# Paint for loft?



## elalan (Sep 3, 2008)

I see some lofts that are painted inside. What type of paint is best? Toxicity? How many coats? Durability? I can see renting a sprayer and just blasting away a few coats. A touch up coat every other year or so and it might stay nice and bright. I grew up on a farm and we would have the inside of the barn 'whitewashed' every once in awhile, which I understand was a lime spray type thing. Thanks in advance for any advice.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

well you really don't have to paint the inside, I don't. unless you just really want to of course, I would use something that can be washed, of coure let the fumes dry up well before the birds.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

spirit wings said:


> ...let the fumes dry up well before the birds.


A good test is to also paint a small piece of wood and take it inside with you. When you think the loft has dried enough and is ready for your birds, set the small piece of wood right next to you for several hours while you are here on Pigeon-Talk. If you can still smell the fumes, please don't close your birds up inside the loft yet. Their respiratory systems are much more sensitive than ours and they can't "leave the room" if they want to. There are some low fume interior paints, but exterior paints can take weeks to stop stinking!


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

We used "satin/semi-gloss exterior white house paint". We used a flat paint the first time and it was hard to clean the walls. The satin/semi-gloss makes it much easier to wipe down.
I moved my birds in the next day. No problems.


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

I go to Lowes and find a $10 mistake can that is off white to brownish white to grey. The color of pigeon dust/poop. So when I clean the loft it looks clean. 

Not rocket science. Exterior Latex works best. I just finished my 5 gallon bucket of $15 paint. Now I am using the $10 a gallon expensive stuff. 

Randy


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

I pay $15+ for 1 gallon exterior satin paint here. I think using exterior paint is more durable for the inside. I would use water based paint instead of oil based because they dry faster and without that "smell."


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## Bobcat (Feb 26, 2009)

when I built my main loft 20 years ago I used alkyd floor paint and tremclad on the walls, it sticks to the wood like nothing else without a primer and still cleans up easily. I don't think I have ever repainted the floor either. If you use cheap interior or exterior paint without a primer it will wear off before long if you wash and scrape it or pressure wash it.


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## Brummie (Feb 16, 2009)

I don't see any benefit's to painting the inside of a loft. It may look pretty for a day or two. It may be just me, I like the colour's of wood, even with a little poop on them. My Granfather painted his loft, the old lime mix.I dunno,he just detered me from the regiment of putting on a new slap of paint whenever the loft was not looking perfect.
Let's face it poop is poop, wether you scrape it from wood or the highest quality paint. To me it would be a chore.


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## Big T (Mar 25, 2008)

I like the oil based stain on the wood to keep the mites out. Red mites live in the wood and feed on the birds.


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

Now I don't know what type of paint we used but its bright red...like Macdonalds red lol! 

We did this because we had high flyers and it was just easier for them to spot the bright red paint among the white/tan/brown houses. (We painted the inside bright red, and outside like "barn red".


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

The only thing inside the loft I painted was the nestboxes. I used a latex exterior satin. Used two coats. It dries fast, and the smell won't last long at all. But be sure to use the exterior paint. I like Randy's idea of buying the mistake paint. 

Randy, is the color of pigeon dust/poop hard to find? LOL. For that matter, you could probably buy two cans of mistake paint, that mixed together would give you the same effect. Could be fun trying.


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## wovenwoman (Jul 2, 2003)

Wouldnt painting the inside with a good exterior semi gloss make it a lot easier to keep clean?


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## g0ldenb0y55 (Dec 23, 2008)

I was told to use exterior semi gloss paint for the inside. I never got around to painting mine but it would sure brighten things up in there.


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## Birdman79 (Aug 9, 2007)

g0ldenb0y55 said:


> I was told to use exterior semi gloss paint for the inside. I never got around to painting mine but it would sure brighten things up in there.


I agree,white on the inside brightens things up,which is a good thing.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

wovenwoman said:


> Wouldnt painting the inside with a good exterior semi gloss make it a lot easier to keep clean?


Actually, yes it would. But I wouldn't use semi gloss. I'd use a satin, as I think it has a little less shine to it. I like the wood also, but there are a few other places that I might add paint to, like some of the shelves where they like to sit. I never painted those, or the perches. I scrape so much that I would think that in time it would just wear off anyway. And they don't get any poop on the walls, except for maybe at the end of the perch that is next to the wall. The walls would be easier to clean though, if they were painted. Don't think I'd want to look at white all over the place though. It would have to be something else on the light side. I don't really need to lighten things up, as I have so many large windows. Maybe just on the dark days.


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## ezemaxima (Jan 12, 2008)

2 reasons I painted the inside of my loft were ... the white paint made my loft brighter inside and since i have an open loft design... it keeps the wood from rotting prematurely. I didn't paint my loft floor.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Yes. It definately protects it from the elements.


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