Building materials

[midwestreptiles]

Hey guys and gals. Im planning materials cost and getting ready to build a stack of adult enclosures. Just want your .02 on different materials to build to cages out of.

First i can use white malamine which at my home depot runs about $33 a 4' x 8' sheet. I like it because it holds heat and is pretty water resistant But a bit on the expensive side for building mult. enclosures. I do have some scrap pieces which would give me a good start. But when complete they can be quite heavy

second i thought about hardwoods but they are too expensive but look nice!

Then at my home depot they have AC grade plywood which is nice and smooth on both sides. 23/32 thickness for 24 bucks a sheet. I think t would look nice and is cheaper but a bit heavier than malamine.

Also i my plan was if i used malamine to use it on 5 of the 6 sides and cut in vents on the back and sides.

For plywood i planned on using it for the top, bottom, and back then framing the sides with 1x4 and using screen in the middle which would provide great air flow but would maybe let heat out too much. But would still work good i think as my reptile room ambient stays around 79-80. This method would be cheapest i think and still give me what i want.

Finally i could use plan MDF which seems like it is somewhat moisture proof. They have 1/2 for like $23 bucks a sheet.

What do you guys think???

 

[JeffSimpson]

For plywood i planned on using it for the top, bottom, and back then framing the sides with 1x4 and using screen in the middle which would provide great air flow but would maybe let heat out too much. But would still work good i think as my reptile room ambient stays around 79-80. This method would be cheapest i think and still give me what i want.
Finally i could use plan MDF which seems like it is somewhat moisture proof. They have 1/2 for like $23 bucks a sheet.

That's actually how I'm going to build mine, but will be using Oak. Only building one enclosure, so I'm not concerned about the cost. However, instead of screen I will use acrylic or glass for the "windows". I suspect if you had the entire side as screen, you would have some challenges maintaining the heat, or at a minimum you would lost a lot of heat.

MDF is not moisture resistant, and near are the "cut" edges of melamine. You will definitely want to seal / paint the edges, otherwise water can eventually soak in and ruin it. It may take a while for it to happen, but it'll take 30 seconds to paint it, so it's worth it IMO.

I thought I had read somewhere that pine wasn't to be used for enclosures... something about the sap or fumes that it can release?

 

[midwestreptiles]

I think i heard that about pine too... As for the screen sides since my reptile room stays warm the basking should be where i need it with like a 100w bulb. In my room most my cages only use a 50w bulb to reach a 110 basking.

As for the mdf i only meant i seemed somewhat resistant because it has a smoothed uniform finish. Obviously i will be sealing edges ect.. no matter what i use

I added up cost of using plywood 1 sheet plus the cost of the needed 1x4 and it equals the cost of one sheet of malamine. So since i basically have pre cut 2' x 2' sheets that i used for some incubators i tore apart i am just going with malamine i think.

This is just for the basic framing of the cage, no vents or screen, plexi, hinges or tracking factored in.