# Sticky  How to build your own wooden vivarium



## nick gilchrist

*HOW TO BUILD YOUR OWN VIVARIUM*​

Hopefully the following info may prove useful to someone! I have detailed extensively below. how to construct your own Vivarium, using only 1 sheet of Furniture board (Contiboard or similar)
To enable a relatively accurate pricing guide. I have used the HOMEBASE website as a supplier of all but a few of the items required to construct the unit to completion.
This will be a 30"long x 15" deep x 18" high Vivarium (or in fact its metric equivalent) The reason for selecting this size as an example, is based on the ability to build this unit using only one sheet of board and has very little waste in regards excess offcuts and so therefore is the most cost effective. Also because a 30" unit is a suitably large enough unit for many species.

I have provided links to all products used to assist anyone interested in building this unit themselves, or indeed a larger unit using the same format. Obviously it may well be cheaper to purchase the products elsewhere than HOMEBASE. but I have priced this as if you have none of the items required and are starting from scratch as a first time builder.

This is aimed at achieving a professional looking Vivarium for the minimum of outlay. to a simple design. with instructions for those who may not be the worlds greatest DIY expert!

So.. that said...... lets begin.


*TOOLS REQUIRED FOR THIS


DRILL WITH A 3mm WOOD BIT
A HAMMER
PHILLIPS HEAD SCREWDRIVER
JIGSAW
JUNIOR HACKSAW
A COUNTERSINK TOOL OR YOU CAN USE A LARGE WOOD DRILL BIT
AN IRON
STANLEY KNIFE



STAGE 1


WALK INTO HOMEBASE!!!*


Select whichever wood effect furniture board you like, there are several choices. You will require 1 sheet measuring 2440mm x 457mm for this project. (8FT X18" in old imperial measurements approx)
The cost for this single sheet at HOMEBASE is around £23.00 (SEE LINK)

Homebase - www.homebase.co.uk:


You will also need a small precut sheet of WHITEFACED HARDBOARD . these are available in precut 3ft x2ft sizes for around £5 OR LESS


NOW ONTO THE CUTTING DEPARTMENT.


Cut the sheet as in the diagram shown below.










Starting with cutting a board EXACTLY 380mm wide leaving the long thin strip shown..(We will use this later)

The piece you now have should measure 2440mm x 380mm. from this cut lengthways 2x pieces EXACTLY 760mm long. then 2 x pieces EXACTLY 430mm long. there will be a tiny offcut.
Then retuning to the long strip, cut 2 x pieces EXACTLY 430mm long. the remainder is offcut surplus,

Finally . have the WHITE FACED HARDBOARD sheet cut to a piece 760mm x 460mm.

That's all your wood done...you should now have the following.


*2 x 760mm X 380mm ( TOP/BOTTOM)
2 x 430mm X 380mm (SIDES)
2 x 730mm X 77mm approx (TOP.BOTTOM FRONT PANELS)
1 x 760mm x 460mm WHITE FACED H/B BACK*


You will now need to grab a trolley and purchase the following items - ALL ARE AVAILABLE IN HOMEBASE. See links for prices and pic

*1 x TUBE OF EVO STIK CONTACT ADHESIVE (SMALL)
Evo-Stik Impact Adhesive - 33g from Homebase.co.uk
20 x 30mm X No 8 ZINC PLATED SCREWS (or SUPASCREWS)
Zinc Plated Screws - 30mm - 25 Pack from Homebase.co.uk

1 x PACK OF 1" PANEL PINS
Panel Pins - 20mm - 100g from Homebase.co.uk
2 X ROLLS OF IRON ON FURNIYURE BOARD EDGING TAPE (TO MATCH)
Homebase - www.homebase.co.uk
1 X 229mm x 152mm WHITE PLASTIC LOUVRE VENT PANEL 
Louvre Vent - Plastic - 229x152mm from Homebase.co.uk
1 X PACK OF PUSH ON SCREW CAPS (COLOURED TO MATCH WOOD) *
LINK SHOWS WHITE ONES - BUT THEY ALSO COME IN BROWN TAN
*Press Cover - White - 48 Pack from Homebase.co.uk
1 X PIECE OF MED GRADE SANDPAPER


You will also need the following. which I recommend ordering online as they are cheaper - see provided links.


1 X 4FT LENGTH OF DOUBLE TRACK (4mm) TOPandBOTTOM
4ft VIVARIUM GLASS 4mm RUNNERS black top+bottom on eBay (end time 28-Mar-10 23:20:39 BST)
2 X SELF ADHESIVE GLASS DOOR HANDLES
VIVARIUM sliding glass DOOR HANDLES finger pulls BLACK on eBay (end time 08-Mar-10 20:05:23 GMT)



Your shopping list is now complete



LOAD IT UP.........TAKE IT HOME.. SEND THE KIDS/WIFE/DOG OUT FOR THE DAY.........AND LETS BEGIN......



CONSTRUCTION


BOX FRAME*


Take one 760mm piece (TOP) and one 430mm piece (SIDE).Place the top panel resting on the edge of the side panel. You will need to support the other end at the same height. If working alone, get a stack of books or similar. Ensure the edges are level.

Then using the 3mm bit, carefully drill 3 holes through the top edge of the top panel into the side panel below. Start in about 50mm from the front edge and 5mm from the outer edge (the panel is 15mm thick) so try to get it somewhere near center!!!). Drill completely through the top panel but only fractionally through into the side panel. This is a guide hole for the screws and to get maximum grip we want the screw to do the work in the lower board. Place 3 holes in this way..one in the center and the final hole an equal 50mm (2") from the end.

Once the holes are drilled you will need your COUNTERSINK TOOL.

Go over each hole and ensure that when the screw is in that the head will be flush and not above the surface of the wood realign the wood again and commence screwing!! Start at the end and work along. If at anytime you mess up or the panel isn't level start again and drill a better hole. Keep the screw going in vertical. Don't worry if you mess up and have to re-drill, we get to cover your mistakes later!!

When this is done check all the heads are countersunk properly (run your finger over the screw heads, if they jut out they need to be in further). If you messed up and the guide hole went in to far you might not be able to tighten it down. If this happens re-drill another hole and do it again! (This also applies if you drilled a guide hole too close to the edge) If you do re-drill leave a gap of at least 10mm between the new hole and the old one. Hopefully you wont mess up again, but don`t worry you wont be the first!












Repeat this on the other side and then flip over to attach the bottom panel (BOTTOM PANEL SCREWS DO NOT NEED TO BE COUNTERSUNK)


WELL DONE! You made the frame!



*FRONT PANELS*


Get the 2 facia panel strips, and start with what will be the bottom front of the unit . The panel should fit perfectly into the gap (if correctly cut to the sizes given!

Now drill a single guide hole into the side of the facia piece through the side panel. In the same way you did the others. Apply downward pressure to the panel whilst doing this so that its in the correct position. Then screw in and secure.










YOU DO NOT NEED TO COUNTERSINK THIS HOLE - LEAVE THE SCREW HEAD SLIGHTLY EXPOSED

Repeat at the other side then flip the unit over onto its top and drill 3 guide holes in the same manner and secure with 3 more screws. As you are screwing into what will be the bottom of the unit it is not necessary to countersink these holes on this side (but you can if you wish). That's the bottom plinth in place.

Flip over now and do the same to fit the TOP FRONT PANEL. However when doing this COUNTERSINK THE TOP HOLES.

Now you have got through the 2nd stage!!











*FIXING THE BACK AND VENT.*


Flip the unit over now onto its front and place your back board into position, always using the top of the Viv as your leading edge first. Ensure that the panel lip is totally flush and commence tacking!

Hammer in securing panel pins at each corner to hold in place then work around the unit, placing a panel pin approximately at 3" gaps all the way around (REMEMBER THEWHITE FACE IS DOWN WITH THE BROWN BACKING UP!!)











Once all is secure its time to fit the vent panel. First take the vent and lie it on the back of the unit front facing you. You can guess this if you want but best way is use a ruler to get the panel aligned straight.

Then taking a pencil, draw around the outer lip. Once you have don3 this, draw a smaller rectangle within this approximately 1" in from the original. This is the part we need to cut out.

Grab the drill and using a larger drill bit, drill a hole in each corner of the smaller rectangle, big enough to get the jigsaw blade in. Then get cutting!! When removed, go around the inner edges of the new hole with sandpaper to smooth off any rough edges. Job done.

