Best sealant to use on wood?

[Mundanechamlady]

Hello,

I am slowly purchasing stuff up to finally buy a cham and am hoping you guys can bless me with your wisdom and experience!

Ive been reading up on chams on and off for years but it was never the right time money wise, well... the time is finally here!

Purchased the reptibreeze med kit last week but inevitably returned it due to size.

I'm not super handy with tools or I'd make one but now I'm considering half making one...

I want to purchase the reptibreeze large (24×48×24) but I plan on putting the monsoon, inside leaving me with a cord that can aesthetically reach an outlet. Also, I don't like the idea of mt wal being shown behind the cage, so I want to purchase a slab of plywood, seal it and attach it to the side walls, omitting the back piece entirely.

I need good recommendations on a non toxic sealant I can use, wether I need to seal the entire piece (front and back) or if I could get away with sealing it with silicon and creating a moss wall back there. I like the idea of being able to attach stuff to it, maybe add some depth with foam, add natural greenery, etc, and create a cord port.

I'll also be creating a free standing pvc pipe structure covered in silicone, substrate and moss so that I can attach vines and plants on it but also good the monsoon water lines inside as they climb up to the top.

My biggest thing right now is the back drop. Im really set on it not being mesh, too a point of considering purchasing acrylic, but that stuff is pricey.

If anyone has suggestions besides wood i'm all ears, and any non toxic waterproof sealant I can use I would love to hear about your experiences, what you recommend, etc.

Also, I know that cage size matters for bulbs, so any suggestions on those would also be appreciated, I have spent most of my time researching everything else and have not read up much on the topic yet, only have the basics figured out. I have grow light bars chosen for the live plants, but how far down into the cage the heating lamp should be able to reach, basking lamp output, uvb wattage, etc., I haven't put much research into yet. Plan on it, taking one thing at a time but as mentioned, any and all suggestions and advice is welcome!

 

[coastal_chameleon]

This is the stuff I use ! Non toxic aswell !I would coat the whole thing ,better safe than sorry !

 

[nightanole]

can we go with good old linseed oil?

Or just go with water based polyurethane. Once its cured a human baby can eat off of it (and its also in their diapers in the same form) no problem, and the stuff is as durable as a rock.

 

[MissSkittles]

I use shower curtains, which are much cheaper and easier. You could find one with a nice forest print and attach it around the back and sides.

 

[MissSkittles]

Oops! Missed the part where you want to foam in plants and stuff. My bad.

 

[Beman]

Skip the reptibreeze and get this... its a better cage https://www.diycages.com/collection...ducts/sc4-48x24x24-jumbo-vertical-screen-cage

Skip the monsoon and get the starter Mistking kit with seconds timer. It is a far superior misting setup.

Flex seal gets used quite a bit to make things waterproof.

Using pond foam to make side panels works really well too. This kind then you do not have to cocoa fiber it because it is black. https://dragonstrand.com/working-with-great-stuff-expandable-foam/

buy a drip pan from dragon strand and you could do dragon ledges if you want to avoid the pvc frame... https://dragonstrand.com/alternative-cage-manufaturers/

 

[Ramrod]

can we go with good old linseed oil?

Or just go with water based polyurethane. Once its cured a human baby can eat off of it (and its also in their diapers in the same form) no problem, and the stuff is as durable as a rock.

I used waterbase polyurethane on the one I built entirely of wood and have not had a problem

 

[nightanole]

Flex seal gets used quite a bit to make things waterproof.

Hmm me wonders about flex seal. The manufacture has repeatedly said do not use if it comes in contact with potable water. On the other hand they say its pet safe. So i guess if an animal is not eating or drinking off of it its good to go for a water sealant.

 

[Mundanechamlady]

Or just go with water based polyurethane. Once its cured a human baby can eat off of it (and its also in their diapers in the same form) no problem, and the stuff is as durable as a rock.

I'll definitely look into that, does it have to say non toxic or can I just get any ol can of it at home depot?

 

[Mundanechamlady]

Hmm me wonders about flex seal. The manufacture has repeatedly said do not use if it comes in contact with potable water. On the other hand they say its pet safe. So i guess if an animal is not eating or drinking off of it its good to go for a water sealant.

I planned on coating the entire thing with foam/ silicone afterwards and making a moss wall, but if it says no water, i'm a bit skeptical too. Does anyone have any experience using it in a terrarium?

 

[Mundanechamlady]

Oops! Missed the part where you want to foam in plants and stuff. My bad.

It's a good idea, though!

 

[Mundanechamlady]

Skip the reptibreeze and get this... its a better cage https://www.diycages.com/collection...ducts/sc4-48x24x24-jumbo-vertical-screen-cage

Skip the monsoon and get the starter Mistking kit with seconds timer. It is a far superior misting setup.

Flex seal gets used quite a bit to make things waterproof.

