Working with Drylock

[Danimal]

I chose to use drylock on this build mostly because I had stalemated myself worrying over what to use on the inside of my current build. Also the walls of this enclosure will be completely covered so I wasn't worried about a pretty finish. I know Antonio used it on his ackie build and seen it on others talking about using it around the net. I heard it was messy but so are other similar products, I assume, because of what it is they do, block moisture. Now I know that it is messy but I learned some things I thought I would share.

It doesn't seem to be made to be brushed on, at least in this application. It's got grit in it, which I think may be meant to fill the small holes in cinder block but on a smooth surface like wood it just clumps. The stuff doesn't thicken super fast but enough to make it really messy so be as quick as you can. After messing with it this is what I did to get the result I was comfortable with.

Most importantly I left the mixer in the can while I was using it. I used a stirrer that attaches to a drill. I would stir then just open the chuck and leave the stir bit in the can. I stirred it frequently, like every 10 mins or so and if I was rolling I used small amounts from the can and just poured more often. I used 2 methods, both work fine. The first was I bought a big thick 4" brush and dabbed. It's the slower of the 2 but the least messy. You can dip straight out of the can, glob it on thick and just work it out evenly. The second was rolling with a foam nap. I still used the brush method to trim it out, rolling was quicker but messy because of the pouring into the tray. I ended up just dabbing the whole final coat.

I put on 2 thin coats, 2 days in between each coat, and dabbed the last one on thicker.

[jarich]

Looking good man. Can you get a close up of it? Id like to see what the texture is like when finished.

Excited to see the final product. Should be an awesome enclosure when youre done.

[Danimal]

The first close up I shot, with no scale, just looked like popcorn ceiling. It's more like 40 or 60 grit sand paper. It really doesn't look bad if you take the time to put it on evenly and don't mind the blindingly white color. Mine will be covered with coco husk, hopefully it won't show.

[jarich]

Thats pretty cool man, thanks. I had never considered this stuff before seeing a couple posts like yours. I like the texture. Shame that it only comes in white. I wonder if you could mix colour into it and not damage the waterproof properties. Would love to do this in a dark green or grey even.

[Danimal]

It does come a few different colors, grey, green and blue but the green and blue are light, kinda washed out. They either don't carry the other colors or they were out in the home depot and lowes around me. I went to 2 home depots and 2 lowes. One of the lowes had a display with all 4 colors painted on a cinder block in water, that's where I saw the other colors. I have seen posts where people said they tinted it themselves but I am too chicken to do it. It's fairly inexpensive though, 21 bucks a gal in Memphis.

* you could probably paint over it too. I will paint over any of the white that shows, like around the doors.

I've got to build the doors, one more coat of black on the back and outside frame then stain the outside panels. Then it will be time to decorate and find some monitors.

[NextMorph]

Very cool. I've actually never heard of this stuff. I will have to look into it. I sure hope we have it in Canada. Seems like we miss out on a lot of good things. Lol. Looking good! I can't wait to see it once you've put the doors and panels on, etc!

[Danimal]

Drylock is just a cheap basement paint. People paint their whole enclosures with it, The part I am painting with it will never have constant contact with the substrate. This project is taking me a lot longer than I had hoped, may be awhile before it's finished.

The pic above is looking straight down through the top of the enclosure and that is the top piece. Here are a couple more pics to give you a better idea of what it will look like.

This is the same piece as the one above from the front before the drylock. The small opening at the top I have decided to cover with a hinged panel to have easier access to lighting.


This in is the whole enclosure as I was just starting to put the panels on. You can see one on the bottom right side. That's just plain birch plywood, it will be stained red mahogany.

[marvelfreak]

Looking good. What are you putting in it?

[Danimal]

Tree monitors. Black if I can find some, green if I cannot.