rocagasto, I've done some backgrounds like you're talking about. You need to have a solid back and/or sides to your enclosure, then plan what you want on the background (driftwood sticking out? Plants planted in it? How many? what kind?). If you want driftwood or sticks, you have to secure them in the position you want them to stay in before doing anything else. Put pots of appropriate sizes where you want plants, angled properly. Best way to do this is with the enclosure resting on the back side.
You need an expanding foam product like Great Stuff (available at Home Depot, Lowe's, etc). Spray the foam around the driftwood, pots, rocks, whatever you already have planned for the background of the enclosure. You will want to put some over the front sides of pots, too, to cover them up. This stuff expands A LOT, so don't put too much. However, if you do, it's easy to carve off, once it cures in 24-48 hours.
Let the stuff cure until it is hard, sounds hollow when you tap on it. Shape the background however you like (carve off lumps, make hollows, smooth it out). Use a small knife to do this; you can sand it beautifully, but it makes a phenomenal mess. On Black Jungle, they put black silicone caulk (PURE silicone, not latex and not with mildew repellant) on top of the foam, then stuck cocoa fiber or peat moss to the silicone. I personally have not found it easy to find black silicone caulk. If you do this, you have to let the silicone cure for at least several days, just because of fumes. Don't do it in your house...not good for a marriage! I have also used a mixture of a glue called Weldbond, peat, cocoa fiber and water to cover the foam. Works fine, aren't as many fumes, but it cracks as it dries, and then you have to patch the cracks. Also Weldbond isn't that easy to find, either.
I know Jordan and Kinyonga have some good pics of this process, better than my pics, so I won't post mine. They can probably add something to my descriptions, too. But it's really fun when you get the enclosure up, with plants in it and tillandsias on it; it looks so cool! Have fun!
You need an expanding foam product like Great Stuff (available at Home Depot, Lowe's, etc). Spray the foam around the driftwood, pots, rocks, whatever you already have planned for the background of the enclosure. You will want to put some over the front sides of pots, too, to cover them up. This stuff expands A LOT, so don't put too much. However, if you do, it's easy to carve off, once it cures in 24-48 hours.
Let the stuff cure until it is hard, sounds hollow when you tap on it. Shape the background however you like (carve off lumps, make hollows, smooth it out). Use a small knife to do this; you can sand it beautifully, but it makes a phenomenal mess. On Black Jungle, they put black silicone caulk (PURE silicone, not latex and not with mildew repellant) on top of the foam, then stuck cocoa fiber or peat moss to the silicone. I personally have not found it easy to find black silicone caulk. If you do this, you have to let the silicone cure for at least several days, just because of fumes. Don't do it in your house...not good for a marriage! I have also used a mixture of a glue called Weldbond, peat, cocoa fiber and water to cover the foam. Works fine, aren't as many fumes, but it cracks as it dries, and then you have to patch the cracks. Also Weldbond isn't that easy to find, either.
I know Jordan and Kinyonga have some good pics of this process, better than my pics, so I won't post mine. They can probably add something to my descriptions, too. But it's really fun when you get the enclosure up, with plants in it and tillandsias on it; it looks so cool! Have fun!
