# All viv builders! Just found this stuff



## Arrogant Dew (Jul 21, 2009)

I just saw this used on diy sos to build a partition wall for, and a seat in, a shower. you can even get it bendy. 
A bit from their web site wedi Tilebacker :-
"The most important feature of wedi Tilebacker Board is its performance in wet conditions. Use it for showers or even for *water features* with total confidence - even when completely immersed for a month, Tilebacker takes up only half a per cent of water."

I don't know what it costs but I want to find out. Will let you know.
Who will be the first to build a viv out of it?


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## iajo (Sep 16, 2008)

I haven't come across this stuff before but looking at it there would be two concerns i have. Firstly its a concrete based board so that means it could be very heavy and also concrete is very corrosive. I dont know what covers the concrete but it may not be safe. 

Secondly a lot of the brands say they are mould resistant and products that are mould resistent are usually very toxic. Its why people use aquarium sealant instead of kitchen and bathroom varieties. 

Be interested to see if you find anything out that adresses these concerns because otherwise it sounds great. I am having a mould issue with a wooden structure i built to go in a rub and its a pain in the backside.


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## Joe So (Dec 27, 2009)

Id love to experiment with this but I could imagine costs being silly and they only seem to come in small tiles..
+ Also does look heavy as said before
If you got any spare throw some my way though


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## Arrogant Dew (Jul 21, 2009)

I haven't got my hands on it yet but when I on the program it looked light and they cut it with a saw. I Would imagine you could still give it a coat of g4. 
G4 is also how I stopped my wood from going moldy.


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## haunted-havoc (Aug 6, 2009)

well if you used G4 to stop woof going mouldy and G4 is a pond sealant, it then made the wood waterproof, so really it makes this product redundant for viv builders/users as the cost of a bit of G4 and the viv would probably be less than this stuff


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## Lukeg28 (Jul 7, 2009)

They sell stuff like this in wickes to go round showers and stuff, it stinks and is very heavy! for a viv and i imagine the viv heat with the mix of the smell of boards wouldnt be very nice!


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## Jim2109 (Mar 30, 2009)

iajo said:


> Firstly its a concrete based board so that means it could be very heavy and also concrete is very corrosive. I dont know what covers the concrete but it may not be safe.


its not, its just a thick styrofoam core with polymer cement sheets on either side of it, and some fibreglass by the sounds of it too. its probably super lightweight as well. the core is probably very similar to space foam. that stuff is crazy strong in compression across large areas. add a rigid skin to it as this stuff has and then it can be used in the way they show on the website.

i wouldnt want to use it exposed though in a viv. so youd still have to seal it. youre better off using wood and pond sealant. i doubt you can use this stuff unsealed in even a bathroom. its designed to have tiles stuck to it which implies that it will be sealed from water/moisture.


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## ralphsvivariums (Dec 15, 2009)

i have used it a few times at work its not nice looking stuff its very heavy and cost quite a bit.


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## NXSmiggy (Oct 29, 2008)

Jim2109 said:


> its not, its just a thick styrofoam core with polymer cement sheets on either side of it


exactly

Tilebacker Technical Properties

all the specs are there


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## iajo (Sep 16, 2008)

All i did was put forward concerns i had when looking at the stuff on the net. I still have the same reservations. cement is corrosive and heavy. Is the board heavy? someone who has used it says yes. Its treated with anti mould and fire retardant chemicals, what are they and are they reptile safe? The specs page doesnt appear to say what they are. Somebody has said it stinks, usually things with high odour are not suitable for reptile enclosures as the vapour is toxic. If you seal it then there's no advantage to it over wood. Dont really see where my first post is inaccurate other than the fact i didnt mention the space foam core as it was the core i dont see what impact that has other than on weight which we have established is heavy.

http://www.wedi.co.uk/using.php

follow the piece down to uneven walls you will note the paragraph containing "cement mortar surface of the board"

Certainly not suitable untreated in that case. I cannot see how this could be used for making a vivarium let alone why it would be advantageous over wood.


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## Arrogant Dew (Jul 21, 2009)

OK there is some confusion with this product and aqua panels like in wicks.
This is a foam, coated both sides. It is very light and comes in thickness from 4mm to 80mm 
e.g
Thickness, length, width, weight
20mm, 2500mm, 600mm, 5.5kg approx

I'm thinking of using it in a part submerged viv.
Talking to a supplier, he said If all the joints are taped it would be watertight.
I have always thought it a problem having a underwater section in a wood viv and only done it using glass, glass however is a hard to use. You can't just drill a hole in glass for pipes etc. 

Any escape of water into contiboard will soon rot it. any wet or humid set up could give problems.


Yes leaching toxin is still the problem as it is with anything you use in a viv. The g4 solution would be how I get over it.
you could construct the viv with this or just line a wood viv to give water protection to it.

Don't forget its only a suggestion, and just letting you know of a product I have found.
Good luck everybody.

ps
I have a sample and will get a photo and some prices soon.


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## Arrogant Dew (Jul 21, 2009)

30mmx600mmx2500 £35.90 + vat


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