Dresser Build

Ok so I am taking an old dresser that we currently do not use and making my buddy a viv. He is currently in a 55 gallon tank but he deserves better so... this is him sleeping on me. Anyway, the dresser is about 2ft deep and 3ft high and 3.5ft long. I am thinking about making the depth another foot so 3ft total the height I need input on. Should I make it another foot so 4ft total. length I am looking at 5ft total. Also I am looking for Ideas for the inside. My family is not a "normal" family (we like unusual things lol) any ideas would be welcome. I am looking to take my time with this build and do it right. Do you think that the dimensions are big enough? Here is a pic of what I am working with
Thanks for your help and ideas. also any tips or suggestions would be great

Have you considered putting the dresser on its side?

If you lay it down, it would actually provide more living area. Maybe that's not practical for the space you have planned, but a option would be to slap a plywood floor on the back, lay it down, and put a hinged wire-mesh top on it.

I'm not sure about that interior wood. I'd get some no VOC primer to coat the inside.

charmander16":2ihv8yp3 said:

Have you considered putting the dresser on its side?

If you lay it down, it would actually provide more living area. Maybe that's not practical for the space you have planned, but a option would be to slap a plywood floor on the back, lay it down, and put a hinged wire-mesh top on it.

I'm not sure about that interior wood. I'd get some no VOC primer to coat the inside.

Click to expand...

Laying it down is a good idea. I had thought of that but it was a fleeting thought lol. I am going to need to think this trough a little more as far as where I am going to put him. I am still looking to make it bigger just because I think that the more room (even though that means more to clean) the happier he will be. as far as the inside wood I was going to tile the floor like I did in my 55gal because I like the cleanup ease. I am looking to make it visually appealing as well as functional and of course comfortable for my buddy. Comfort being the most important. I was debating on sliding doors or a french door type or one massive door. Either way I need it to lock it so my 3yr olds do not open it while I am at work. Do you think that I should go with glass or something cheaper? I am thinking glass for the durability. Also trying to think of themes for his inside, Star wars, Mayan, desert, bone theme (just a bunch of skulls and bones everywhere) Pirate, any other suggestions are welcome as well. If it was up to my kids it would be a Paw Patrol theme lol or Doc Mc Stuffins. Now that would be funny

I'm working on a viv now, and from that experience, my initial plans definitely evolved over the course of the project, based on the materials i got and what was easier to do, etc.

I'll say this. I did get some cheap flat rock from a nursery, and I actually got way too much of it. I paid $20 for 75 lbs of rock. I could easily have gotten half as much, so $10 worth. I think this is good stuff. It can be good to put on a solid shelf or flat on the floor of stack it in 2 or 3 layers. It's heavy though, so plan on not fixing it down, just leaving it unattached so you can remove it if needed.

As for the glass. I don't know yet. I do know that plexiglass isn't cheap, so I'm not really sure it will be cheaper than glass, but it's easier to cut. If you lay it down, you may not need any glass. You would make like a 2 section wire mesh top, with one section being fixed, where you would put the lights and the other on a hinge to lift it up. This would be if you put it on the floor on it's side or on a low table on it's side.

You could like put it on its side, with a plywood floor, and just build in some short legs to the floor. Like maybe 1 foot or 2 foot tall legs, then you would be able to easily access it from the top.

Just an idea, I have no idea about where you plan to put it, etc.

Thanks Ill look into the flat rock. I live out in the country so there is not alot around but there are a couple of farms that might have something that I can use.

I would like glass because of the cleaner aspect of it. I dont know right now. I have time to figure it out though.

The idea of putting it on its side has been mentioned a couple of times now. I think that I am going to try that out when I get home. A screen would be nice but I am trying to be able to put things on top of it to make it functional. If a screen is the best option then that is obviously what I am going to do but my wife would like to "decorate it" with random things to make it seem like it belongs instead of sticking out. It doesn't matter to me but you know what they say " happy wife happy life" lol