Time to fit the Vent. These do have 4 screw holes but as the back is thin you will end up with screws sticking out the back so don't bother!

Instead using your EVO STIK CONTACT ADHESIVE apply a thin layer to the outer lip on the back of the vent, then do the same inside the vivarium around the cut out area. Only a bit mind!
Wait 10 MINS
Then carefully stick in place making sure its straight! This will now be totally secure. Always wait 10 mins before applying the 2 surfaces together for the contact adhesive to dry slightly for maximum bonding*.


Now you should have got to this stage!!*











*EDGING*

Tip the unit over onto its side. Its time to edge those unsightly cut ends! see below.











You will need a HOT DRY IRON, no steam please! and the STANLEY KNIFE or similar. First cut off 2 pieces of edging. allowing a good 1" overlap at both ends. The edging is always wider than the 15mm thickness of the panel. You need to have the inner edge lined up with the bottom edge of the side panel so the overlap can be trimmed off easily. Now working carefully along apply the iron to the tape until it is secure. This is pretty instant as soon as you apply heat so get it level first time!! Guide it with your fingers as you work along. FINGERS ON THE LEFT - IRON ON THE RIGHT!!!! -get the tap running just in case!!!

When completed, using your knife trim off the excess first at both of the ends then trim the excess edge .To do this angle the knife blade and scrape carefully. If you keep the blade at an angle you should not cut into the edge of the unit. Take your time.

Repeat on all sides.


*TOP FINISHING*


Time to use that 2nd roll of edging, except this time you don't need to trim any edges. We are now going to hide all those unsightly screws on the top of the unit and any mistakes you might have made when drilling!!! The picture below shows the edging tape applied all around the unit. You can if you wish only apply it to 3 sides and leave the back as there are no screws showing there.










First cut of the appropriate lengths of tape allowing a good 2" overlap on all,as per pic. Then iron into position. Remember, no trimming required here so use the edge of the top to be level with.

As the pics show only apply heat to the areas shown in red. Do not iron near the ends YET.










Overlap all the corners as per the pic. Then as shown, using a straight edge ruler to guide you and the Stanley Knife, score through the meeting edges as shown. Remove the offcuts and then iron over the new corners. Do this all round and your top should now look like this.













*GLASS RUNNERS*











Grab your JUNIOR HACKSAW and start with the bottom track (THE SHALLOW ONE) . To get this correct first cut a piece slightly longer than required (about 1") as this makes it easier to work with, then offer up the track into position upside down ! Lie on the extreme edge of the bottom plinth. Score with the Stanley at the other end to mark the cut point. Then cut with the Junior Hacksaw. This should give you a nice tight fit with no gaps. Do the same with the top piece (THE DEEP ONE). Then apply CONTACT ADHESIVE along the length of the runner and do the same along the edge being applied to on facia panel. Wait 10mins as before and apply.

You will be left with 2 offcuts, one of each thickness. You can if you wish buy extra tracking that matches but that seems like a waste, so use these 2 offcuts for side runners. Cut as before and apply.










*GLASS?*

You will need 2 x pieces of 4mm glass . Each piece needs to be 420mm long

This you should get from a local Glazier. (SHOP AROUND FOR THE BEST PRICES) I would expect this to cost no more than £12 for both pieces supplied cut and with the edges smoothed off. (DO NOT ASK FOR POLISHED EDGES . ITS EXPENSIVE AND NOT NECCESSARY). Advise the glazier what the glass is for and he should happily smooth off the edges at no additional cost.

THE CRITICAL MEASUREMENT? THE HEIGHT OF THE GLASS.

The bit everybody seems to get wrong. I can`t give you this, as this measurement depends entirely on accurate cutting of the wood, sizes, build quality etc., so to help you get this right...

First measure from the top of the bottom runner to the bottom of the top runner in MILLIMETRES. Then add 8mm to that figure. That should be right!

Working on the basis that the bottom runner is normally 5mm deep and the top runner is 10mm deep. If you add 5mm to your measurement, that allows for the glass to sit in the lower runner. Then add an extra 3mm (TOTAL 8mm) to account for the glass to sit in the top runner, yet leave sufficient room to lift up and remove.


So stick in the glass. Stick on the self adhesive door handles. Pop on the 2 end screw covers at the side....and THAT IT!!

*YOU NOW HAVE BUILT YOUR OWN VIVARIUM. 🤤 *
















*TOTAL EXPENDITURE


FURNITURE BOARD £22.00 approx
W/F HARDBOARD £ 5.00
EVOSTIK £ 2.09
SCREWS £ 2.09
PANEL PINS £ 1.69
EDGING STRIP £ 3.98
SCREW CAPS £ 1.50
LOUVRE VENT £ 3.79
TRACKING £ 5.50 INCL DELIVERY
STICKY HANDLES £ 1.20 INCL DELIVERY 
GLASS DOORS £ 12.00 OR LESS


COMBINED TOTAL £ 60.00 ISH

This amount could easily be reduced by up to £10 by shopping around.
If built in plain WHITE BOARD the cost reduces down to £48 (HOMEBASE PRICES)


HAPPY SORE THUMBS! *


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## Alfonzo

Looks good mate. I might have a go at it if I can rob my dads tools!


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## kato

Fantastic the best Thread ever:notworthy:


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## CrawlingRuby

very good might have to tryu this out


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## circusdj

great thread and some serious work gone into it, i hope u get the credit u deserve, but as the cutting goes, B&Q will cut to sizes for you free, saves messing with that bit, ive built all mine.....easy peasy, just wish i had a thread like this on my first attempt


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## Joolz1975

Wow what a brill thread! thankyou for that im building my first viv for my son son (with help from my father in law) and this guide will be really useful!

Im cheating as i have LOADS of spare wood (homebase delivered me two kitchens instead of one, so i have loads of carcasses and end panels of various sizes, all in a lovely oak colour!) so the expense of the project will just be glass,runners,vents etc.....

Cant wait to get started!


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## eddy

really great guide, though i cant find glass that cheap =(

does anyone know of any online glaziers where you can order the glass from at all?


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## arm2010

Fantastic job , It looks so easy when its laid out like that ...! I think that explains just about all of it , There should be no way to cock it up now.:notworthy:


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## andy2086

Great idea for a thread! 

Took a few pics while I was building my last lot, hope they help with peoples ideas














































: victory:


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## dannyj

cracking thread mate well done for putting in the effort


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## SeanEK4

amazing write up!

i cant imagine how long that took you! 

anyone who wants to self build, this it the only thread you will ever need!!

Sean


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## Breadrun

Amazing thread! I'm gonna try this very soon lol - just an idea for your next guide should you do one........a viv stack? lol

Also whats the difference between using furniture board or white board apart from the price? oh and what about sealing or is the wood safe? soz for all the questions but im a bit of a DIY novice


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## Vardamir

Definately gonna give this a go, it seems pretty idiot proof, exactly what i need


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## nick gilchrist

Breadrun said:


> Amazing thread! I'm gonna try this very soon lol - just an idea for your next guide should you do one........a viv stack? lol
> 
> Also whats the difference between using furniture board or white board apart from the price? oh and what about sealing or is the wood safe?


 
As far as selecting either white face or wood effect furniture board..it makes no difference. other than price. both are effectively the same thing, laminate covered chipboard.
Under normal circumstances this is effectively as water repellant as its larger version..the kitchen worktop, However i would recommend using an aquarium sealant around all the inner edges which will help in prolonging the life of the unit..as any spilt water or similar will seep into the joins and over time cause warpage of the exposed chipboard edges.

Other than that it is completely safe as it has no resins etc..i will hopefully see if i can spend some more time doing a 4ft vivstack build with 3 units in it...: victory:


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## nick gilchrist

Breadrun said:


> just an idea for your next guide should you do one........a viv stack? lol


 

Working on this one for you....


