# To paint or not to paint!... inside of rabbit barn



## Tracey (Jul 14, 2011)

Hi All,

Our rabbit/goat barn is going up today - YAY!!! - and we are undecided on whether to paint the walls on the rabbit sections. My question is for those of you with rabbit barns - did you paint the inside walls? and if you didn't do you wish you had?

thanks in advance!!

Tracey


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## Tracey (Jul 14, 2011)

Oh, and did you paint the floor? I'm not so fussed about the floor getting messy though, and we plan to sit the cages on tarps.

Cheers!


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## M.R. Lops (Jul 14, 2011)

I didn't paint my bunny barn at all.  I built it myself with along with my uncle.  We recently just insulated the roof and walls.


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## DianeS (Jul 14, 2011)

I find that painted surfaces are easier to clean, when the need arises. They also have fewer places for little critters to hide - things like mites, ants, spiders, etc. I don't think it has to be beautiful, just functional. When my chickens got mites, it was easier to know I'd gotten everything washed out because the surface was painted, and not rougher like wood. When a rabbit died of unknown causes and I wanted to bleach the nearby surfaces in case it was contagous, it was easier to do because the wood did not absorb the bleach water. Things like that.

So it's my preference to paint surfaces that animals will be around. Just whatever color is on sale, maybe a mis-tint from some other customer's order.


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## BunnyMom (Jul 15, 2011)

I would paint.  The rabbit spray will absorb into the walls.  I spray my walls with vinegar but wish I had painted it.  I did paint the floor with a good quality floor paint.  This keeps melting snow from destroying the floor and I can hose out the shed if need be.


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## Tracey (Jul 15, 2011)

Thanks guys,

I started painting the walls this morning. I was thinking the urine would soak in too.

Cheers!

Tracey


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## dewey (Jul 16, 2011)

There's a (white) roll-on product called snow-coat/snow-roof available at most hardware stores...it's not cheap but it fully seals and locks out moisture.


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## M.R. Lops (Jul 19, 2011)

dewey said:
			
		

> There's a (white) roll-on product called snow-coat/snow-roof available at most hardware stores...it's not cheap but it fully seals and locks out moisture.


Hey, I looked this up online, I found prices anywhere from$20-100 a can.  I found a couple different cans but they all said they same thing about it.  And it sounds like its more for a roof.  Does it also work for floors and wall?  And would you recommend using it on just the floor or roof or on all walls?  I might look in to getting some of this, especially since my small barn/shed isn't painted and the flooring isn't really suppose to get wet.  And I was just thinking about what I was going to do in the winter with the snow.  It also sounds like it helps cool down the roof.  My barn could use some cooling, it gets hotter in there than it does outside unless I have on multiple fans or the window air conditioner.


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## dewey (Jul 20, 2011)

M.R. Lops said:
			
		

> dewey said:
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Here's a photo of what I use...the 4.75 gallon can is around $100, the almost 1 gallon can is around $25.  I get the big 5 gallon cans of it at ACE Hardware (home depot and such do not carry it in stores, at least not here...some RV stores stock it, I believe).  It's totally water proof after it dries and will seal leaky roofs (seals cracks of 1/8-1/4" wide) and also waterproofs wood (even though it's not sold for that).  Lots of folks use this stuff on RV's & MH roofs in snow & rain country since it totally seals even very leaky roofs.  I think it helps cool since it reflects sun, but since it's like thick paint it's _not_ like the results of adding a layer of foam insulation or anything.   It needs to be applied to dry surfaces and given time to dry before it rains or snows.


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## M.R. Lops (Jul 20, 2011)

dewey said:
			
		

> M.R. Lops said:
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Ok. I looked it up on ACE hardware and found it, they do have it at my local ACE Hardware store.  I might try some of that.  Thanks


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