waterproofing the inside of you terrarium

[markg29]

Hi my name is Mark and I live in Canada and I am in the process of planning to build a terrarium out of an armoire and was wondering if anyone know's of a easy and safe way to water proof the inside. Any info would be great

thanks

 

[happy]

I have read that people use DryLok Masonry water proofer. But, im not sure if it off-gasses anything harmful to chameleons. you could probably use polyurethane, and let it sit for a while till it does not have any odor. use silicone caulk, available in most colors... you could "brush" it on, viola, water proof. Whats going inside? you could run into issue with humidity...... respiratory infections.... you get the idea.
got a picture of the before?

 

[SaintJimmy]

I highly recommend that you do not spray anything onto the wood unless you know it's safe.

You do not need any kind of magical water proofer, if you really want, you can paint on a sealant. But you must let that air out for quite a long time if you want to put a cham in it.

Anyway, I suggest just buying pieces of PVC sheets and drilling them into the sides/gluing them into the sides of the wood so the wood doesn't rot out.

Honestly I would paint over the wood with a sealant on the inside, let it dry out, then drill PVC sheets over the wood.

 

[junglefries]

I would paint over the wood with a sealant on the inside, let it dry out, then drill PVC sheets over the wood.

Use the clear Minwax polyurethane and the pvc sheets glued on. Allow for poly to dry at least a week or two before adding glue.

 

[happy]

After reading the above posts, i though i should do a bit of research. i did find a product specifically labeled to be fish safe, called PondArmor. Now, i cannot attest to the safety of the product, other members on the forum seem to have had no issues with it and their animals, i have also read about members using the Dry-Lok in enclosures( again, i cannot verify the safety of it). I have read that latex used in Dry-Lok is not bird(i know they are not birds) safe until its dry and has off gassed. I think you would probably do well to heed the advice of the senior members. on another note, I was a bit confused when the more senior members suggested pvc sheets, i guess i was thinking about something like a china cabinet with the glass removed. i had to look up what an armoire was...

 

[markg29]

I found this stuff online its called seal-once http://www.seal-once.com/eco-friendly/waterproof-wood-sealant. seems like a good product. I don't have a cham yet I'm going to be getting a panther but I'm going to take my time and build the terrarium first and make sure that everything I put into his home is safe. another thing I had in mind was seal the wood let it dry for a couple of day's then do a fake rock wall everywhere the wood is and grout it and seal that and that should be good enough. Ill be sure to post before, During, and after pic's but until I have all my research done I won't be starting till then.

thanks for the info

 

[StreetMoggy]

I am also in Canada and I used a sealant, it was non-toxic from Canadian tire. I think I used 2 small cans, and let it air out for a month after application. The sealenr had low odur going on and no smell at all once dry. I've had no issues. Sorry I don't remember the brand

 

[Twitchet]

I was thinking of doing the same thing- then my idea was to hang a shower curtain - already found a forest scene photograph one on amazon- from top to bottom at the back and sides- to allow for misting spray to drain down then into a large plastic drip tray at base- i have a wooden viv for my panther and all water is collected in a plastic tray that covers the whole floor- it's on a tilt so i can mop up excess and the live plants- same ones that have been i there for over a year soak up the rest- I know that trapped water for wood isnt good so ventilation for it is good so i was thinking of just letting the curtain hang rather than stapling on. I'll be doing that this year so I'll let you all know how it looks.

 

[wavingsnail]

I've used drylok for a few wooden enclosures for mangrove species of monitors in the past with no issues, and I know it's almost the standard for tegu keepers who go the DIY route.

"air out" time is definitely crucial, though.

 

[gotwqqd]

I would use a rubber sheet

 

[Chamaria]

I've tried a couple of different things to waterproof. My favorite is non-toxic marine epoxy. It was also the easiest to apply for me. I let it cure for months before putting my chameleon in the enclosure.

 

[JoCarp]

I used Great Stuff "Pond and Stone" on mine that I'm building. it is safe for fish and obviously would be fine being submerged in water perminately. There are pictures in my albums if you want to make your own natural backdrop versus putting up a picture. Let me know if it intrests you and I can give more info/breakdown of how I did mine.

 

[JLP474]

So I was pondering an idea about if Rhino Liner can be used...did a lil search and it is safe...below is an email from Rhino Liner to someone that asked about it being used in chicken coops...interesting.



Hi,

Yes Rhino Linings materials can be sprayed over wood, metal and other surfaces for waterproofing protection and it is not harmful to the livestock. The material has been sprayed in grain bins and feeder trucks for years. You can use it to line your coops and feeders without any issues.

Regards,

Ron LoPresto