to pull it all up and start from scratch either.
What I would do, if I were you, is leave it, but cover it with a regular plywood sub flooring.

If a couple of sheets of plywood doesn't fit into the budget, I would at least coat the OSB with a really tough sealer, or better yet, epoxy paint.

[DonF]

I'll just add to what was mentioned before...
If you're in this for the long haul, and you think this loft will need to be around for quite some time,
You really should find another type of sub-flooring. OSB just won't last. There are just too many cracks and joints between the pieces that make up the product, for moisture to sponge into.

And, that's exactly what it'll do...sponge.
That doesn't mean you have to pull it all up and start from scratch either.
What I would do, if I were you, is leave it, but cover it with a regular plywood sub flooring.

If a couple of sheets of plywood doesn't fit into the budget, I would at least coat the OSB with a really tough sealer, or better yet, epoxy paint.

Agree. But before you do, cut some strips to close up the edge where your flooring didn't reach. Your exterior walls will, or should go to the edge and there would be nothing to support the outside of the floor plate on the wall.

One more thing, You could go to 3/8th plywood by leaving the OSB down. Don't lay the next flooring over existing edges. Break up those edges.

[V-John]

Agree with Duckdog and Don. Get some different type of flooring OSB will sponge up. I also painted the walls and everything too. Not for aesthetic reasons, but rather to add some more protection to the loft itself from the elements. Another thing is that we use cotton seed hulls as an absorbent litter on the flooring. Its super absorbent, and makes cleaning up poop much, much easier. It really keeps everything dry in the loft too.

Edit: I would also for sure divide up your loft between young birds and your breeders. This way, you could also separate the hens and cocks so you don't have pigeons coming out of your ears.

[Vonzeppelinkennels]

OSB is garbage anywhere moisture is involved no matter who tells you different.

[DonF]

V-John, where do you get those cotton seed hulls? I scrape and scoop every day.

[RichK]

I'm going to go over the OSB with something more resistant.

[ezzy333]

I put a smooth Linoleum on top of it and it is 10 years old with no problems. But a good plywood flooring is the way to go.


Ezzy

[Max2]

I put a smooth Linoleum on top of it and it is 10 years old with no problems. But a good plywood flooring is the way to go.


Ezzy

I was thinking the same thing. you could go to a flooring place and probably get a end piece or missed order cheap.just lay it on there first and frame the walls up. For the floor miss you could frame the walls to the best number and place a drip edge flashing against the wall studs & drop the side walls over it to keep it water tight & cover the end board .Let the vinyl flooring run over the end board before flashing & your back on track. You did alright ! Good start !

[DonF]

The side of the walls, siding, should begin about an inch below the rim joist. That would be the boards on both side's of the floor and boards nailed onto the end of each floor joist. No drip edge is needed. If you use a plywood type siding and it doesn't reach the top, then drip edge is put on top and seals the junction where the boards meet. I'd also suggest making the wall studs on 24" centers if your using a plywood type siding. Make the plywood a min 1/2" and cc plugged grade. If I remember right, T-111 is 5/8th thick. Either will give enough support to hold up the roof. I suggest you also use a double top plate on the walls.

[V-John]

V-John, where do you get those cotton seed hulls? I scrape and scoop every day.

I buy it at the local co-op. It's about fifteen bucks for a fifty pound bag.



This is what it looks like. Super absorbent, and like I said, I throw it on the ground as a deep litter. At first, it will seem like it's all over the place, but the birds, and you, will pack it down. If there isn't too much poop, you can rake it and get more life out of it. Then when it's time, just shovel it out. It makes shoveling it out much easier, rather then fighting/scraping poop that is stuck to everything.
Birds will peck at the stuff, but don't really consume it.

Mentor also uses it for his chickens as well.

[RichK]

The side of the walls, siding, should begin about an inch below the rim joist. That would be the boards on both side's of the floor and boards nailed onto the end of each floor joist. No drip edge is needed. If you use a plywood type siding and it doesn't reach the top, then drip edge is put on top and seals the junction where the boards meet. I'd also suggest making the wall studs on 24" centers if your using a plywood type siding. Make the plywood a min 1/2" and cc plugged grade. If I remember right, T-111 is 5/8th thick. Either will give enough support to hold up the roof. I suggest you also use a double top plate on the walls.

I'm going to be adding a top plate once I get the remaining walls finished. I was short on time yesterday but was able to get the front wall framed.



Once I put another layer of flooring down I might cover it with some VCT tile I have laying around which would probably last forever.

[RichK]

More progress made today. I don't have much time into this project so for the time invested, we are moving along quickly.

[winchester pre64]

I'm putting Linoleum on my flooring this weekend. tired of the shovel hitting nails and hope it will make clean up easier.

[CCBIRDDOGMAN]

Looking good. I hope to double my coop pretty soon. (4x4x8' tall now - going to 4x8x8' tall soon)

[RichK]

I'm putting Linoleum on my flooring this weekend. tired of the shovel hitting nails and hope it will make clean up easier.

That's why I think I'm going to put VCT on the floor. It will make clean up quick and easy.

[polmaise]

I put mine on the roof!
Stops the vermin intruding so much.keeps the dogs from muffling the pen,less materials and ground space. Sure it's cheaper on materials but requires a bit more thought on design. The floor is made of mesh and the waste just drops through. ..sliding boards under that mesh makes it an easy job to clean.Three separate sections In spring summer they can do what they like,Autumn winter is split into Hens /Cocks/Young birds. I tend to regulate about 20 birds maximum.There are 4 nesting/perching sections in each box.

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[rlrobinhood]

I used raised expanded metal for my floor and really like it.

Hey "Fun dog", how does that expanded metal floor work for you in the cold Alaska witners? Reason I ask is I put the same stuff in my loft (almost done building it) and I'm in northern Montana.

Thanks.

[Fun dog]

It works fine. Keeps the floor dry when things thaw and get wet. I do have rubber mats underneath so the boards don't stick to the ground.