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## Breadrun

That looks fab, I've thought about building vivs and I'm quite good hands on so am looking to take a chalenge up and if im good I mate even start building for business (as there arent any viv builders in East Anglia (or not many anyways)

I'll be looking forward to your stack thread because I would have no idea where the support would go, It seems simple enough to build a box for a viv but as I said I would have no idea on the support issues and how to structually build it so it doesnt fall over 

I've drawn out diagrams for a 4X2X2 viv and I'm gonna slowly buy some tools and thing I need so I can start building it in the summer (all thanks to this thread)


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## badgerboy

Exellent post, I hope it encourages more people to think about building their own.



nick gilchrist said:


> Starting with cutting a board EXACTLY 380mm wide leaving the long thin strip shown..(We will use this later)​
> The piece you now have should measure 2440mm x 380mm. from this cut lengthways 2x pieces EXACTLY 760mm long. then 2 x pieces EXACTLY 430mm long. there will be a tiny offcut.
> Then retuning to the long strip, cut 2 x pieces EXACTLY 430mm long. the remainder is offcut surplus​


Minor mistake, long strip should be cut to 2 x pieces 730mm long. :blush:
This is correct in the final list, but should be noted if someone is building it 'by the book'.
It should also be noted that these dimensions are designed for 15mm boards, some furniture boards are 18mm deep and this would lead to inaccuracies.

I'm currently building 2 x 4ftx2ftx18" for a refit of our living room/reptile house, & need to build at least 3 or four more before I think of finishing.
I recomment people have a go, it's fun and you get exactly what you want. It's not that hard, and significantly cheaper than buying ready-made, especially if (as I am) you build with MDF.
I wouldn't recommend MDF for anything other than arid type reptiles though, as even sealed properly I don't think it's as water-resistant as melamine boards. It is cheap though... £32 for the MDF to build the two I'm doing now. Sealed with watered down PVA I quite like the golden brown finish.

Steve.


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## nick gilchrist

badgerboy said:


> Exellent post, I hope it encourages more people to think about building their own.
> 
> 
> 
> Minor mistake, long strip should be cut to 2 x pieces 730mm long. :blush:
> This is correct in the final list, but should be noted if someone is building it 'by the book'.
> It should also be noted that these dimensions are designed for 15mm boards, some furniture boards are 18mm deep and this would lead to inaccuracies.
> 
> 
> .


 
Thanks for spotting the error : victory: You are absolutely right...it should have said 730mm for the strips.

The board calculated on was 15mm thick as this is the only size Homebase stock. much the same with [email protected] stock. but again you are correct occasionally thicker boards are sold. more especially in the white format.
thanks again.:2thumb:


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## pearl

SHOCK Hello Nick :smile:  :lol2: :2thumb:


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## darloLee

excellent guide mate :2thumb: carnt wait to get the glass in my 3ft D.I.Y viv hopefully taking your advice will avoid glass size mishaps:lol2:


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## Spencer95

Hi just needed to ask a few questions:

How much (on average) would this cost you?

what speices could go in there

because im thinking of breeding my leo so if i put 2 leos in that size tank then i can use my old tank for the hatchlings.

but i was thinking of making two, so what over speices could i put in there ive looked around i like geckos looked at pictus's do you know of anyothers?



can i just say nice thread : victory:


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## nick gilchrist

Spencer95 said:


> Hi just needed to ask a few questions:
> 
> How much (on average) would this cost you?
> 
> what speices could go in there
> 
> because im thinking of breeding my leo so if i put 2 leos in that size tank then i can use my old tank for the hatchlings.
> 
> but i was thinking of making two, so what over speices could i put in there ive looked around i like geckos looked at pictus's do you know of anyothers?
> 
> 
> 
> can i just say nice thread : victory:


 
The price is quoted going by the full retail prices at Homebase. and based on buying EVERYTHING there..but in reality. if you made it from plain white contiboard it would be around £35-£40 depending on shopping around for your wood..your glass price is the one that will cause the most end price fluctuatuion..my best tip for this is to contact double glazing window supplyers..they take out old 4mm window glass all day long and generally can supply you with cheap glass which you can either cut yourself or in many cases they have their own in house glass cutters...

As far as what you can keep in it..well...loads really..pretty much any lizard under 6-8" sv length and if you supply hides . 2 leopards woukl be fine...as would pretty much any other ground dweller of a similar size.. Teratoscincus spp are amazing ..as are the African fat tailed geckos (similar to leos) : victory:


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## Spencer95

they all seem to be 15 mm thick is that thick enough i thought most people use 18 mm


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## nick gilchrist

Spencer95 said:


> they all seem to be 15 mm thick is that thick enough i thought most people use 18 mm


 
No 15mm is fine,,in fact the measurement supplied in the build up are calculated using 15mm...18mm is normally when you purchase 8ft x 4ft sheets of ply or similar....too damn heavy and not neccessary for the size of unit you will build,


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## stray66uk

Hi
I followed this guide over the weekend and have to say its spot on, fitting a piece of skirting board is normally a day long challenge for me!
I still can,t believe i made it (even if the wood yard did do all the cutting, supplied all the screws etc and pointed out the 1 typo already mentioned) 
Thanks to the author and look forward to the 4 or 5 ft beardy viv cutting diagram lol


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## nick gilchrist

stray66uk said:


> Hi
> I followed this guide over the weekend and have to say its spot on, fitting a piece of skirting board is normally a day long challenge for me!
> I still can,t believe i made it (even if the wood yard did do all the cutting, supplied all the screws etc and pointed out the 1 typo already mentioned)
> Thanks to the author and look forward to the 4 or 5 ft beardy viv cutting diagram lol


Great! looks like my post helped someone!! post up some pics!:2thumb:
Actually as the stack viv is quite complicated to draft out..i will continue working on that one..but should be posting up a corner vivarium build shortly..: victory:


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## wolves

cracking guide m8:2thumb: i've been building for years just wish your guide was about when i first started lol :blush: got it nailed now parden the pun but very helpful to new builders (and far cheaper than buying ready made)


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## Spencer95

Furniture Board - White - 457x2440x15mm from Homebase.co.uk 

Is this the plain funiture contiboard?


could i use this?


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## nick gilchrist

Spencer95 said:


> Furniture Board - White - 457x2440x15mm from Homebase.co.uk
> 
> Is this the plain funiture contiboard?
> 
> 
> could i use this?


 
Yes its exactly the same..the measurements i have provided are the same..its just a wider board in a wood finish..but the white is a cheaper alternative.: victory:


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## Spencer95

nick gilchrist said:


> Yes its exactly the same..the measurements i have provided are the same..its just a wider board in a wood finish..but the white is a cheaper alternative.: victory:


cheers how long does it take to make?

im thinking of making two and selling one in the summer holidays do you think this is possible?:whistling2:


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## fuzzzzbuzzzz

kato said:


> Fantastic the best Thread ever:notworthy:


 Its awesome, I wonder how much effort has gone into producing this. Well done.


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## xerophere

Brilliant thread :notworthy: Looking forward to trying to build my own =)


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## Spencer95

if i made this viv for an aboreal lizard

what else could i house init?

all i can think of is:
-pygm chameleons
-anoles


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## Burmtastic

Spencer95 said:


> if i made this viv for an aboreal lizard
> 
> what else could i house init?
> 
> all i can think of is:
> -pygm chameleons
> -anoles




Perfect... Gimmee summit to get me teeth into
:notworthy:


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## G_43PC

excellent thread. will really come in handy


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## nessielb

are these suitable for corns ?? ive heard most ppl talking about their lizards ect but not snakes so thought id check b4 building one


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## nick gilchrist

nessielb said:


> are these suitable for corns ?? ive heard most ppl talking about their lizards ect but not snakes so thought id check b4 building one


Yes ideal..for a corn up to approx 3ft use in conjunction with a heatmat and a 2ft fluorescent light fitting fitted on the top front plinth inside..this allows the illumination to remain hidden whilst lighting the viv..A hide box is also required.


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## Spencer95

have u got a picta of the real thing?


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## eyespy900

hi fantastic thread, this will come in very handy, i am looking in to building a few vivs, was gonna buy a cheap 2nd hand one, and take apart and get would and build a new one. but has saved me that.

i do have a nice suggestion. i am sure many people might benefit from this too. 33l lidless rub rack.

many thanks for the time and effort in putting this together


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## lew924

Looks good could save me alot of money


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## fc3schick87

i am working on this from furniture bored aswell. from the scraps i made a smaller enclosure. 

