construction material?

[aRepDysfunction]

Quick question, im building some tanks this weekend, they will be painted and sealed with animal safe paint, but does it matter what i use for the wood underneath?

My main available options seem to be spruce or fir.

[jpsteele80]

As long as it's a hard wood like maple, birch or oak ect.

[LarryS]

Many ply woods are as bad as particle board when it comes to moisture. The cabinet grade variety will not hold up well unless sealed very well.

That said, if propery sealed up most any will work and last many years.
I am fond of the Titebond II and III wood glue for joint assy.

Sealing the interior is a controversial topic when it comes to animal safety, make sure you do your research.
By the time you buy wood, glue, fasteners and sealer, you may be approaching the price of PVC.

[Jim Smith]

I agree with Larry on this one, especially if you use 3/4 inch Oak or Birch plywood. You can buy top quality marine grade King StarLite 1/2 inch thick 24x60 inches for $59 on sale. All of my cages are made from this material (3/8 inch thick) and it is fantastic stuff. Works like wood except it does not accept adhesives so you have to use dovetail joints. Just thought...
Amazon.com: King Plastic Starlite XL 24X60X1/2 U-Gray - XL2460UG12: Sports & Outdoors (http://www.amazon.com/King-Plastic-Starlite-24X60X1-U-Gray/dp/B00C4ZXU10/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1397999755&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=king+starlite+xl)

[aRepDysfunction]

Wont work for what im building i need huge sheets, building 3 cabinets that will each be 4 feet wide, 2 feet deep and almost 8 feet tall, each compartmentalized into either 4 or 6 separate tanks.

[jpsteele80]

If you don't want to worry about sealing it, you can always buy FRP and glue it down to the wood, that's what I used to do with my monitor tanks, holds in humidity very well and easy to clean

[natsirtremraf]

I would think with paint or good seal the wood under wouldn't matter. I know certain woods are bad to use for reptiles though. Not for certain, but for safety reasons I would avoid Pine and Cedar. Don't quote me, I don't know for sure.

So I am currently building a cage out of 3/4" Oak plywood, and solid oak trim for the front. Using Spar Varnish to seal and silicone on the inside edges/corners for an even better seal. In case you don't know, Spar Varnish is used in Marine applications, so you know it handles moisture well :P. I put I piece of vinyl flooring on the bottom of the cage for even extra protection from moisture.
Heres my build thread if you want to check it out: http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/general-enclosure-discussion/104015-diy-wooden-enclosure-48-x24-x18.html

Keep in mind however if you do decide to use Spar Varnish; give it plenty of time to cure until you can't smell any fumes to make sure its safe for the inhabitants.