I wanna build a new enclosure! Advice?

[shrambo]

So right now dex is in a 40 breeder and I just really wanna upgrade. So the most recommended DIY cage is the crossfire enclosure. And that's fine and dandy but it's a bit ugly. Can the melamine be painted or dressed up? I wish the outside of the tank was more attractive. Black maybe? Is there a more attractive yet equivalently good material to build the enclosure? And if anyone has another enclosure tutorial besides crossfire then please do share.

*oh and another reason for getting a new cage is that the 40 breeder doesn't have a top (I prefer it that way, I have the screen top but hate it so don't use it). Well, just recently he's been escaping... Don't ask how... He just does it. (He doesn't have any tall logs or anything, he jumps up the side and hangs on the the UVB light and pulls himself up). So yea...

Thanks!

 

[dragonov]

You can just replace the melamine with another wood type. Most people use melamine for only two reasons. 1) it's cheap and 2) it's already finished on most sides so it's easy.

In my opinion there's plenty reasons not to use melamine though. For starters it's usually quite heavy for the strength you get. It's not particularly pleasant to work with. (chips easily, pain to saw etcetera) You have to finish the sides with an iron on strip, a job I personally hate.. :lol: . (very vulnerable to water where there's no finish) And then there's the issue of looks, although that is very personal of course. I bet there's also plenty examples of really nice looking melamine enclosures.

You could totally build a crossfire enclosure without using melamine though. If you're looking for a totally different way of building one you could also look through the posts on here, there's lots of examples of cool stuff on here. Good luck with your build!