4 foot by 2 foot by 4 foot enclosure: victory:

wheels on the bottom with 2x4 bored frame


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## brownj6709

fc3schick87 said:


> image
> 
> i am working on this from furniture bored aswell. from the scraps i made a smaller enclosure.
> 
> 4 foot by 2 foot by 4 foot enclosure: victory:
> 
> wheels on the bottom with 2x4 bored frame


bit small for a dog isnt it :S haha i got all my board cut today shall be trying to knock up an enclosure tmorrow


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## SH8E8AN

awesome thread :no1: 1 of the best

thanks m8 gonna deffo build my next viv :2thumb:


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## Chazbang

Thank you so much! Am seriously considering building my own now...


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## BobNTed

You are an inspiration!! :notworthy:

I have drawn up plans and am scheming on constructing a double stack this weekend, think the additional support can be given with some brackets on the inner shelf.

Shall let you know what body part gets hit with the tools first (clumsy workman) lol


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## littleebo356

this size any good for a boa?


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## G18241

We have just had our kitchen ripped out so am going to try and use all the bits to make a few small vivs


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## adamboy123

Nice viv mate! should be proud, i was wondering has anyone made a viv i can see pictures / ideas how to build at the size of, say.. 4ft long 2ft wide, 2ft / 2,5ft high? Thanks, Adam! :2thumb:


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## ledandlisa

What a thread!!

Just built my own viv using this and it is top notch cheers :2thumb: :2thumb:


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## barry_turnbull

wicked thread im definatly going to try this time round, as i bought all of them last time round. One question what sort of programme do you use to design them, i have some good ideas on the sort of thing i want but using a programme to design them would be really good to help visualise them properly. Will definatly be having ago very soon.

Also if i were wanting to house something which required a more wet environment what sort of wood/board would you suggest?


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## Dirty_Moose

Excellent thread, def going to try this.

Looks like google sketch you used to draw it up ?


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## Spencer95

im a bit slow, but how do you fit electrical heatmats and bulbs etc in the viv?


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## Roots

spotted a minor mistake;

"*1 x PACK OF 1" PANEL PINS*
*Panel Pins - 20mm - 100g from Homebase.co.uk*
*2 X ROLLS OF IRON ON FURNIYURE BOARD EDGING TAPE (TO MATCH)"

"FURNIYURE" (MISTAKE)

very very sweet guide im going to print this out bring it too homebase on monday morn and start building thanks:2thumb:
*


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## Trouty65

Hi all, Great thread and thanks again for posting :no1:

i don't know if i should put this post in with this thread so please correct me if i am looking in the wrong place thanks paul, 

here goes ....

I have an 8 month old Yemen chameleon and want to build her a new home. 
Could you give me any tips on converting something like this to a taller enclosure suiatable for a chameleon.
I am looking to build a tank roughly 6 feet tall by 34" wide with a depth of about 18 inches.
my main concern is what type of wood to use that will be suitable for a humid envioroment that holds the humidity enough but also has a good flow of air to enable the envoiroment to breath ?
I want to allow room at the base around 20" for a couple of shelves for dvd's and the like.

thanks again

paul


----------



## Mountain

Trouty65 said:


> Hi all, Great thread and thanks again for posting :no1:
> 
> i don't know if i should put this post in with this thread so please correct me if i am looking in the wrong place thanks paul,
> 
> here goes ....
> 
> I have an 8 month old Yemen chameleon and want to build her a new home.
> Could you give me any tips on converting something like this to a taller enclosure suiatable for a chameleon.
> I am looking to build a tank roughly 6 feet tall by 34" wide with a depth of about 18 inches.
> my main concern is what type of wood to use that will be suitable for a humid envioroment that holds the humidity enough but also has a good flow of air to enable the envoiroment to breath ?
> I want to allow room at the base around 20" for a couple of shelves for dvd's and the like.
> 
> thanks again
> 
> paul


Are you looking for something like this?










Any type of wood will do well with moisture, as long as you go ahead and treat it.


----------



## ZombieKitty

Awesome thread :no1: Ive been searching for one like this for a while- i have no idea how to follow viv builds just by looking at pictures, i think i can now try and give this a go  

Thanks for putting in the time and effort to draw this up, its much appreciated :notworthy:


----------



## LemmyElvis

Respect Bud! What a really sensible thing to post...
Mike


----------



## chuckie127

i used this advice to build my stacks  i found it very very useful

thanks


----------



## thebaty

Have made a osb vivarium and wanting to put a heat mat inside between the 21mm board and sand?
Do you think its safe?
Should i concider some sort of fire retardant paint or glass in between etc?


----------



## mrhoyo

For a more water resistant alternative you could use something like MDF and cover the internal face of each panel with vinyl contact paper.


----------



## Tombo46

*Temperatures in a big enclosure*

I'm really struggling to get the right temperatures in my tegus new enclosure. It's 8 x 4 x 4 . His basking spot is about 2ft high (bottom ft will be substrate) and while the basking spot is too high (at 125f) the middle of the viv is sitting at about 75f which is too cold! What is the best way to gain a good temperature gradient and still have basking spot temps? 

The viv also has 2 levels. There is a sort of "balcony" 2ft deep and about 2 1/2ft high against the back wall. 

I have a 500w AHS heater to keep up night time temps. 

Any tips/advice would be really appreciated as it's getting frustrating!! 

All the best

Tom


----------



## Meko

stick another heat source in the middle of the viv. 8x4x4 is a large area to heat from one end so work it in two parts.


----------



## XtrmJosh

I'm currently giving this a shot (bought the wood today, gonna try "no more nails" on it. I bought the stuff they labelled as the "strongest in our range", so should stick well. Note I will be covering the base and walls with poly stuff, that Jess will build.

A few things to say:

MDF can be found much cheaper, costing only £15 per 2240/1220 (all in mm's, not foot, sorry!). This is ideal for building a nearly 8 square foot tank.

Sometimes I find the plastic inserts for air vents are cheap and look out of place. I, instead, will use a 3mm drill bit to cut my holes for air vents. I've printed some stuff out from autocad, basically as a template, with 18 holes per ventelation section, and I plan to have 4 vents at the back, and a line of 18/20 (undecided) vents along the front lower wall, above the height of the substrate. I will use mesh insert if I find the bugs and crickets escaping, though I can't see it being an issue.

If you live near any major B&Q store, remember they have an oh so epic "Free cutting service"! I used it today and would strongly reccomend it. I took the piece of wood to him, with the cuts I wanted written down. Managed to get 4 blocks ready for the top, left, right, bottom sides. I used 18mm MDF (Fibreboard - in some stores). I will use 12mm fibreboard on the back, as I'll be drilling the vents in it, and I need completely different sizes to what I needed on the top/bottom/left/right.

Measurements for my home made viv are as follows (mm):
- 2x 600*450 (Top/bottom)
- 2x 450*600 (Left/right)
- 1x 600*60 (yes, 60mm, not cm! This is for the front, stopping your rep from escaping)
- 1x 600*40 (This is for directly above the 60mm one, I'm using a smaller one because I want to cover the bulb fittings, but not destroy the look of my viv.)

For the back panel I will also need 12mm thick MDF, which I have a sheet of already, so no need to buy... Measurements:
- 1x 936*600 (back panel)

They will be held together by, as mentioned, no more nails. I got a tube for £2.49 (bargain!) It comes in a pressurised can, and to apply it you just tilt the nozzle on the end and out it squirts. Generally speaking, you get less for your money than squidgey bottles, but I prefer it as it's less mucky, and the nozzle doesn't dry up because of the pressure or something!

I'll be buying the runners for the tracks from the ebay person you mentioned, also buying a 1000watt capability light fitting, from the same seller. I'll use this in conjunction with his heatproof cable, to reach a stat on the outside left of my tank (Will be embedded into the wood using a special planing tool I borrowed, though would be equally great just to screw it on). This will provide a basking lamp. Also looking at, and considering, buying his clips for the UV tube. Brilliant!

My shopping list so far:
MDF - £15.60 (ish)
Glue - £2.49
Glass Door Runners - £5.55
Bulb Fitting - £2.60
Door Handles - £1.20

Note that as I'm using MDF, each cut line looks the same, with no sharp edges or splintery bits. This means I won't need any iron on edges, or anything sanding too badly.

That's my total ordered stuff. Comes to £27.44. that's all including postage, although the wood and glue you have to leave the house for. You would need to add £11.78 for the back panel, that gets you a sheet plenty big enough of 12mm MDF. They'll cut this too, if you ask nicely!

