New Coop and trying to find BlackJack 57 alternative locally

[sam24and48]

Hey all,

First time posting, been lurking for about 6-12 months while planning on building my coop. I'm a decent amount of the way done (pictures to follow) and had a couple quick questions that I hadn't been able to find in searching.

1. I haven't been able to source blackjack 57 locally and was looking for an alternative. I found something at Menards that looks to be very similar, but wanted to see if there was any reason not to use this. It's called Liquid Rubber Coating Duck Coat Dry Seal. Picture below.

2. I'm planning on just leaving the roof open at both ends with trim around it (will have 1/2in metal mesh for critter deterrence). Should create about 6 square feet total of ventilation. My coop is a 6x4 and I'm going to have 6-8 hens. There will be a window that can be opened in the summer and I could add more ventilation in the section above the window and door opening if needed. Any thoughts?

 

[drycreek]

I bought Blackjack 57 off of eBay from (ronshomeandhardware) with free shipping and was cheaper by .75 than a local source. Where are you located because summer time they need a ton of ventilation.

 

[saysfaa]

It looks like essentially the same thing to me.

I used black jack 57 on the floor of my coop. If I had it to do it again, I would use porch paint.

 

[Hillbillenigma]

It looks like essentially the same thing to me.

I used black jack 57 on the floor of my coop. If I had it to do it again, I would use porch paint.

Not to derail this thread, but @saysfaa why would you prefer porch paint over the rubberized coating?

The reason I ask is that I’m about a month from coop completion and I was going to use rubberized coating on the floor (but not on the poop board).

 

[saysfaa]

When I was researching, I read many recommendations for black jack 57 and only a few for porch paint. The few people I studied most for the Woods' design used black jack although they didn't go into much about why.

Most of the recommendations for black jack mentioned water proofing. Turns out, my coop is bone dry.

I thought it would be thicker and more resilient. It looked thicker when freshly put on but dried as thin as paint. It is not more resilient - I have cracks at the joints between the plywood on the floor anyway. To be fair, I had trouble with the floor flexing too much because it wasn't leveled properly so probably paint would have cracked too.

Paint costs half as much per gallon and covers much more square feet, comes in more colors than black, is easier to apply, and MUCH less messy to apply. Porch paint is made to take some wear and water so if I ever do need to disinfect the coop, I would still have enough protection for the wood. Finally, the black jack will roll up and come off - not in every day use even walking on it pretty bare as I do in the garden section of the shed/coop or sweeping it but if I try to work a splatter off it.

I've had it almost two years. I don't think I need to do anything like put another coat on it this year either, I don't see any signs of thin spots or anything, so the less durable part is really not significant. I just irks a bit.

In hindsight, I chose it out of contrariness (wanting to find a better way than the usual way), and it sounded better. And I liked the novelty - I had painted before; I had not used that product. And because I wanted the best (what is a little more extra overkill when we had already done so much extra overkill in everything from how many screws we used to attach the hardware cloth to how many coats of paint I put on it trying to cover the sap from the knots). And I thought it must be better if people used it when it cost so much more.

 

[sam24and48]

I bought Blackjack 57 off of eBay from (ronshomeandhardware) with free shipping and was cheaper by .75 than a local source. Where are you located because summer time they need a ton of ventilation.

We are in northern indiana so we have pretty ranging temps. Let me know if you think I may need even more as I can always cut it in pretty easily.

 

[drycreek]

For your location you are probably okay. I’m in central Alabama and heat is our main concern.

 

[sam24and48]

When I was researching, I read many recommendations for black jack 57 and only a few for porch paint. The few people I studied most for the Woods' design used black jack although they didn't go into much about why.

Most of the recommendations for black jack mentioned water proofing. Turns out, my coop is bone dry.

I thought it would be thicker and more resilient. It looked thicker when freshly put on but dried as thin as paint. It is not more resilient - I have cracks at the joints between the plywood on the floor anyway. To be fair, I had trouble with the floor flexing too much because it wasn't leveled properly so probably paint would have cracked too.

Paint costs half as much per gallon and covers much more square feet, comes in more colors than black, is easier to apply, and MUCH less messy to apply. Porch paint is made to take some wear and water so if I ever do need to disinfect the coop, I would still have enough protection for the wood. Finally, the black jack will roll up and come off - not in every day use even walking on it pretty bare as I do in the garden section of the shed/coop or sweeping it but if I try to work a splatter off it.

I've had it almost two years. I don't think I need to do anything like put another coat on it this year either, I don't see any signs of thin spots or anything, so the less durable part is really not significant. I just irks a bit.

In hindsight, I chose it out of contrariness (wanting to find a better way than the usual way), and it sounded better. And I liked the novelty - I had painted before; I had not used that product. And because I wanted the best (what is a little more extra overkill when we had already done so much extra overkill in everything from how many screws we used to attach the hardware cloth to how many coats of paint I put on it trying to cover the sap from the knots). And I thought it must be better if people used it when it cost so much more.

This was very helpful thanks for you input, going to do some more thinking on this before I move forward.

 

[sam24and48]

Just as an update I attempted using the duck coat from Menards. First coat I dumped the whole thing down. Didn't go as well. 2nd coat was brushed on and is still a little tacky after a week and a half. Maybe this is the same result as the black jack, but that is the only con I see so far. It is thick enough and sealed the floor very well.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Just as an update I attempted using the duck coat from Menards. First coat I dumped the whole thing down. Didn't go as well. 2nd coat was brushed on and is still a little tacky after a week and a half. Maybe this is the same result as the black jack, but that is the only con I see so far. It is thick enough and sealed the floor very well.

Looks very similar to BJ57. You might've applied it too thickly at first so that's why it's tacky, but a little stickiness is normal with this type of flooring as that's what makes it non slippery.