Is it safe to paint a bird feeder

Concern over painting a bird feeder is if the paint in use is safe, well it is a good thing you do have concerns because paint poisoning on feeders can be founded to be true.

It is safe to paint a bird feeder if using a non toxic, water based paint that is for exterior use on wooden yard decor only. Apply paint to made in wood hanging seed or nut bird feeder or apply to platform feeder to allow grain to show through. What you must prioritize is making sure paint can't bleed onto food.

Its an exciting prospect of livening up an old bird feeder or painting a brand new one that needs to match the backyard decor.

Well, you can if using non toxic paints designed for yard furniture, so must be for exterior use with a brush on application - as spray techniques is absolutely not needed for this purpose.

You can paint or stain a bird feeder if relying paint from a respectable paint manufacturer, but a pastel colour or a more natural wood shade can be an option.

So, to finish a bird feeder that is to be painted in a more natural shade, refer to Cuprinol Garden Shades Seasoned Oak for example - or why not try Majic Paints Town & Country Exterior Latex Satin Paint in a Classic Satin Red - with other shades available.

You can use a larger paint can as an occasional repaint would be needed, but in reality you only need a 500ml or smaller paint paint can to offer all the coverage you need.

Only paint a hanging wooden bird feeder, hopper style feeders or bird feeding platforms in a paint that is promoted as non toxic or water based - its then safe for wildlife, pets and plants to come into contact with.

Non toxic paints only

It is safe to paint a bird feeder of any kind, providing you are prepared to use non-toxic paint only, for exterior use.

Now I would say to leave a wooden bird feeder or bird feeding platform unpainted but with a preserve treatment only to be the best option - but to paint it you must use caution every step of the way.

Thankfully, most outdoor paints for painting backyard furniture, sheds, fences, arbour's, summer houses, trellis, tables, chairs and so forth - tend to be safe for animals or people when dried, or cured.

Toxic paint can be can be in liquid form, but its only when its fully dry it becomes very safe to touch, or even digest in small amounts if that were to happen.

What you must do then is use a quality exterior paint brand to apply only one coat, but in the process - brush it deep into the grain to prevent paint bleeding onto feed.

Avoid painting Feeder interior

To paint a wooden bird feeder that hangs, mounted or is a covered feeding platform can be challenging - the challenge being to avoid painting the area that comes into contact with the wild bird food.

Paint a bare wood bird feeder of any kind can not only liven up the yard decor, but can be an attractive prospect for wild birds to land on to feed.

Imagine then applying paint to a bird feeder without losing the natural grain, but then to not paint where birds feed off.

Result of that of course is a mismatch of odd shades of paint and bare wood.

Not a look that would go well with the backyard landscape, but something obviously anyone would seriously be happy to keep as is.

You can then paint the interior of the wooden hanging bird feeder or on the feeding platform of the ground or bird feeder mounted to a post - providing you brush deep into the grain while using a quality paint to prevent paint leaching onto seeds, peanut or scraps.

Exterior paint only

Don't be cheap when it comes to buying bird safe paint for wood at The Home Depot or Lowes; only use exterior, as interior only paint would soon fade or ware off in a matter of weeks.

Any paint promoted as yard furniture paint is basically all you need, you can then focus on what color to paint the bird feeder, rather than being concerned if it would stick.

Exterior paint for use on furniture is absolutely going to be suitable on something like a bird feeder. And with that exterior formula, it needs to withstand the outdoor elements, so be sure its hard wearing.

So as pets come into contact with painted furniture, so to do wild birds come into contact with feeders. We can then guarantee dried paint is harmless to not only pets and wildlife alike, but even plants.

No difficulty to apply exterior paint either as all you'll need is a brush, but remember its not possible to hide grain unless you coat it with several layers - but then the feeder risks looking more cheap, like plastic.

No odour or lasting smells

Modern day exterior paint for use on wooden backyard furniture has little smell out of the can, but even less so when its a non toxic, water-based formula.

What that means for you, while you paint your bird feeder it has no lasting smells that can feel toxic to birds, thus keeping them well away.

Its natural for a freshly painted piece of wood to smell a little - be it too strong or indeed have more of a pleasant smell - but the trick is to wait it out.

Once the bird feeder is painted outdoors, its then time to sit the feeder outdoors for the coming days to provide enough time for any noticeable odour to evaporate.

To achieve that you must always keep the newly painted bird feeder outdoors. If its wet outdoors put it under cover, but if its frosty then wait until the weather improves.

Non toxic paint is generally water based, so it may be OK to paint the bird feeder indoors with the kids - but remember to ventilate the room by opening a window or two.

Preserve untreated bird feeder

While you shouldn't experience any issues by painting a bird feeder, if using a quality exterior paint only - its essential the said bird feeder is indeed preserved.

Unpainted, untreated wooden bird feeders absolutely need a form of treatment, as the bird food moisture can bleed into the timber, thus causing it to rot.

We can then seal an untreated wooden bird feeder with a generous amount of clear preserve, or if you like an anti-bacteria treatment.

Now I say a clear preserve only because if you were to paint it afterwards, the color or taint off a preserve can show up on your shade of paint - thus ruining the intended paint finish, so can never look the same.

To paint a bird feeder then its imperative you coat it in clear preserve or other treatment only, or at least guarantee its already been preserved.

Apply preserve to a bird feeder or bird feeding platform just as you would paint, but make sure the more thinner preserve bleeds into the wood grain.

To summarize

It is absolutely safe to paint a bird feeder providing you take caution when picking an exterior paint, mostly designed for wooden outdoor backyard decor.

If its promoted as non toxic or water based, then the paint is perfectly OK to apply to a wooden bird feeder that hangs, or a more traditional post mounted platform.

Concern is where the bird feed comes into contact with the paint, so if you can leave these areas unpainted. But in reality you'd want to paint it as it can appear to be unfinished - but look very ugly at the same time.

Test a piece of wood if you want while keeping it in contact with bird food, that way you can be sure there's no risk of paint leaching onto bird feed, that would in turn be ingested by common backyard birds that use feeders.

Health risk is small if using non toxic paints, but you don't want to risk it.

Exterior paint only then that is developed by a well known paint manufacturer. It will show up the grain if applied once, in which is the finish you will want.

Quality exterior paint can smell a little or not at all, but do leave the freshly painted bird feeder outside for several days to allow any lasting smells or odour to fade away.

Preserve untreated wooden bird feeder before painting then, so its sure to last for many years to come.

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