The strip light fittings aren't on the list as I haven't ordered them. I'll buy getting the glass for about £16. The total expected budget is around £46, without bulbs or any decoration. I'll also spend about £15 on polystyrene to do the floor and walls all nice, jess will work on that, as mentioned, and I'll make a thread about how I did it all when I've gotten started.

Amazing! £46 for a fully knocked up viv! The glass price is set btw, and it was £15.47 or something around there, might have been 74 not 47, dunno. Anyway, they said any piece under x sizes is that price, and they've got some ready to cut down so I gotta ring em, order it, and pay a visit.


----------



## Railz

looking forward to more of these threads nick super job! :mf_dribble::mf_dribble:


----------



## nick gilchrist

ridium said:


> looking forward to more of these threads nick super job! :mf_dribble::mf_dribble:




Thank you muchly for your kind comments and also to all the other kind members that left positive comments...my apologies for my recent absence from the site and further postings, I will certainly post up some new "how to" threads. which i hope will be of some use to someone.:2thumb:

You should soon be seeing me more regularly as one of the sites regular "traders"..shhhhhhhhhhh its a secret! all will be revealed soon! In the meantime I will endeavour to start working on a couple of other "how to`s"..as im sure you realise it does take a bit of time to make it look so simple!:lol2: corner vivarium and base anyone?:whistling2:


Once again thanks to all for your kind comments.: victory:


----------



## River Zora

Hey- currently in the process of building a Viv Stack akin to this sorta thing, and wondering if anyone knows a decent glazier/sheet glass supplier in the Dartford/Bexley/North West Kent/South East London area? Don't really know where to start looking!


----------



## Pixie7

*from corner unit to chameleon house?*

I have been thinking about getting a veiled chameleon and how we would house it. We already have 2 exo terra vivs (tarantula & leopard geckos)and 2 fish tanks in our lounge and don't really want another glass viv in our living space- however, who could have such a beautiful creature and keep it hidden away. Looking on the net I see recommendations for mesh enclosures to allow good ventilation. I have a crazy idea and a handy husband so am wondering whether this might just work.

We have a wooden corner unit in a prime position which has a cupboard at the bottom with 2 shelves. It is wooden on 3 of the sides so would only require a mesh front and door and would be fully enclosed. The 'open' section is 2 ft across, 3.5 ft high and 1 ft deep (at an angle as it goes in the corner). 

so my questions are:
is this a good size for a chameleon?
what type of mesh would be best to use?
can you think of any problems with a set up like this?

I think this would be far more attractive than a few ornaments and framed photos which is all we use it for currently! 

Would appreciate any thoughts!!


----------



## ryan05

*Viv*

Look great mate I mite have to make a couple like this my self :lol2:


----------



## steve williams

Excellent thread. Only problem I'm having building my own viv's is with getting the glass cut. My local suppliers will only sell toughened for use with animal enclosures. Apparently for health and safety reasons/regs. Obviously safer but works out a hell of a lot more expensive.


----------



## JS52766

*Great thread*

Hi

First of all I'd like to say great thread, it's not easy to find such a detailed description online of how to build a viv.

Secondly id like to ask if MDF would be ok to use? Iv checked in B&Q today and I can pick up an 8th by 2ft 18mm sheet for £16

I'm looking to build a viv for a chameleon so want it to be 4th high by 2ft width by 2ft deep.

I'm definitely going to be following your guide to put the thing together.

As I'm using MDF it will need varnishing because it won't have the melamine finish like the furniture board you used so what would you recommend? I heard yacht varnish takes ages for the fumes to go?

Also where do you get aquatic sealant from?

I look forward to your replies 

J


----------



## nick gilchrist

Well first..to be honest...this requires a few aspects to be covered.
In my opinion. i wouldnt put a chameleon in a fully wooden unit. irrespective of whichever species you may keep. .mesh cages are a far better option as ALL specis require lots of ventilation. even species requiring daytime higher temps. as humidity level is important as well as ventilation. so at absolute best scenario a fully wooden unit. even with a meshed front will create a level of difficulty in maintaining a longterm ventilation/humidity level suitable for the species...far far easier to start with a fully ventilated cage and then cover 1/2 or even 2 sides to create the correct balance required. I know that you can buy all wood/glass "chameleon" units...but i doubt there is a single experienced chameleon keeper who would recommend you go this route.

Back to your query in regards MDF...of course you can use pretty much use any sheet material. MDF. CHIPBOARD etc...but to what gain is that? yes its cheaper..but then you have to waterproof it..especially if its going to be sprayed several times a day..especially in the case of chameleons..so now you have to treat it with varnish or similar..have you worked out the cost for that? Marine varnish..aint cheap...whatsthe point? any money saved in using mdf is lost in proofing it...and damn its a pain. there is the smell. then waiting for the first coatto dry. then coat again etc etc...Also MDF ..well i mean..its not exactly aesthetic..choose a nice wood finish laminate board..then you only need to seal the gaps to stop water seeping into the underlying chipboard. 
As far as proper aquatic sealent..thats easy..any garden centre with a coldwater fish dept or for that matter anywhere that sells tropical fish will sell tubes of silicon sealent used for constructing fish tanks..failing that get it on EBAY for £5 a tube.

Hope that helps: victory:


----------



## Bexterminate

Looks female friendly... may have to give this a go next time ;]


----------



## Djfoxs

what software did you use to build it ?


----------



## royalpaul

can you paint the viv if its MDF without the possibility of harming your chosen reptile.. Ive got a royal for instance


----------



## ch4dg

i made one using this method worked awesomely: victory:
measuring 3ftWx 5ftH x 2ftD
wood...£40
glass... £32
runners... 2.50
glue and nails had already but used but £5 worth
so just under £80 for a very decent size viv

thanks


----------



## JS52766

*Picture*

Do you have a picture you can show us? What do you have in it too?


----------



## nick gilchrist

ch4dg said:


> i made one using this method worked awesomely: victory:
> measuring 3ftWx 5ftH x 2ftD
> wood...£40
> glass... £32
> runners... 2.50
> glue and nails had already but used but £5 worth
> so just under £80 for a very decent size viv
> 
> thanks



I`m really pleased that my design helped you. and thankyou to the many others who have contacted me with similar stories..as someone elae once said..if i had put this design on ebay and sold it..i might be quids in...but despite this. my original intention was always to help out as many new reptilekeepers as possible. I have had many requests to post up other designs and build instructions, and i will endeavour to do this..but if anyone has a specific request or size that you want to have a go at, please message me and i will do my best to help you out.: victory:


----------



## ch4dg

JS52766 said:


> Do you have a picture you can show us? What do you have in it too?


here you go....just too add this pic was taken when i first built it and it has had more stuff thrown in since









and there is a basilisk in there at the mo, but at a later date he will go into something bigger then this viv will house a young frilled dragon











nick gilchrist said:


> I`m really pleased that my design helped you. and thankyou to the many others who have contacted me with similar stories..as someone elae once said..if i had put this design on ebay and sold it..i might be quids in...but despite this. my original intention was always to help out as many new reptilekeepers as possible. I have had many requests to post up other designs and build instructions, and i will endeavour to do this..but if anyone has a specific request or size that you want to have a go at, please message me and i will do my best to help you out.: victory:


yeah thanks again it help massively: victory:


----------



## dinostore

ch4dg said:


> here you go....just too add this pic was taken when i first built it and it has had more stuff thrown in since
> image
> 
> and there is a basilisk in there at the mo, but at a later date he will go into something bigger then this viv will house a young frilled dragon
> image


thats brilliant


----------



## Callum_CWD

Thats awesome man!!


----------



## br4m01

Just finishing building my first viv for my first rep, altered the plans slightly to make a 4x2x2 and worked a treat! no cutting, all went together first time, and following your steps for measuring the glass, picked it up this morning and it fit like a dream first time!

thanks alot for this amazing guide, im sure everyone thats used it appreciates the amount of work you must have done to make it so simple and easy to follow!

Chris


----------



## Lil_nightmare

br4m01 said:


> Just finishing building my first viv for my first rep, altered the plans slightly to make a 4x2x2 and worked a treat! no cutting, all went together first time, and following your steps for measuring the glass, picked it up this morning and it fit like a dream first time!
> 
> thanks alot for this amazing guide, im sure everyone thats used it appreciates the amount of work you must have done to make it so simple and easy to follow!
> 
> Chris



Ok so im a bit mathematically challenged, but how would you go about working out the size of the wood needed (and induvidual pieces) for different sized vivs?

