fake platform and steps

[jakeh2009]

built dino a fake climbing and basking area out of strofoam was wondering what you guys think and if you have any suggestions please let me know, i havnt grouted or sealed yet, but have pictures of a test fit and it looks decent. so here we go

anything you can think of that i should change or fix now before i go to the next step? I think im going to make that back brace on the left side a little stronger but once the grout it on maybe it will be fine, i put him on it just to see if it was good for size and everything i think it looks good for that. well let the comments come and let me know what ya think. thank you very much

 

[chancellor91]

for some reason the images arnt showing up could tbe my comp but might want to check that

 

[Chryss]

I think it looks great - nice job. I have been wanting to try something like this but I am so NOT creative or handy.

 

[jakeh2009]

its really not that hard, just break the foam into different shapes and glue together. now i dont know abou the grout and sealing part but im sure that isnt too hard either. went through a ton of glue sticks tho lol. prolly over did it but wanted to make sure it stays together... i dont know why you can see the pics, i can see them on my computer and my cell phones net browser as well. hmmm i dunno.

 

[chancellor91]

i am at my home computer and i can see them fine now, looks great but if you are going to put that in the middle of his tank, make sure that the cool side temps are around 80, make sure to keep that in mind, and right now i am currently in the middle of shallacing a project(finishing) so i will post pics when i am done too, but grout and sealer is pretty simple just takes a long time

 

[beardieguy83]

that looks sweet dude, please show pics of the finish product. imma take some pics of how i have my tank for my lil BD and ill post them here tommorrow. My BD is sleeping right now. But I got a video that i could show you. (Ive changed a few things since this clip) http://s622.photobucket.com/albums/tt307/beardieguy83/?action=view&current=MOV01625.flv

 

[jakeh2009]

have two layers of non sanded grout applied and now im getting ready for the sealing part. if i go with modge podge can that be watered down or mixed with something to thin it out so its easier to apply in the cracks and crevices then do a thicker layer when i get all that taken care of

 

[jargonchipmunk]

you can water mod podge down and put it in a spray bottle. Works like a charm. Just put a few extra coats on since each coat will be thinner. However, each coat takes a efw seconds to apply versus a few minutes. I'd do the final coat with full strength mod podge at high traffic areas.

 

[zebraflavencs]

*Places an order for two ! One in red please and one in yellow !*
Just bill me paypal ! LOL
Those are Great ! Orion ( Red) Is drooling with jealousy !
Janie.

 

[jakeh2009]

thank you for the answer about the mod podge, i think ill do a few more layers of grout, had a few spots flake off some how so i will go over them a little stronger then goto the sealing, pretty easy process but takes a long time for the grout to completely dry grrr. if these could be made in a couple hours id definitly give them to people on here, wouldnt mind doing that since i am still laid off.

 

[jakeh2009]

ok finally done, that was a fun process. Coloring is the hardest part i feel. I have another platform that i made which will connect to the right side and is about 2-3 inches lower and not as big, but i have not colored it yet or sealed it, will do that as i go, but dino hangs out on this all the time, and heating is alot easier now, i have two 60 watt bulbs and the uvb light. before i had a 150 watt bulb for basking because his area was a few inches lower and couldnt get proper temps with 60 watt bulb.. Well enough talk here are the pics:

kind of shiny but i can deal with it, and i should have tried painting the sand for finding some red sand but that is what i had laying around, stands out but he needed it for grip, so its all good. what do you guys think?

 

[jargonchipmunk]

looks good! agree on the coloring part. It's nearly impossible to tell, without having done a few before, what color the grout will come out when it dries. Painting on top of the grout is the other option, but obviously an extra step. I think you've got a lucky lizard there!

 

[jakeh2009]

yea i mixed paint with the grout and let it dry didnt get the color i wanted so then i did just the plain grout over that again and then mixed paint and added water then put in a spray bottle and spayed all the visible areas a few times, then took some of the mixed paint and a small brush and went over the crevices to make sure that everything in sight was painted. did the same with the mod podge, spray bottles were very convenient for this project, did probably 6 layers with the spray bottle and then one layer of just straight mod podge, used over half a bottle on this, and probably 5 pounds of grout. probably over kill but i wanted it to be durable and be able to withstand him when grown. Also braced some of the steps and where they connect to the platforms with L brackets, hot glued them in. Before i did that the grout was cracking because its was flexing in some areas of the steps and the 90 degree spots. so for anybody that plans on building a platform like this, make sure to make it sturdy, could probably just glue some triangle pieces of stryofoam instead of L brackets but i had them laying around. worked great