Hot sand to slope drainage trays

[Mtnlaurel]

So.... I tried this great trick and it worked like a charm. I heated play sand in trays in my oven @ 400 degrees. I built a plywood mold to create the slope I wanted in my drainage tray. I lined the tray with foil,poured the hot sand onto the tray and weighted the drain spot with a full mason jar. I'm not sure the foil was necessary was but concerned the hot sand would add texture to the pvc, which I did not want.

The sand heated the PVC enough to sink into the mold = perfectly sloped drainage tray. Used a paddle bit to cut the drain, & attached a bulkhead beneath the hole with epoxy to direct the water. I'm really pleased with the way it turned out.

It was simple and can be configured any way you want it.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

Can we see some photos? Sounds like an innovative and easy to reproduce idea.

 

[Mtnlaurel]

Here is the tray... not sure if you can see the slope in the picture. It doesn't take a ton of fall, maybe an inch...

 

[Mtnlaurel]

The bulkhead is just epoxied to the bottom. I could have run it through, but I didn't want the water pooling around the lipof the bulkhead.

 

[Mtnlaurel]

Also you may want to use a thermometer for your sand. There was a lot of moisture in mine and it stalled for a considerable amount of time before it started to climb, due to evaporative cooling.

 

[Mtnlaurel]

I am sorry I didn't take any pictures of the mold. But it was just four triangles with the tips cut off in the center, and propped on 2x or something we had around at the edges...

 

[Extensionofgreen]

Ok, so what I think I understand is that the sand was used to heat the box tray and cause the indentation that will funnel water towards the drain? Very inventive of you!

 

[Mtnlaurel]

Yes - you got it. We got the idea from using the same technique to bend pvc pipe.

 

[JacksJill]

What are you using for drainage trays? Source? Please.

 

[Mtnlaurel]

Diycages substrate tray is what I used.

 

[JacksJill]

Thanks! Looks good.

 

[Mtnlaurel]

Thanks. I was pleased with it. Hope it helps somebody out.

I would probably try it with any plastic tray. Worst case scenario it just doesn't bend, right??

I also cut a little screen circle to lay in there so the snacks don't fall through and drown.

 

[JacksJill]

I did something similar with the floor of my viv. Now I'm thinking of shaping the floor the way you did your tray. My drainage is collected in the top drawer of the rubbermaid three drawer storage unit it sits on. It could drain better than it does.
collect

 

[Mtnlaurel]

I think it would work great for that! It will interfere with your drawer action somewhat, but turned out to not be that big a deal for me. If you do it, I'd be interested to hear how it works out for you.