Fake wall question..

Meko · #1 (**permalink**) 07-10-2007, 01:23 AM

I made a fake wall for my beardie and used a low odour varnish but it took weeks with the light on (in an empty viv) for the smell to go.
I'm making one for the collared but have no spare viv to put it in to air it. Is there any varnish that is totally odour free that i can use to put straight into the viv or would it be ok to grout the polystyrene, pva it and sprinkle sand onto it? would it be strong enough without varnish to harden it?

DeanThorpe · #2 (**permalink**) 07-10-2007, 01:27 AM

as far a si know...nothing is ok to put straight in after varnishing.

but grouting the polysterine, pva and sand would be fine, i expect a few hours/half a day drying time though...

Can you make it so the fake wall can be slippled in place once dry and then maybe..pegged into place? liek a very basic rabbit hutch door?

karma · #3 (**permalink**) 07-10-2007, 08:11 AM

I always used varnish and have had a background drying out for weeks/months and it was only ready for the second coat of varnish the other day,

After buying some reps and equip from steve at the living rainforest,And him saying his mate uses pva i tried it for the first time,And i wont be going back to varnish unless i am doing something where time isnt a issue,

Go pva its brill to use and rock solid as long as you grout as usual underneath

.

And its suprising how little it uses compared to the varnish.

ViRMiN · #4 (**permalink**) 07-10-2007, 08:49 AM

Ay-up Meko! Just spotted the thread, and thought I'd put a 2p into it!

I bought polystyrene sheet from Wickes and grout & tile adhesive (all-in-one premixed) from B&Q. Using a little white spirit, "painted" lines onto the polystyrene which causing it you melt and form pits. I left that to air in the porch for a few days, then grouted the whole "rockface", finishing off by pushing sand into the wet grout. When I do it again, I'm going to reinforce the back of the sheet because once it's done, it's heavy and I nearly split it in half (was 2ft square).

Cut the polystyrene with a very sharp (maybe even hot?) knife to get a flat edge, you don't really want rough edges as the poly balls will come off and get everywhere. Though you can sieve your substrate to clean that up!

It's not as impressive as the rock walls built using layers of broken polystyrene grouted together but, it does give the lizards extra places to climb! Watch your basking lamp though, the might want to jump onto it!

Meko · #5 (**permalink**) 07-10-2007, 11:20 AM

cheers people, i just needed confirmation the pva and sand would be ok so i'll just do that.

ViRMiN, it's just a basic one as he's just got the back wall to climb and always tries to climb the bare walls. The basking light is on one side wall so i'm going to leave that one bare. Luckily i measured the door to make sure i'll be able to get it in when it's finished.

ViRMiN · #6 (**permalink**) 07-10-2007, 11:30 AM

Mine try to climb the bare walls too; I will do all three walls sometime. I bought them a live plant yesterday, which so far, is coping with the pair of them quite well! Another favourite of theirs is to run up the wall and climb onto the UV reflector, or sit on the top of the fake wall. I'll probably let them out for a bit today...

KXC · #7 (**permalink**) 08-10-2007, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meko

I made a fake wall for my beardie and used a low odour varnish but it took weeks with the light on (in an empty viv) for the smell to go.
I'm making one for the collared but have no spare viv to put it in to air it. Is there any varnish that is totally odour free that i can use to put straight into the viv or would it be ok to grout the polystyrene, pva it and sprinkle sand onto it? would it be strong enough without varnish to harden it?

I'm toying with the idea of making a wall like this some time in the future. Isn't it possible to make the wall to size outside the viv and place in position once 100% dry and fume free? (probably in sections to fit through the viv doors) The only thing that puzzles me would be how to secure the wall if its made this way.

This is my Clone · #8 (**permalink**) 08-10-2007, 08:22 AM

When I made a fake wall, I backed it with wood. That way I could attach it to the back with screws. Any bits of wood that were visable through the wall got a coat of grout etc...

karma · #9 (**permalink**) 09-10-2007, 11:07 PM

If your making it to size just grout and sand the back aswell just incase any small crixs get behing it,(if you dont they will chew away at the back,

Also why not make the background with 1 side also attached and make the other side seperate ?,

If you think a 2ftx2ft peice is heavy try my latest 1 which is (4x2ft) with 1 side on it attached (2ftx18 inch)and because of the way it is all i have to do is sit it in place,get someone to hold the front while i drill a couple of small holes through the back of viv into the background,And place a couple of dowels through and bobs your uncle ????? your aunt jobs a good en,

Will post a piccie tomorrow of the very very nearly finished background

.

ViRMiN · #10 (**permalink**) 09-10-2007, 11:17 PM

It's heavy in the sense that the weakened polystyrene is likely to snap if only lifted at the edges. Look forward to the pics!

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