# Making New Vivarium



## Reptilover (Jan 15, 2007)

Well as the title says, "im making a new vivarium". Tommorow im going to get the wood from BNQ. What wood should i use?

I want:

Back Piece: Height: 19.5" Lengh: 35"
Front Pieces X2: Height: 5Inch Lengh: 25"
Sides X2: Height: 19.5" Lengh: 18.5
Top/Bottom X2: Lengh: 36" Width: 18.5

How much roughly should this cost in different woods?

Where would i beable to get air vents, Glass Runners ect From?

I Have £100 To Spend On Meterials ect.

I will be asking more about It once constructed about the inside
: victory:


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## Reptilover (Jan 15, 2007)

Could you also please post some of your home made vivs


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## apaz69 (Aug 29, 2006)

what and how many are you housing?

Conti board is versitile, splash proof and can come in a colour to match your room. 

Here is the one ive just finished. Made from beech veneered MDF but probably unnecassary and costly.


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## Reptilover (Jan 15, 2007)

Housing one bearded dragon Not adult!!!
I want it in beach colour  to go with my furniture.

so how much would it be roughly and would bnq cut it for me n how much??


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## Reptilover (Jan 15, 2007)

:notworthy:by the way nice viv


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## jamie-c (Nov 16, 2007)

i user mdf and ply batten on my double and triple viv for my corns and used another type of wood for the shelves (got given the shelf wood off me old man)

any way you prob seen these b4 but what the heck here goes 

triple viv...........










double viv both still need varnishing (doin it the weekend)


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

8ft*2ft of beech contiboard will cost you about £19 and B&Q give you the first 4 cuts for free then 50p a cut after than.

or.. if you want to save money, got for white contiboard and varnish it, that's what ive just done


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## apaz69 (Aug 29, 2006)

In conti yes. mine is from a wood yard at £80 per sheet. Conti about £25 per sheet. The viv man does runners and vents, but so does B&Q the closable luvre type are good as can be adjusted in the summer /winter.

Not sure why your front is bigger than the back unless in a trapisium (like mine) to go in a bay window.


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## Reptilover (Jan 15, 2007)

so what would be cheapest to get from bnq.


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## Tomcat (Jul 29, 2007)

Well, a 4'x2'x2' viv, from B&Q made of mdf costed me 50 quid.


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## Reptilover (Jan 15, 2007)

anychance you got any pics??


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## tiffa (Jan 17, 2007)

hi i built a 10ft by 3ft by 8ft but it is no longer here as i had to move house so going to build a another one here is a pic for you to give you some help if you want a big viv


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

i've just built a 36x18x15 double stack, with legs and glass it cost me £50, that included getting the vents from B&Q at £2.48 each as i started just before Christmas and didn't want to wait for delivery.










excuse the pic, done on the camera phone.


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## ez4pro (Sep 19, 2007)

Ive just built a 6x4x1.8 in exteriour ply 18mmall round 12mm back with 6 mm glass and its cost me about £150-£180 (for 4 tanks - I think its ok)


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## Tony Turbo (Oct 19, 2006)

Sorry to hi jack, but when you use MDF to make the viv what do you do with the outisde of it, ie, the bit you see? Paint it?

I was planning on using MDF for mine but I now think I might use covered conti board for the proper wood effect on the outside. It isn't easy to decide you know lol.

I'm looking at making 2 vivs, one 5fx3fx3f and another 2.5fx6fx3f (H.L.D) and want them to look really good.


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## Reptilover (Jan 15, 2007)

so whats best to use contiboard, mdf mealime ect wich ???


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## Reptilover (Jan 15, 2007)

meko loving the viv wow oni £50
where did u get all your things from?


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## Reptilover (Jan 15, 2007)

tiffa thats a bloody big viv i wish i had room for one that big 

by the way new viv will be for leucistic bearded dragon for quarantine untill putting it together with my male  any then hopefully some babys will come along.


