Plywood or melamine

[Joetheyido]

Hello guys and girls I'm looking at making a viv for my stars but I don't know what to use that's going to be safe for torts and keep water in without leaking and to keep humidity up. I'm looking at plywood then some sort of varnish but not sure what's safe and it's hard to get some of the same products you guys get and weather there safe or would melamine or furniture board as it's called aswell as sealing the edges with a safe sealent be better for the torts as not sure weather a paint would effect them. Cheers

 

[Yvonne G]

I use regular exterior plywood, then line it with either pond liner or 6ml plastic sheeting.

 

[Tom]

Definitely plywood.

What to coat it with is another question. A question that I still don't have a good answer for. Some people use regular paint. Non-toxic boat paint works perfectly because it is tough and meant to be submerged all the time, but its expensive. I've used Dry-Lok and it appears to be working well...

 

[Gillian M]

Plywood.

 

[Joetheyido]

Cheers. Plastic sheeting is an idea I will look at how easy it is. Its quite hard to get drylok here so will have to get some info on some more available ones. Thanks for replying

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I have used and do use Fiberglass resin, gel. (No mat)
I use it because I can aquire it from our wholesale supplier. It can de-laminate from the wood over time. But it generally works very well for me sealing cement, wood, etc.
However, very few of us use fiberglass for sealing. But it IS an option.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Definitely plywood.

What to coat it with is another question. A question that I still don't have a good answer for. Some people use regular paint. Non-toxic boat paint works perfectly because it is tough and meant to be submerged all the time, but its expensive. I've used Dry-Lok and it appears to be working well...

I followed Tom's example of Dry-Lok (it's a paint brand available at Lowe's) and I agree it is working.

 

[Joetheyido]

I'm not to sure on fibreglass may look into it for future Viv's. I have been looking for drylok but in UK not sure I can get it very easy, trying to find one here, wickes in uk have ronseal varnish or there own brand, is water based and low odour so not sure if that would be similar to drylok

 

[Anyfoot]

I'm not to sure on fibreglass may look into it for future Viv's. I have been looking for drylok but in UK not sure I can get it very easy, trying to find one here, wickes in uk have ronseal varnish or there own brand, is water based and low odour so not sure if that would be similar to drylok

If your prepared to pay for it chlorinated rubber paint is excellent. It's what they use for ponds and swimming pools. Have a look on eBay.

 

[Anyfoot]

You can get drylok on eBay too. That doesn't look cheap either over here.

 

[Tom]

I know they have boats in the UK. Non-toxic boat paint would be the best thing for this application.

 

[Joetheyido]

Oh I thought that was expensive cause you can't get it that easy over here, I will look at that if I can't find anything that I think will be safe. I can get yacht varnish pretty easy is if that's the same as boat paint.