Building Enclosures

SnoopySnake · 10-08-15, 01:27 PM

So I have a couple questions for when I build enclosures... I want to make wooden vivs with sliding doors, but I want then to be bioactive (lots of soil) so they'll need to be sealed good, and lots of support, especially since I want to stack them.

Are either of these sealants good to use? If not, what do you recommend? Links are greatly appreciated.
Products
Epoxy Paints

What should I do to make sure there's enough support? Right now I'm thinking I'll do a big enclosure with a small on top, and 2 of each, and all will have a good 4"-6" of substrate and rock/clay balls.

How do I make sliding doors?

Answers will be so appreciated, I prefer getting answers straight from people who make their vivs. I'm not too skilled in carpentry lol.

reptiledude987 · 10-08-15, 01:36 PM

Not certain on the sealents but with the sliding doors the simplest option is a piece of grooved wood that your glass doors fit into with a little play side to side to allow for the wood to be able to expand a bit from humidity. the other option is to find rollers that can attach to the bottom of the glass and a track for it to sit on. I give the rollers as a second option as its nicer but harder to find the hardware.

SnoopySnake · 10-08-15, 01:39 PM

How much space should you give for the glass to fit? I mean in the grooves. These enclosures will pretty much be built around the size of the glass which hasn't been determined yet.

reptiledude987 · 10-08-15, 03:25 PM

approx 50% thicker than the glass

chairman · 10-08-15, 06:48 PM

Best sealants for fully submerged wood that I'm aware of:

FRP cut to fit the internal dimensions, seal edges with silicone.

Drylok, applied in a half dozen very thin coats.

Pondarmor.

Epoxy.

For sliding glass doors, sorry, have yet to make an aesthetically pleasing one.

jjhill001 · 10-08-15, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chairman

Best sealants for fully submerged wood that I'm aware of:

FRP cut to fit the internal dimensions, seal edges with silicone.

Drylok, applied in a half dozen very thin coats.

Pondarmor.

Epoxy.

For sliding glass doors, sorry, have yet to make an aesthetically pleasing one.

You make it ugly and hide the ugly with 1/8in scrap strips !

pet_snake_78 · 10-09-15, 01:19 AM

Grooved wood should be OK, you can also order plastic tracks and have them shipped to the store through do it best. I've used drylok and don't care for it. It creates a very rough, hard to clean surface. I prefer something easier to wipe down. I have not used epoxy products but I know people do use bar top epoxy to seal cages when they want something really easy to wipe down. Should create a good moisture barrier, too. It's expensive so it might be best to do a couple of coats of polyurethane and then just epoxy the 2-4" that will hold the soil.

eminart · 10-09-15, 10:05 AM

After lots of planning for my large bio enclosure, I went with marine safe epoxy, plastic door tracks, and a frame beneath the floor for support... to answer your specific questions.

Princess-dad · 10-11-15, 02:23 AM

This is what I did .

David VB · 10-11-15, 02:31 AM

maybe you can get some ideas from my latest build?

https://www.facebook.com/david.vanbe...9724417&type=3

Don't know how it's done in the US but over here, for smaller species, we buy sliding profiles for the glass. The upper one is deeper than the lower one, so you just have to make sure the space between both profiles is the height of the glass + the depth of the upper profile. I hope this makes some sense?

David VB · 10-11-15, 02:36 AM

Made a quick drawing of what i meant about the sliding doors :

As you can see, the glass should touch he upper one and then be able to go precisely in the lower one. Then when it's in place, there is a little room between the glass and the upper profile (depth of upper one - depth of lower one)

Akuma223 · 10-13-15, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David VB

Made a quick drawing of what i meant about the sliding doors :

As you can see, the glass should touch he upper one and then be able to go precisely in the lower one. Then when it's in place, there is a little room between the glass and the upper profile (depth of upper one - depth of lower one)

Can you try posting again or link it? Picture doesn't show.

**Tsubaki** · 10-14-15, 04:32 AM

Just wanted to put in another vote for Epoxy resin, i have never had a sealant that worked as well as Epoxy.

dave himself · 10-14-15, 09:56 AM

Here's the answer to your glass sliding doors Snoopy you'll pick them up on eBay