# Sealant for a bird house



## Dabur (15 May 2017)

Hi,

I am building a birdhouse and I am struggling to find a suitable product to seal the paint and wood. It obviously needs to be something which is not harmful to the birds so it can't be oil based (I think). I have been looking online for suggestions and it needs to be water based I believe, but I can not find anything suitable :? . I have probably got myself confused with the wealth of information the internet throws at you as there seems to be so many different types of sealant and I can not determine which would be suitable.

The bird house will be made out of ply and pine. I will be using a latex based primer and paint as that should not be harmful but I cant find an equivalent for use as a sealer.

My knowledge around types of sealant is extremely limited as I have not done anything before which requires its use.

Any advice on a suitable sealer to use would be great. Even better, if there are sealers that are applied from a spray can that would be a bonus.


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## Harbo (15 May 2017)

Make it cheap and simple (but use external grade ply).
My one has never been treated or finished, has survived many years and still going strong.
Don't forget it needs to be cleaned and not trap rain water.

Rod


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## NazNomad (15 May 2017)

Harbo":1elyamrc said:


> Don't forget it needs to be cleaned............



.... because every nest in the wild is thoroughly cleaned every year. :roll: 

Make it out of oak, don't treat it with anything.


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## MrTeroo (15 May 2017)

NazNomad":j0o7ugth said:


> Harbo":j0o7ugth said:
> 
> 
> > Don't forget it needs to be cleaned............
> ...




Aren't most nests in the wild rebuilt every year?


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## Dabur (15 May 2017)

Already cut the pieces of ply and pine. With hindsight it would have been better to go with a harder wood as it would last longer without sealing it.

Having said that I may well not bother based on Harbos comment. Already got to prime it and paint it, I did not really want to have to add another coat to it as just adding to the time it will take.


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## ED65 (15 May 2017)

Dabur":29v2bntp said:


> With hindsight it would have been better to go with a harder wood as it would last longer without sealing it.


Weirdly, not all harder woods would be more durable than pine outdoors. 

But even unprotected pine will far outlive the useful life of a birdhouse. You can leave pine unfinished outdoors in the British climate and while it weathers quickly it will remain in reasonable nick for a good few years. If you choose to paint it you extend that to 10 years or longer, indefinitely if you keep up maintenance of the finish.


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## thetyreman (16 May 2017)

I'd use redwood and paint it.


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## NazNomad (16 May 2017)

MrTeroo":5xgil54r said:


> NazNomad":5xgil54r said:
> 
> 
> > Harbo":5xgil54r said:
> ...




Exactly.

The birds will clean the nest box.


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## Harbo (17 May 2017)

See advice here:

https://www.bto.org/about-birds/nnbw/faqs

Especially the bit about parasites!

Rod


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## Dabur (17 May 2017)

Thanks for the posts all, I won't bother applying a sealer. I was concerned that after one year I would be left with a useless rotting pile of wood lol. But from your posts that is not going to be the case so thanks for the advice.


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