I mean like if i wanted to ( i dont) build a 4x2x2 viv, how would i work out all the measurements?


----------



## sonia74

this looks so good and the way you have explaned everything makes it sound so simple 
i am currently on the hunt for a viv and i dont do diy but i think this has converted me !!!


----------



## dorian

Lil_nightmare said:


> Ok so im a bit mathematically challenged, but how would you go about working out the size of the wood needed (and induvidual pieces) for different sized vivs?
> 
> I mean like if i wanted to ( i dont) build a 4x2x2 viv, how would i work out all the measurements?


Draw a plan first, it always helps you to visualise it first.

The two side pieces you'll want to be 2"x2", the top and bottom pieces you'll want to be 2"x4" or 2"x4"+(WoodWidth x2), and then a backboard that'll be 4"x2"x2" unless you add the width of your wood. (That method will work if the two side pieces go in between the top and bottom piece).

You can then add front panels to make the amount of glass you need to buy smaller.


----------



## nick gilchrist

Lil_nightmare said:


> Ok so im a bit mathematically challenged, but how would you go about working out the size of the wood needed (and induvidual pieces) for different sized vivs?
> 
> I mean like if i wanted to ( i dont) build a 4x2x2 viv, how would i work out all the measurements?



I will work out the sizes required in exact measurements in both imperial and metric for the most commonly required rectangular vivarium sizes. based on the design i have posted. give me the weekend to do this..: victory: I will post this up as a seperate new thread.


----------



## Lil_nightmare

nick gilchrist said:


> I will work out the sizes required in exact measurements in both imperial and metric for the most commonly required rectangular vivarium sizes. based on the design i have posted. give me the weekend to do this..: victory: I will post this up as a seperate new thread.



Thats brill thank you. My partner has 9 weeks off in october after a 6month tour in afghan...so i now have something to keep him busy :2thumb:


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## br4m01

ok so heres the finished result (minus the edging tape lol)

its a 4x2x2 for my beardie. the measurements in mm that i used were 610x610mm for the sides, 610x1220mm for the top and bottom, and 75x1185mm from the top and bottom edges (where the glass runners sit) and 1220x640mm for the white hardboard back

for the glass i just measured exactly how discribed in the original design and it worked perfect!

any more questions just pm me and i will try to answer for you


----------



## nick gilchrist

nick gilchrist said:


> I will work out the sizes required in exact measurements in both imperial and metric for the most commonly required rectangular vivarium sizes. based on the design i have posted. give me the weekend to do this..: victory: I will post this up as a seperate new thread.



http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/habitat/697411-how-build-your-own-wooden.html


----------



## Lil_nightmare

nick gilchrist said:


> http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/habitat/697411-how-build-your-own-wooden.html



You sir are my new hero :notworthy::flrt:


----------



## funkymonk1984

This thread is simply amazing and exactly what i am looking for great effort!! I am buying my first snake (a royal) shortly and want it all setup before hand. Will make the one you detailed for when its an adult but ill make 1 or maybe 2 more versions for 0-1 an 1-3 years.

I hav an old wardrobe from Argos (uk store) its a pine finish but im sure the panels are chipboard covered with a wood finish laminate?! (is this furniture board) I could destroy this and cut the required panels out of this? The back of the wardrobe is tacked in and gain im sure this is white faced hatdboard?


----------



## nick gilchrist

funkymonk1984 said:


> I hav an old wardrobe from Argos (uk store) its a pine finish but im sure the panels are chipboard covered with a wood finish laminate?! (is this furniture board) I could destroy this and cut the required panels out of this? The back of the wardrobe is tacked in and gain im sure this is white faced hatdboard?



Yes the wardrobe will be made from laminate covered board and the back will be white faced hardboard. you should also be able to buy iron on edging tape to match the wood finish. so you can cover cut edges.. When cutting your own wood, the edges will rarely be as accurately cut as machine cut wood, so i recommend before assembling, iron on any edge tape that will be shown in the completed model , and trim beforehand. Good luck with the build and post up pics when completed!!:2thumb:


----------



## funkymonk1984

Well my dad owns a joinery so i would assume he has the necessary machinery to accurately cut the wood to size. Im hoping to give it a crack in the coming month or so. i will prob attempt 1 the exact size mentioned and 1 around half the width but keeping depth and height. 

These along with a hatchling box and a >1 year box should cover me for a royals life. 

Did you use a sealent in your design i dont remember reading it? i mean for the joins to stop humidity moisture getting into the chipboard?


----------



## funkymonk1984

Well after a trip to homebase the above cost me bang on £60 minus the runners and glass. My dad is sorting that out for me as in the trade. Easy to follow n gd results! Maybe edit original posts to correct typos pointed out etc? My 1 issue was Hombase also offer a cutting service (50p per cut but they didnt charge me) the prob was the quality of cutting, the furniture board suffed chipped n rough edges, i obv selected the best sides but still not as gd lookibg as it cud hav been! My dad has a saw that cuts both ways and prevents this (industrial in factory) i would recommend asking local door mnufacturers etc and offer some beers to cut the wood or some bacon sarnies lol. 

Will post pics soon!


----------



## Slashware

anyone wanting furniture board get down to your local focus, the company is shutting down 50% of everything grab yourselves some bargains : victory:


----------



## Connah

I was going to build my own incubator but the prices seem a bit steep as im making it out of wood not poly (£50 just under without a stat, mat or thermo/hygrometer D: ) so im not sure whether to make a viv or not instead. Thinking its going to be the incubator but im not sure yet lol


----------



## appoxplayer

Quick question. Where would you cut on the top for the electronics such as a UV light and basking lights?


----------



## lordaethis

wow will be trying this, this summer


----------



## nick gilchrist

appoxplayer said:


> Quick question. Where would you cut on the top for the electronics such as a UV light and basking lights?


When fitting a UV striplight in. because the unit has a top plinth at the front. to keep it neat and tidy forget using those naff fishtank starter units with all those cables etc..simply buy a 2ft slimline fluorescent fitting..look on ebay or any trade electrical wholesaler..and screw the unit to the top plinth inside..then take out the standard fluorescent and replace with a UV striplight of the same diameter. That way not only is thge unit illuminated..but you cant see the actual light holder when looking into the unit..if the unit is for snakes then just use the fluorescent and a heatmat. As far as basking spots are concerned. the quantity required will depend on the size of unit..but as a guide one is sufficient for any unit up to 3ft wide. 2 on a 4ft. You can use angled batten holders screwed to the ceiling using 5/8 size 6 or 8 screws. this holds the batten securely and wont be long enough to come through. Normally to avoid glare position the spotholder batten in the front corner angled down and towards the opposite back corner.: victory:

Here are some links for the fitting

http://www.wickes.co.uk/2ft-fluorescent-fitting+18w-tube/invt/162281/?source=123_4

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Product...cent+fitting&gclid=CPzL_rb03qkCFQJO4Qod1hwGYQ

Remember when fitting..dont screw the fitting so that the striplight is facing down..instead screw the fitting to the plinth itself with the fluorescent tube facing the back of the unit.


----------



## staffymum

Hi,
Just want to say THANK:YOU:no1:
Was going to buy another 4x2x2 viv but your thread as really inspired me to self build.Im sure even i can follow your instructions:lol2:
Going to get wood etc in morn and start at weekend.
Thanks again for taking time out to do all this.



Tracie.x


----------



## KevUK

Hmm interesting thread, ive only just found it myself a few days ago, so i went to my local wickes, homebase and B&Q, and neither of them will cut the wood, very annoying as i dont have the space or the right tools to make a good job - They all said its H&S gone mad, so not sure what ill do now as i fancy making a 4x2x2 from scratch with a built in background as im building it.


----------



## nick gilchrist

Good God..H&S :devil:,,basically an excuse to employ 100s more anally retentive pen pushers who couldnt get a job in any other industry and all created by the ambulance chaser no win no fee crew of "only got a low grade law degree so now i do this I wanted to be a proper lawyer but spent too much time blowing my student grant on a gap year in Thailand so couldnt buy all the proper bookx":bash:

Anyhoo..best thing if you are wanting to build one and the vertical cut gang of spotty faced weekend part timers at your local national company wont do it..still no reason not to tackle it yourself...pm me what town you are in and your post code..i will locate a place for you...one way or another.: victory:


----------



## nick gilchrist

KevUK said:


> Hmm interesting thread, ive only just found it myself a few days ago, so i went to my local wickes, homebase and B&Q, and neither of them will cut the wood, very annoying as i dont have the space or the right tools to make a good job - They all said its H&S gone mad, .


