Home made basking structure

[MandiceP]

I have been inspired by the Lizard-Landscapes.com guy to try my hand at a home made basking platform for my Fezzik! I have been taking pictures to show my progress in case anyone would like ideas. He's moving into a 40gallon breeder tank hopefully within the next couple weeks and I wanted an awesome basking platform for him to be able to use. Here's what I did...

Using styrofoam (1" thick, thicker than he was using on the site) and liquid nails, I made a base and started working up the ramp...

finished the layers of the ramp and added the back wall.

and the side wall. It'll be a corner basking platform

and a front view of the ramp and two walls

I kinda forgot to take some pics at this point, but then started to build up the front view of the basking spot

another angle... one more rim layer before the top layer...

added some supports in the inside, as it is not completely solid... these will help support the top piece. it's semi hollow with some supports so he doesn't fall through. the whole thing will be sealed around this

this is of the thicker stack of support for the middle

with the top piece in place and all glued together

my buddy who is helping me had some expandable foam and helped by filling in some cracks or spaces

here it is ready to be grouted

after a bit more carving and sculpting the back wall and adding a little rock on the front for some decoration, we let it set and then did the first layer of grout!! I'm so stoked at this stage... it looks so realistic already!

we'll add some sculpted grout on the last grout layer to make some more forms on the back drop and platform, but for now I'm super excited!

another view~

So that's all for now. It's staying at my friend's house as I have no real safe area for it to be in at mine... so He'll do another grout layer for me and then we'll continue to grout it until it is ready to be painted. I'm using a mix of Sand color, Burnt and Raw Sienna's and the natural color of that grout. I can't wait! I have got some Mod Podge for sealant but after reading some others' experiences I will maybe reconsider and get something acrylic based as Fezzik is a basking spot pooper sometimes, when he doesn't go in his tub! lol I'll keep everyone updated!

 

[Twobeardieguy]

Looking good!

 

[MandiceP]

thanks!! I was supposed to go over and work on it some more, maybe even start another one for my friend's beardie... but it snowed here today (pretty badly) and my fiance had to borrow my car to go to work... So my friend was going to maybe put on a second coat of grout but I haven't talked to him to find out if he did or not. Maybe we'll work on it some more tomorrow. Friday is payday so I'm going to go to HD and get some floor tiles for Fezzik's new tank. Can't wait for it to be all done!!!

 

[MandiceP]

UPDATE!! So coat two of grout has been applied... I believe my friend added the sand colored acrylic paint to the grout as it is much lighter than the first coat. We're really just experimenting here as this is our first attempt, but so far I couldn't be happier!!

Update:

So my buddy put three coats on the top... but neglected the bottom, which only ever got one coat. So I took the thing to my house now so I can finish working on it and just put a second coat on the bottom. As Fezzik's not actually going to be able to get to the bottom... I'm going to do one more coat on the top and one more thick coat on the bottom as it's just going to be sitting on the tiles of the tank. So one more coat each and some painting and then we're in for 5 coats of sealant. I exchanged the "hard coat" mod podge for the outdoor mod podge... even tho it is still water based, I'm hoping that there will be some sort of difference as like it's meant to be out side? and outside there is rain... and bird's pooh? I am just hoping here. Micheal's didn't have any acrylic based sealers so we'll see what happens.

 

[Twobeardieguy]

Nice!

 

[pimmsoclock87]

Looks good! (alot better then mine! )

I'm having trouble tho trying to find a sealer as i'm just about to put my last coat of grout on.

Im in the UK and not seen modge podge any where. Any one got any ideas what kind of sealer to use that you can get from places like b&q?!

 

[MandiceP]

The guy on the website said something about a sealant that is more water resistant. I couldn't find it... and I forget what it is called... It was mentioned in the waterfall demo. I'd look it up but I'm at work and can't play videos. I'll check it out later. I would think any furniture sealant that is water based or acrylic based and non toxic when dry would work. I'm going to do another coat on the top tonight!! Can't wait!

 

[MandiceP]

Sorry I haven't updated in a few days. I've been super busy, but... not too busy to still work on the structure! I put on the last layers of grout (the last top layer was mixed with the dark burnt sienna paint I got) Then once that dried I put on some sand and raw sienna colored paint. After that dried I did a mix of water and the dark burnt sienna paint and sprayed that on with a spray bottle. Then once that dried I used a paper towel to "dry sponge" on some of the lighter two colors for the finished sandstone look. I am not 100% happy with my paint job, but as I've never tried to paint something to look like real rock before, I guess it's acceptable. Here are a couple pictures of the structure after the last layer of paint while it is still a little bit wet. please be honest... how do you think it looks?

 

[Twobeardieguy]

Awesome!

 

[MandiceP]

It's DONE!!! Whoot! Now that It's in place and has the sand sealed on the top and I've seen Fezzik on it, I'm quite happy with the way it came out! pics below!! (don't mind his shedding)

Whole tank with the rock in place! Just moved him into the 40 breeder tonight!

Figured out the ramp right away, goes up and down like a champ!

Looks comfy to me!!

Discovered he can climb up the front too!

Being darn cute!

Let me know what you all think! I'm super happy with it! Fezzik is too!

 

[k33ba]

looks very nice.....he looks like hes loving it in those pics

 

[SBL3]

That looks real cool, Congrats on the new piece!

 

[GallimoreNUFC]

look class mate, done a great job

 

[Twobeardieguy]

I think you did a great job!

 

[Aislin]

That looks fantastic! I really want to attempt one of these.