Using pond foam to make side panels works really well too. This kind then you do not have to cocoa fiber it because it is black. https://dragonstrand.com/working-with-great-stuff-expandable-foam/

buy a drip pan from dragon strand and you could do dragon ledges if you want to avoid the pvc frame... https://dragonstrand.com/alternative-cage-manufaturers/

The cage is dents exactly the same, just not coated in black?


From what I've read, the monsoon does a rain fall type effect and is on a timer already. Am I missing something? What's the difference between the 2 and what makes one better than the other? Would love a bit more detail in comparables pro/con list from someone that's used both.

I already plan on using the foam, but I will definitely be covering it with silicone and substrate/moss as I don't, in my opinion, find the bare foam aesthetically pleasing.

I looked into ther dragon strand brand and it's really pricey. The pvc will cost me pennies compared to their stuff and (I'm hoping!) Will add to the jungley theme I have in my head! (I'll post pics as I build once I purchase the cage and the rest of my supplies so you guys can see and throw out suggestions as I go)

 

[nightanole]

I planned on coating the entire thing with foam/ silicone afterwards and making a moss wall, but if it says no water, i'm a bit skeptical too. Does anyone have any experience using it in a terrarium?

https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/fe/feebf1ad-4983-45fe-bb4a-13557edaf28f.pdf

IM not really keen on using the stuff now that i read what is in it.


It would be different if it just turned into a flexible epoxy impregnated with carbon black so it can survive UV exposure.

 

[Mundanechamlady]

https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/fe/feebf1ad-4983-45fe-bb4a-13557edaf28f.pdf

IM not really keen on using the stuff now that i read what is in it.

Yea, I barely got through the 2nd page with the warning labels before deciding I'd rather just silicone the whole plank instead at that point lol.

 

[Beman]

The cage is dents exactly the same, just not coated in black?


From what I've read, the monsoon does a rain fall type effect and is on a timer already. Am I missing something? What's the difference between the 2 and what makes one better than the other? Would love a bit more detail in comparables pro/con list from someone that's used both.

I already plan on using the foam, but I will definitely be covering it with silicone and substrate/moss as I don't, in my opinion, find the bare foam aesthetically pleasing.

I looked into ther dragon strand brand and it's really pricey. The pvc will cost me pennies compared to their stuff and (I'm hoping!) Will add to the jungley theme I have in my head! (I'll post pics as I build once I purchase the cage and the rest of my supplies so you guys can see and throw out suggestions as I go)

The diy cage is a much better made cage and will not rust. The reptibreeze can rust and in my opinion owning both types is much better made as a whole. Screws do not come unscrewed like they can with the reptibreeze. Dragon strand cages are better then both but if your on a budget I would go with the diy over reptibreeze.

Monsoons break down very quickly and do not hold much water at all. Their misting nozzles do not spray a fine mist the way a mist king will. The timer on a monsoon gives you very limited options for times. Where the mistking seconds timer allows you to pick the exact time and how long you want each session individually to be. You can program it completely. The monsoon is like 15, 30,45,60 seconds for every 1,2,3,4,5,6 hours. And that is the only schedule it gives you. You get to pick one option only for every misting session you run. They are basically the same price but the mistking is a far superior product.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

If anyone has suggestions besides wood i'm all ears,

I build one of a kind live edge and/or epoxy backgrounds. 100% safe and waterproof. I can insert any background image into the piece or you can just give me a basic idea of what you want and let me run with it, most customers do. Lifetime warranty, if it ever fails(and they never do) I will repair or replace it for free. Unless your obviously abusing it in some way of course...

We can go conservative on it or something crazy like these abstract fluid art designs, PM me if interested!
https://www.facebook.com/pg/BBEpoxyLA/posts/

 

[Brodybreaux25]

... another example: https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/bioactive-mentor.167174/

 

[nightanole]

I build one of a kind live edge and/or epoxy backgrounds. 100% safe and waterproof. I can insert any background image into the piece or you can just give me a basic idea of what you want and let me run with it, most customers do. Lifetime warranty, if it ever fails(and they never do) I will repair or replace it for free. Unless your obviously abusing it in some way of course...

We can go conservative on it or something crazy like these abstract fluid art designs, PM me if interested!
https://www.facebook.com/pg/BBEpoxyLA/posts/
View attachment 251740View attachment 251741View attachment 251742View attachment 251743

Yud make so much money trying to get the DIY arcade stick/MAME folk to buy that stuff. They go nuts for custom epoxy murals.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Yud make so much money trying to get the DIY arcade stick/MAME folk to buy that stuff. They go nuts for custom epoxy murals.

I like money! Where are they? lol What is MAME?

 

[nightanole]

I like money! Where are they? lol What is MAME?

https://www.recroommasters.com/retro-arcade-cabinets-s/71.htm