Sorted..problem solved..see your PMs: victory:


----------



## buster333

Well, I know where my new Leopard Gecko viv is coming from! Thanks a lot mate, Ive been toying with the idea of building one for a while now, and this thread convinced me. Nice one!


----------



## RedDawn

Belated thank you very much for this thread, I used it to build my own 1st attepmt viv last year and it went fairly well. 
Big learning curve for me though, I didnt use machine/power tool cut wood (big mistake, hand cutting so not straight enough & takes ages) and I used plastic instead of glass, which is ok but very scratched due to the lock (to keep cats out not snake in!) I also didnt use bought runners. 

I did use offcuts of wood from the 'whoops' bin at homebase so got dark wood (dark flooring mounted onto MDF) for next to nothing & lined it with cheap hardboard.

All good to learn though & hasn't put me off. Im planning 2-3 more home builds soon using parts of bargain bin 'Pikea' wardrobe doors!


----------



## ButlerAVFC

*Mdf*

Is MDF any good ??


----------



## nick gilchrist

ButlerAVFC said:


> Is MDF any good ??


Yes you can use MDF, but remember the measurements are based on 15mm thick board.: victory:


----------



## RedDawn

I think mine worked out at same thickness which was very fortunate!
Im a bit of a womble so I like to forage for cheap bits n bobs and create new things. 
I was totally lost without this guide though cos even if i dont follow the destructions exactly (women never do as they are told!) I had to have something to base the idea on & refer back to.
pic of the 1st attempt:
(ignore the light, changed for striplight mounted under the upper plinth)


----------



## nick gilchrist

WELL DONE!!:2thumb:

Looks very good, im definately impressed!: victory:


----------



## KevUK

Well I finally got around to doing my own vivarium thanks to nick for helping me out , but I've ran into a massive issue, I started the job when my beardies lights went out tonight and dismantled his current viv to make room and broke it in half to put in the shed...now my issue is ive made his viv but I sealed it aswell and now it stinks, so cant put him back in...dont know how to hurry up the smell to leave the viv.


----------



## nick gilchrist

What did you seal it with?


----------



## KevUK

Sealed the joins and gaps with that geocell aquarium sealant, pretty much midday yesterday the smell had gone, so it worked out, so awesome knowing I made it and my dragon seems happy with my handy work too.


----------



## nick gilchrist

Good for you Kev..i was going to say if its silicone the smell is short lived..post up some pics..lets see your handywork: victory:


----------



## KevUK

It looks horrible in terms of looks, as ive used some bits from an old viv aswell as new wood, so none of it matches beech and white looks odd, but ill get some pics up over the weekend.


----------



## Syx

Brilliant thread, really great idea 

Had been thinking about doing this, my dad suggested it. I am going to get some wood on payday, thing is my flat is a bit small so going to go to my dads place. He used to be a builder and carpenter, so if homebase will refuse to cut if can steal some of dads tools 

One thing I did want to ask however is I wanted to paint the viv black to fit in with my decor at home, I know I would have to treat the wood with ESP first as it will be chipboard. Is there any specific paint I could use that is reptile safe or should I paint then use a sealant over the top?

Cheers
Chris


----------



## nick gilchrist

Syx said:


> Brilliant thread, really great idea
> 
> Had been thinking about doing this, my dad suggested it. I am going to get some wood on payday, thing is my flat is a bit small so going to go to my dads place. He used to be a builder and carpenter, so if homebase will refuse to cut if can steal some of dads tools
> 
> One thing I did want to ask however is I wanted to paint the viv black to fit in with my decor at home, I know I would have to treat the wood with ESP first as it will be chipboard. Is there any specific paint I could use that is reptile safe or should I paint then use a sealant over the top?
> 
> Cheers
> Chris


There shouldnt be a need to paint the viv black, as you should be able to get hold of "BLACK ASH" coloured contiboard to use. if not you should find that a similar darker wood is available. failing that. i would first choose a dark coloured conti board, then cut all the pieces required first. then paint with "melamine paint" used for kitchen worktops/cupboards, allow all pieces to dry thoroughly for at least 48hrs. then assemble afterwards. 
personally though i would search out the black ash..because trust me..painted vivs ALWAYS look exactly that.: victory:


----------



## Syx

I was just trying to save money but will definately try sourcing black ash contiboard. Thanks for the advice!

EDIT: Just checked both B+Q and Homebase and neither do Black Ash furniture board or contiboard :S Will pop into a few builders merchants.


----------



## nick gilchrist

Syx said:


> I was just trying to save money but will definately try sourcing black ash contiboard. Thanks for the advice!
> 
> EDIT: Just checked both B+Q and Homebase and neither do Black Ash furniture board or contiboard :S Will pop into a few builders merchants.


 
Can be hard to locate as its a bit of an 80s furniture colour. however you can get it here..

Black Ash Contiplas Furniture Board - Furniture Boards from Next Day Diy UK

and they deliver..: victory:


----------



## Syx

Cheers mate! Just had a look  Quite good, bit pricey but still much cheaper than buying a viv  :no1:


----------



## animan

nice thread mate may try to do this at the weekend if i get everything


----------



## Jimi

This is what i ended up building but im a finish carpenter :2thumb:
For my Royal/Ball Python










Screen in between lighting area and living area


----------



## Kenn6eth78

Fantastic the best Thread ever:notworthy:


----------



## Superbuzz3

Great thread. I need som help with a little project.

I am transforming a coffee table into a viv, and I could just buy glass and runners for two sides and hey presto its complete. However, I dont want the glass to be on bottom of the viv, so need a plinth. Problem being getting a plinth to match in colour.

So I have ended up settling for a glass plinth, as a lot of vivs have these anyway. My question is, how do I fix the glass plinth in place (runners?), and also how do I then fit runners, ontop of this plinth to sit the glass doors on?

Any help would be appreciated.


----------



## nick gilchrist

Superbuzz3 said:


> Great thread. I need som help with a little project.
> 
> I am transforming a coffee table into a viv, and I could just buy glass and runners for two sides and hey presto its complete. However, I dont want the glass to be on bottom of the viv, so need a plinth. Problem being getting a plinth to match in colour.
> 
> So I have ended up settling for a glass plinth, as a lot of vivs have these anyway. My question is, how do I fix the glass plinth in place (runners?), and also how do I then fit runners, ontop of this plinth to sit the glass doors on?
> Any help would be appreciated.


Well..there are 2 options. the simplest method is to first fit the runners onto the viv for the doors. as you woulld normally if you were not putting in a plinth. then once in place, run a single track 4mm runner directly behind the double runner, and 2 single track side runners approx 3-4" height at each end (good idea to also fit double side runners as slot ins for the doors as well) then simply drop in a piece of glass into these. this creates a barrier to stop substrate etc getting into the door runners and leaves full visability. which if you are converting a coffee table. which may be low level will help with overall visibility .
OPTION 2 is slightly more complicated and I would most likely only use this option if the unit is 2ft high or more. A split front can be created by using a strip of 3/4"square wooden beading . First place double (not single) runner along the front as above, then run 2 x side pieces of double runner approx 4" high, cut a piece of glass to drop in allowing it to be 3mm higher than the length of the side pieces once in position. Then fit a length of deeper top track runner to the wooden beading (cut the beading prior to this to the correct width of the unit (add 3mm to make it a snug fit)
Once track is glued on..drop onto the glass and screw the beading into place creating a fixed bottom glass piece. Use a spirit level to make sure its correct! Then simply apply a 2nd runner onto the beading as the base runner for 2 glass doors and complete as normal..ie top runner. side runners etc. When placing the fixed glass piece in..use the front slot of the double track .
As far as colour matching the only exposed piece..ie the front of the beading..you can do this in various ways.iron on edging. fablon etc..or for an easy method simply colour match the colour of the wood not the grain by using a matchpot of silk emulsion which you can get knocked up in a million colours at any large DIY Store..the fact it has no grain will not be noticed.as the base colour will be identical.

hope that helps
:2thumb:


----------



## AraCyanea

Great thread, very well done.

