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Protecting bottom of a wood viv

legitimatehypnotist

legitimatehypnotist

New member
I heard someone mention here once that they placed a layer of sealed linoleum/tile on the bottom of a wood viv converted for snakes to protect the wood. Is that a good idea? I'm converting a massive viv for a non-corn resident, but this is good info for any DIY project, so I hope it's okay that I placed it here.
Really need to protect the wood and normal sealer won't do the trick, it would great to have a removable layer of something not absorbent but that WILL transfer heat from the pad/tape. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. It's a MASSIVE enclosure, room sized, so it has to be practical lol.
 
Ceramic tiling would work too. It ranks fairly high on thermal conductivity, it's not as porous as some of it's counterparts (yeah, I'm looking at you slate), and can usually be gotten in a variety of sizes to get it it to cover the floor. The only real problem I see with that route would be the effort to remove the layer, as you'd have to pull up each tile instead of a singular object layer.

Linoleum will also do the trick, though if you aren't fully gluing it down (assuming from your desire to have a removable layer) you might run into issues keeping it flat? I've not worked with linoleum so I don't know how much it wants to curl or peel, especially if exposed to moisture or fairly moist environments.
 
Why not several coats of marine urethane? Just sand between coats, and it will look like wood but wipe down like plastic.
 
legitimatehypnotist said:
I'm converting a massive viv for a non-corn resident
Click to expand...
It's still a snake ?

Really need to protect the wood and normal sealer won't do the trick, it would great to have a removable layer of something not absorbent but that WILL transfer heat from the pad/tape.
Click to expand...

Is the heat pad/tape going under what ever your looking to put in ?

There is this 4'x8' by 1/8'' thick PVCish fiberglass re-enforced panels that Lowes/home Depot sells. It has a textured and a somewhat smooth side to it.
There's no fiberglass exposed. Sells for around $35 +/-.
I believe it's designed to be used around tubs/showers.
 
daddio207 said:
There is this 4'x8' by 1/8'' thick PVCish fiberglass re-enforced panels that Lowes/home Depot sells. It has a textured and a somewhat smooth side to it.
There's no fiberglass exposed. Sells for around $35 +/-.
I believe it's designed to be used around tubs/showers.
Click to expand...

Holy crap I have to look for some of that myself. I've been trying to figure the best thing to use to sandwich my heat mat in the wooden viv i'm also renovating. Thanks!
 
Nythain said:
Holy crap I have to look for some of that myself. I've been trying to figure the best thing to use to sandwich my heat mat in the wooden viv i'm also renovating. Thanks!
Click to expand...

I was wondering how you made out with it. More specifically the heat mat and how it was working for you.. LOL

I honestly don't know how it will react to heat. I've never tried it:shrugs:
I use it on the bottom of Viv's that use overhead or no heat only. High humidity applications.
I am going to use it in new tegu enclosures but again they will be using heat panels above.
 
legitimatehypnotist said:
I am sealing the wood, this is for over the sealer. Just sealed wood is not an option, there has to be something over it as well.
Click to expand...

Gotcha, I misunderstood and thought you meant that sealing period wasn't an option.

Not sure why you must have something, if you seal it right it will be super slick and easy to clean up.

That being said, I think linoleum would be my choice. You can cut it to your exact size and replacing it would be very cheap. Just make sure you seal the edges of it so water/urates don't seep around the edges and get stuck between the wood floor and the linoleum.
 
daddio207 said:
There is this 4'x8' by 1/8'' thick PVCish fiberglass re-enforced panels that Lowes/home Depot sells. It has a textured and a somewhat smooth side to it.
There's no fiberglass exposed. Sells for around $35 +/-.
I believe it's designed to be used around tubs/showers.
Click to expand...

FYI
I was in Lowes today. Its FRP (fiberglass re-enforced plastic ) panel and it's 3/32 thick.
 
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