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Posted by chris_harper2 on April 16, 2003 at 13:18:03:
In Reply to: Help needed posted by Dave A. on April 16, 2003 at 12:33:15:
:1. Is pine wood ok to use, considering it will be stained and sealed?
I've heard mixed reports on pine and will likely avoid it's use for anything other than face frames, supports (2x4's), and possibly laminate on A/C plywood.
Also, pine is a pretty easy material to work with but can warp over time if not a lot of support is used.
:2. Will those two windows be enough for ventilation with the species or should I add a third window along the back wall?
I think this will be enough. I prefer to keep species such as R. ciliatus with a lot of ventilation and increase my misting schedule to keep humidity high. Regardless, you certainly don't need anymore.
:3. What kind of stain should I use? I was looking at some of the stains available at my local home improvement store and I was thinking the Behr waterproofing stain for decks and fences would work. But I dont know if this is toxic for the animals or not. Any help with picking a stain, sealant or anything else with the sealant process would be great.
A lot of deck sealers have a high solids concentration and some are designed to stay flexible over time. This does not necessarily make them unsafe, but they will offgas for longer periods of time if these solids are present.
I'd use a regular furniture stain and top-coat with oil-based polyurethane or a clear epoxy. The latter will be harder to work with but will set up quicker and will likely last for the lifetime of the cage. Even oil-based polyurethane will break down over time when exposed to moisture.
:4. Should I stain the wood before or after constructing the tank?
If all surfaces are accessible, there is not a huge benefit to staining it before construction.
:Thanks for any replys.
