# PVA Glue as a Sealant



## Keblin (Feb 12, 2012)

I'm currently making a fake hide/basking spot and I have made it with a layer of grout, then acrylic paint, then lastly PVA glue.

However I have been reading on other threads that the PVA may break down with heat, and sometimes cannot be water resistant enough. My basking temps will be 100F/38C at the most, and the humidity wont be higher than 60%. Will the PVA survive, or should I really look into another sealant?

I have some ronseal yatch varnish spare from doing the viv itself...but it adds a brown tint so I've been putting of using it...


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## MCEE (Aug 8, 2011)

Keblin said:


> I'm currently making a fake hide/basking spot and I have made it with a layer of grout, then acrylic paint, then lastly PVA glue.
> 
> However I have been reading on other threads that the PVA may break down with heat, and sometimes cannot be water resistant enough. My basking temps will be 100F/38C at the most, and the humidity wont be higher than 60%. Will the PVA survive, or should I really look into another sealant?
> 
> I have some ronseal yatch varnish spare from doing the viv itself...but it adds a brown tint so I've been putting of using it...


I use waterproof PVA (Cementone Waterproof PVA around £20 for 5 litres in B&Q) on my fake rocks, including basking spot.

I made fake background and rocks using extruded foam the covered in grout followed by red outback sand mixed with the PVA and slapped it on all over. And that is it.
The PVA, although waterproof, will turn white if you get it wet (ie spill some water on it) but it does not desolve and dries clear again. I have occasionally noticed the basking spot "rock" reach "scorching" proportions (when lamp was on full with no beardie to soak up the heat) and it is still "rock" solid. Been like that since september last year.

Waterproof PVA is the way to go, if you are going to use it in a low humidity setup, because it has quite a matt finish and does not chip like varnish could. Also, you don't have to wait days/weeks for the fumes to dissipate. My beardie was in her new home within 3 days of coating with PVA


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## Keblin (Feb 12, 2012)

MCEE said:


> I use waterproof PVA (Cementone Waterproof PVA around £20 for 5 litres in B&Q) on my fake rocks, including basking spot.
> 
> I made fake background and rocks using extruded foam the covered in grout followed by red outback sand mixed with the PVA and slapped it on all over. And that is it.
> The PVA, although waterproof, will turn white if you get it wet (ie spill some water on it) but it does not desolve and dries clear again. I have occasionally noticed the basking spot "rock" reach "scorching" proportions (when lamp was on full with no beardie to soak up the heat) and it is still "rock" solid. Been like that since september last year.
> ...


Thankyou so much for the detailed reply!  Sounds like I may be fine then...However the humidity is probably going to be higher than a beardie setup...


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## ginna (Jun 2, 2009)

it will be fine  give it a few coats and it will be great ... thing is after a few coats it tends to get shiny : victory:


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## Keblin (Feb 12, 2012)

ginna said:


> it will be fine  give it a few coats and it will be great ... thing is after a few coats it tends to get shiny : victory:


Thankyou! ^^ I've done two so far, but the last coat has got sand mixed into it so its taken off some of the shininess! ^^


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