Hi all, just wondering what everyone uses to clean their wooden kennels with and to waterproof them with. I got a kennel built about a year ago with a heat lamp inside which we have put in our garage but we stupidly never teated the wood as our dogs come indoors. But we have a litter planned and I would like to use the kennel and run for the pups whenthey are a little older as its such a waste. One of our dogs did have an accident in it and the wood has stained and I'm just wondering is it worth cleaning and treating??

I painted the floor with Bitumen paint (it was already treated with wood preserver).  You can sand off the shine, or leave it to wear down.

I redo the external with the shed and fence treatment (water based wax etc),outside every other year or maybe every third, and the inside I have done twice in 11 years.

It needs a redo outside this year.

Thanks Brainless....is the bitumen paint black?? Our kennel is just the bare wood with no teatment on it...stupid of us really not treating it!! We postioned it inside the garage where we thought it would be shielded from the elements...we forgot about dogs elements ie wee and poop!! Is this paint ok and safe around puppies too as I would like to use the kennel and run for pups when they are  a bit older to give them more space when they are weaned and on their feet?? Do you know of a good kennel cleaner to scrub the wood with before we treat it?? sorry for all the questions but I hate seeing the kennel going to waste!!

The paint dries to a black gloss and doesn't chip.

I would treat the kennel first with a proper wood treatment.

The bitumen paint will provide a waterproof barrier.  I would paint the floor and a few inches up the sides.

Mine has had 11 years every day use with the odd accident and that many litters peeing on it and is solid and sound as the day I put it down.

I would scrub the kennel out with bleach and detergent solution, wait for it to dry thoroughly then use the timber treatment like water based cuprinol, the kind designed to impregnate the wood.

Do the floor with the black bitumen paint, and then the outside and sides with the timbercare stuff.  Comes in all sorts of colours, you can even use contrasting colours for the window frames to make it pretty :)

Check the timber treatment cans for pet safety.

Thankyou soo much Brainless for the super advice!!! I will defo do that now this weekend and get the kenenl sorted as its such a waste letting it go wher I could eb making full use of it!! I have looked on the B and q website and saw both the cuprinol wood teatement and bitumen so will get my butt down there asap!!!
Thanks again for the advice much appreciated!!
Clare