Its so much cheaper building your own viv!

[JAM3S]

Just built my second viv today. I thought about it this morning and thought i would just nip out and get the wood to make a start but as i type this the viv is completed in front of me with just the sealant to dry overnight.

Wood (pre cut to size) £15
Glass £16 (6mm smoothed edges)
runners & fixings etc £8

Total = £39 for a 36" x 18" x 18" viv

I also have enough glass runner and fixings to make another the same size so that would cost about another £35. The cheapest i have seen 3ft vivs in the shops is £80. Its crazy really that for a couple of hours easy work (im not that good at DIY stuff) you can build two 3ft vivs cheaper than you could buy one in the shops!

I wanted to do a kind of walkthrough to show how easy it is but no camera at the moment.

[marston87]

where u get ur stuff from?

[snickers]

I was also surprised how easy it was, and every new one gets better than the first.

[farnell182]

Originally Posted by marston87

where u get ur stuff from?

slight seconds conti board from builders yards keep the costs down of building your own and most of the time is hardly noticeable. most viv builders use 18mm contiboard thats slight seconds

[JAM3S]

All the stuff was bought from my local handy centre and local glaziers (sp?)
It does get easy after the first one. I would definately recommend using the little 90 degree contiboard joiners and another tip would be to put a dab of superglue on them to stick them in place before screwing down then when you come to screw the pieces together they dont move about.

[chris25]

when i made mine i got a template made from thin gauge metal with pre-drilled holes in, all i do is lay it on each board and pilot drill each hole then countersink the outer faces...then offer them up drill screws in .....can knock one up in less than hour this way (just the carcass build) and the template ensures every hole lines up and is neat and tidy with out the need to mark out every hole....and the pilot hole stops the wood splitting.

i wouldnt buy another viv now unless i needed a particular finish

[JAM3S]

thats a great idea for the template, i'd not thought of that

[chris25]

Originally Posted by JAM3S

thats a great idea for the template, i'd not thought of that

really simple.....means you can just wizz the holes in every where and not be juggling around trying to hold it all together while marking the holes.

[lizard wizard]

is it i ll wait to see that,ill let you know when im finished

[chris25]

Originally Posted by lizard wizard

is it i ll wait to see that,ill let you know when im finished

how did you get on?

ive knocked another 6 x 2 x 2 on tuesday,put partition in to make a pair of 3 x 2 x 2's will post pics when glazed and electrics all done

cost grand total of about £90 for the pair