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## carpy (Nov 13, 2007)

this is a good thread, im going to try making one soon.

anyone got any simple instructions for me?

Alex


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

Reptilover said:


> meko loving the viv wow oni £50
> where did u get all your things from?


 
white contiboard from B&Q
Hardboard for the back from B&Q
white glass runners i already had but they're cheap enough anyway
legs were £1.81 each from B&Q or something like that.
Glass was £15 from the local glaziers

Stained it mahogony to match the rest of the lounge but should have gone with rosewood? 

The insides.. instead of using reptile wall paper i used floor tiles, £2.79 a pack from B&Q, 6 12*12 in each pack

quite impressed with the rest of the decor in it, i used all the bits from the vivs already and spotted some bird feeders in B&Q that make a funky hide for the gecko. Also spotted tubs of big polished pebbles for 50p. 

i'll get some pics of the inside when i get my camera back


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## s2art81 (Oct 1, 2007)

well cool: victory:


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## quik_silver_0707 (Jan 17, 2007)

Here are photos of my 3 vivs. 0.5" ply wood with yaucht varnish. My basic viv check list:
wood/varnish/vent/glass runners/glass/door handles/mastic sealant with gun

Always make sure your plymths are strong enough not to allow any bowing. Heard some people have problems measuring the glass. My viv sizes are 2 x 1.5 x 1.5, 4 x 2 x 2, 4 x 4 x 2.5.
All in total the wood including cut to size was under £30 easy. With the glass i think the most expensive thing is for it to be edged. What i do is buy the glass and edge it myself with an oil stone. Saves money but be carefull not to chip it


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## tiffa (Jan 17, 2007)

Reptilover said:


> tiffa thats a bloody big viv i wish i had room for one that big
> 
> by the way new viv will be for leucistic bearded dragon for quarantine untill putting it together with my male  any then hopefully some babys will come along.


 
lololol i no i need to do the new one all the pets are in tempry houseing at the min


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## the-tick (Nov 27, 2006)

One I built 2 days ago (off out for runner and vents today)










Wood was £40 in total as I use the contiboard as the back as well, vents you can get at b&q (marley 70mm soffit vents 5 @ £4)

the 4 cuts and then 50p a cut seems to be per peice of timber as I've yet to be charged for cuts at b&q

they sell contiboard in 2000mm x 150/250/450/600mm x 18mm

this is my first build










I have gone for a double plinth for the new one as it will be under the first one


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## snickers (Aug 15, 2007)

I've recently made a 3*2*2 dry viv from white contiboard. You must still seal all the bare edges with aquarium sealant, and all joints should be sealed again once it's constructed. The air vents need sealing too.
The problem is that if any water gets at the wood behind the melamine surface the wood swells and the viv falls apart. It doesn't happen immediately but over time it deteriorates.
MDF would only work if it were sealed all over. IMO thats an unnecessary complication. But others have used it to good effect.
Ply would probably work OK even in a more humid vivarium, but construction is more complicated in that butt joints don't work in plywood (you can't screw into the end grain). It would still need varnishing.


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## Reptilover (Jan 15, 2007)

thanx for all help people 
due to recent ideas of additions im going to by one but i will end up making my own. infact iv got plenty of plans ready for when my collection gets going 

unfortunatly i dont now were my local glaziers is i live in a village called south elmsall, west yorkshire n ant got a clue where one is


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## Reptilover (Jan 15, 2007)

quik silver nice viv how long it tek u to mek it?
what u hosusing in there?


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## quik_silver_0707 (Jan 17, 2007)

Reptilover said:


> quik silver nice viv how long it tek u to mek it?
> what u hosusing in there?


Hi, i have 1.2 Frills in my big viv with 0.1 Beardy in my medium viv. They take very little time, its just basically waiting around for the varnish to dry. As it usually takes around 3 coats. Also it takes around a week with full heat on to get rid of all the fumes from the varnish. But making it takes minimal time to be honest


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