Paint or no paint?
building a large house and am thinking about the painting. Do I paint both inside and outside? I have asked a friend about this before and only got the answer - no you don't need to. I still go back to the very first question we all ask - Why? I'm thinking that it would preserve the wood keeping it from rotting. I'm hoping someone here can set me strait.
-
4th Gen Martin Fan
- Posts: 1498
- Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 1:19 pm
- Location: TN/Collierville
- Martin Colony History: I have been exposed to purple martin sounds in utero when my mother went out to get my father away from his martin colony.
I played around the martin colony every summer and watched as my father maintained his colony. In the late 50's until the 70's he did not notice European Starlings in south Texas.
When old enough, I helped maintain his colony. My primary task was eliminating English House Sparrows with a 1956 Benjamin 317 .177 air rifle.
When I settled into my own home, I started my first colony with an original Trio Castle and Trio Grandpa. When I moved again, I did not put up any martin houses. Frustration with European Starlings in the Southeast US was overwhelming.
Found PMCA Forum and learned about modern enlarged compartments and SREHs.
Inherited my father's last martin house, a Trio Grandma, modified it to modern specifications and have had good results since then.
Lou,
I imagine that you put a lot of time, effort, and expense into your house.
I imagine you are very proud of it like my father was of his first house.
He painted the outside white and recoated the outside on a regular basis to preserve it.
I never saw him paint the inside. That house lasted a long time. I imagine the redwood helped. Since redwood is so scarce now, not a scrap of that wood was wasted when it was dismantled and replaced by Trio aluminum houses.
Mark.
I imagine that you put a lot of time, effort, and expense into your house.
I imagine you are very proud of it like my father was of his first house.
He painted the outside white and recoated the outside on a regular basis to preserve it.
I never saw him paint the inside. That house lasted a long time. I imagine the redwood helped. Since redwood is so scarce now, not a scrap of that wood was wasted when it was dismantled and replaced by Trio aluminum houses.
Mark.
Mark.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
-
Chris Brown
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2014 2:01 pm
- Location: Alberta/Sexsmith
Think about this from the birds point of view. Even thought they now nest in man made housing they still have thousands of years of genetic programming to nest it deep dark tree cavities. So natural wood it what they like on the inside. I all so believe they are way my sensitive to chemicals then we are or possibly just smarter about it. I put up 10 freshly stained tree swallow houses three years ago and the swallows where all over them with in a week. In the end only one pair with an sy female nested. I thought I hade some kind of predator problem but since the one pair fledged your I left them up. The next year I had 100% occupancy. I feel it was the fresh stain on the out side of the boxes. To the point all the experienced land lords recommend light/white paint on the outside and natural wood on the inside.
When I have time, I plan to build a house. I would definitely paint the outside. Wood last much, much longer when it has a coat of paint on it.
I've often wondered about the inside. A light color would be brighter to see. But, when eggs first hatch, I do not think it's good to have 'brightness' because the newly hatched birds eyes are not well developed yet.
This is my rationale any way. Maybe I'm way off base here....hopefully some vets with insight will interject?
EDIT: It just occurred to me that gourds are BOTH white outside AND inside....maybe I am off base....
I've often wondered about the inside. A light color would be brighter to see. But, when eggs first hatch, I do not think it's good to have 'brightness' because the newly hatched birds eyes are not well developed yet.
This is my rationale any way. Maybe I'm way off base here....hopefully some vets with insight will interject?
EDIT: It just occurred to me that gourds are BOTH white outside AND inside....maybe I am off base....
-
Jose Rodriguez
- Posts: 692
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2014 10:34 am
- Location: FL/Belleview
Paint! The heavier the better! Just my two cents. Good Luck! 
P.S. I am referring to the outside of the house.
P.S. I am referring to the outside of the house.
PMCA Member
"Keep Calm and It Will Happen"
"Keep Calm and It Will Happen"
-
Dave Duit
- Posts: 2145
- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:02 pm
- Location: Iowa / Nevada
- Martin Colony History: In 2024, 82 pair with 350 fledged youngsters. 110 total cavities available, 82 Troyer Horizontal gourds and a homemade PVC / metal 28 compartment unit, 1 fallout shelter. Hawk and owl guards included. Martin educator and speaker. President and founder of the Iowa Purple Martin Organization. Please visit Iowa Purple Martin Organization on Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627283871068161 Emails send to [email protected]. Subject line include Iowa Purple Martin.
The interiors of my metal houses are bright and shiny and it doesn't seem to make too much of a difference in occupancy.