How long to air out new enclosure?

[Erik Elvis]

Hey guys

Built a new indoor enclosure for the sulcata. Taking my time doing it. Painted the interior prob over a month ago and put a coat of urethane between 2-3 weeks ago. It still smells when I stick my head down in it. Will this go away with some more time or should I set it up without substrate and just let the heat lamps cook it?

Thanks for your time
Erik

 

[Markw84]

Did you use urethane or polyurethane? Urethane is toxic to small animals.

 

[Erik Elvis]

Water based polycrylic by minwax.

 

[Bambam1989]

Hey guys

Built a new indoor enclosure for the sulcata. Taking my time doing it. Painted the interior prob over a month ago and put a coat of urethane between 2-3 weeks ago. It still smells when I stick my head down in it. Will this go away with some more time or should I set it up without substrate and just let the heat lamps cook it?

Thanks for your time
Erik

What has the room temp been at? If it has been in a well ventilated area with around 70f or higher it should be dried.
You might try to lightly hand wash it..

 

[Erik Elvis]

Yeah it’s been sitting in the living room. House is usually between 60-65

I thought polycrylic was polyurethane but it seems it’s not. I hope it’s ok for the cage

Edit: ok quick search shows the polycrylic is ok. I thought I had looked it up but couldn’t remember what I found out!

 

[Bambam1989]

As long as there is a smell I wouldn't use it. You could heat it up and see what happens. I am curious to hear how it ends up working.

 

[Markw84]

That needs to be applied in very thin coats. If applied too thick it will take longer to dry, but not as long as you've already waited.

Polyurethane and polycrylic aren't designed for areas with high moisture or water exposure. They are not toxic, but I don't feel a good choice for the inside of an enclosure because of the moisture.

The "new paint smell" will last on most products long after it has fully dried/cured. If it is completely dry and smooth to the touch, with no stickiness, I would go ahead and turn the lights and heat on the enclosure, let it get up to 80° for a day or so, and really dry out the enclosure. Should be OK after that. But for future reference, I would not recommend those products in an enclosure.

 

[Erik Elvis]

Ok thanks guys. This was my second tortoise enclosure build. It’s way better than the first but still not perfect. I’ll be building another in a couple years so it’s all it has to last. What do you recommend for the inside?

 

[Markw84]

Ok thanks guys. This was my second tortoise enclosure build. It’s way better than the first but still not perfect. I’ll be building another in a couple years so it’s all it has to last. What do you recommend for the inside?

I really like Rustoleum Countertop Paint. It's the most durable, food safe surface I have found that works well inside an enclosure and is made for wet surfaces. I have some that is now 2 years old and still looks the same as it did when I first applied it. It is a simple paint-on product I use over a standard latex primer. A variety of colors to choose from, which I like as I don't like the standard black or white. There is also a pond product called Pond Shield. It is made for the inside of a fish pond or fish tank. Probably the most durable surface you could use. However, it is a two part product that must be mixed and applied quickly as it chemically hardens. Similar to using fiberglass, but this is an epoxy product.

 

[Tom]

I've tried all sorts of products over the years, and all of them failed or were unsuitable in some way. I'm looking forward to trying Mark's countertop pair suggestion, as it seems like it would work, but I recently did use the Pond Shield and I am pretty happy with it. It is not as difficult to mix and apply as it might seem, but do follow their directions.

 

[Erik Elvis]

Thanks again. I looked up pond shield and it’s pretty expensive. Does it cover better than paint?

 

[Ramsey]

I used the Rust-Oleum countertop paint months ago, based on Mark's recommendation. I can second the feedback. It's rock solid and fresh as day one. I had the guys tint it for me when I got it. Only downside is the cost.

For me, the new paint smell hung out for a while, and I didn't want to risk it until it was gone completely. But seems based on above, it should cure quickly.