Just wondering though, for my own Viv I am making, I don't have the tools for drilling currently, mother and step-father going through divorce, so lack of tools currently. I was wondering if I could nail to boards together instead of screwing them together? Would it work just as well or not?

Any suggestions?


----------



## nick gilchrist

x-istealbears said:


> Great thread, very well done.
> 
> Just wondering though, for my own Viv I am making, I don't have the tools for drilling currently, mother and step-father going through divorce, so lack of tools currently. I was wondering if I could nail to boards together instead of screwing them together? Would it work just as well or not?
> 
> Any suggestions?


 
no fraid nails are are a definate no no..borrow a drill is the best bet, Romans might have liked nails but they never built vivs.:whistling2:


----------



## MissRosyBoa

Fantastic guide  am looking into making my own viv stack for my rosy's and this is a perfect guide i love it thank you loads for sharing your awsome design skills.:notworthy:


----------



## Alec8100

Really done nice job there.One of my friends tell me about this and i see is really good.This is a very useful thread that will be referenced long into the future.


----------



## copey1975

Excellent guide:notworthy::no1:
I'm stopping at B&Q on the way back from work to pick up required bits, Instead of screws I'm going for the wooden dowel and glue approach so all fixings should be hidden.

Mark


----------



## nick gilchrist

copey1975 said:


> Excellent guide:notworthy::no1:
> I'm stopping at B&Q on the way back from work to pick up required bits, Instead of screws I'm going for the wooden dowel and glue approach so all fixings should be hidden.
> 
> Mark


Fixings are hidden by matching edging..:whistling2::2thumb:
but go for it!! its all good!


----------



## copey1975

nick gilchrist said:


> Fixings are hidden by matching edging..:whistling2::2thumb:
> but go for it!! its all good!


Change of plan,sides are too big to get in my piller drill.......screws and edging it is then:whistling2:


----------



## copey1975

Here's mine minus the runners which should be delivered this week
















.
Thanx for the guide:notworthy:
Mark


----------



## nick gilchrist

Good job Mark..well done : victory:


----------



## nick gilchrist

In case you missed it the first time..here is the link to cut wood sizes for other vivariums using the same build format..vivs of 4ft over will have an addition piece of wood for rear central support.

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/habitat/697411-how-build-your-own-wooden.html

And the links to building a corner vivarium for arboreals

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/habitat/727439-how-build-corner-vivarium-base.html

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/habitat/727492-how-build-corner-vivarium-base.html


----------



## niccky

superb. I am about to start a project to build a 6ft long by 3ft by 3ft viv.

was thinking i would have to build a frame first due to the size and would have 2 sets of doors on the front.

these are the measurements i am thinking of 

2x2 inch frame work

4 pieces 6ft lengths
6 pieces 3ft lengths 2 of these are top supports
I pieces 2ft 8 inch ( middle of front between glass)

Ply 18mm thick or similarf wood
3 pieces 6x3(top, bottom, back)
2 pieces 3ft 4 inch x3ft (sides) Slightly longer to allow for the side differce on the frame
I piec 1ft by 6ft for bottom plinth
Central front upright 1 ft by 3ft 

This leaves 2 openings in the front that i think will add 2 lots of sliding glass doors. Gaps should be around 2 ft high by 2.5 wide. Wide each if my maths is correct. 

So 2 sets of runners 18 mm 
and 4 pieces of glass

how does that sound? can anyone tell me if my measurements are correct?

thanks


----------



## niccky

Corrections i just thought of
superb. I am about to start a project to build a 6ft long by 3ft by 3ft viv.

was thinking i would have to build a frame first due to the size and would have 2 sets of doors on the front.

these are the measurements i am thinking of 

2x2 inch frame work

4 pieces 6ft lengths
10 pieces 3ft lengths 2 of these are top supports
I pieces 2ft 10inch ( middle of front between glass)

Ply 18mm thick or similarf wood
3 pieces 6x3(top, bottom, back)
2 pieces 3ft 4 inch x3ft 4 inch (sides) Slightly longer to allow for the side differce on the frame
I piec 1ft by 6ft for bottom plinth
Central front upright 1 ft by 2 ft

This leaves 2 openings in the front that i think will add 2 lots of sliding glass doors. Gaps should be around 2 ft high by 2.5 wide. Wide each if my maths is correct. 

So 2 sets of runners 18 mm 
and 4 pieces of glass

how does that sound? can anyone tell me if my measurements are correct?


----------



## nick gilchrist

What are you putting in it? and is 3ft deep really necessary?..could you get away with 2ft deep? if so it will bring your costs down loads..and will mean you can use furniture board doing away with the need to mess about with varnish and god knows what else, also will look much nicer. Units of this size are easily built without a framework. its about design and structural support. There are many ways of cutting outlay but first its back to that question..is 3ft deep really essential..if its that deep. you will literally have to get into the unit to reach the back of it!..better to make up for the depth by giving more width if neccessary.:whistling2:


----------



## niccky

its for a bosc monitor was told 6x3x3 was what i would need. he/she is in a 4x2x2 currently but then she is only 6 inches long at the min as a baby.

any thoughts on this would be greatfully recieved.


----------



## nick gilchrist

Personally imo although its a good idea to give any monitor as much space ss possible i think for a single bosc 6 x 2 x 2" is large enough..they dont need too much height as its unlikely they will climb that much.unless given a reason to make the effort ie a basking spot. the floor area is more important. but as its not one of the largest of monitor species. im sure a 6ft x 2 x 2 is large enough...if it was for an iguana or active tree species like basilisks / water dragons then fine..but i think going too large is unneccessary .... As boscs tend to be tamer than most. its a better idea to let it free roam for a few hours a day if poss. Also with any monitor they dont tend to be the cleanest of species, and will need regular cleaning. i would suggest at most a 6ft x 2ft x 30" high on a 6" base plinth which will give you a visual height withought towering over the lizard observing, Your current unit sounds large enough for a while, at least until its about 12" stv. If you build a 30" high unit. then it allows for a basking shelf mid height which can serve either as a hot spot on the top or a sheltered area below. The 6" base plinth will lift the unit to 3ft high. which will look better than sitting it on the floor as such. you can easily make the unit decorative then by fitting 2 faux drawer fronts to the bottom plinth. To save money when getting your furniture board cut. you can use white furniture board for the bottom as this wont be seen, and then use matching iron on edging to disguise the exposed white edge at the front and sides.


----------



## niccky

that sounds great. so i wouldnt need any supports for this then i take it? or maybe just a couple at the back?

i like the idea of a basking spot so will prob go for the 30 inch height.

so i can use furniture board

so i would need 3 pieces 6ftby 2ft
3 pieces of 2ft b 30 inches ( 2 back support one in front)
couple of 2 ft by 30 inch supports (2inch by 2inch)
front central 6ft by 6 inch bottom 
centre front board upright centre 1ft by 2 ft

bottom plinth

2 x 6ft by 6inches and then im thinking the 2 6 inch by 2 ft for eiither end and then another 4 inside to support the floor. (does that sound ok)

then rails and glass and couple false draw fronts.

does that sound about right?

thanks for all your help :2thumb:


----------



## nick gilchrist

Here is what the finished item would look like, in 30" high, 6ft x 2ft..with the addition of a mid shelf. support only needs to be by 2 x 3" strips in dead centre front and back. Then this creates 2 access doors left and right., Also shown sitting on a riser plinth.


















Making a riser plinth is easy and can be used on any vivarium, just use 6" wide furniture board, form a rectangle. put in a central support and a couple of rectangle pieces on the front with drawer handles for effect.










I will post up your cut wood sizes tomorrow as soon as i find my tape measure!:2thumb:


----------



## niccky

that looks great thank you. i really appreciate it. will get wood cut for me from wherever i get the wood from. im really looking forwaRD to building this.

your a star :no1:


----------



## nick gilchrist

Exact sizes to build the 6ft x 2ft x 30" unit.
These are in Centimetres/millimetres as it is more exact and as most furniture boards these days are sold in metric sizes it should help.

TOP/BOTTOM .......................................... 2 X 1830mm x 610mm
SIDES .......................................... 2 X 610mm x 735mm
CENTRE/BACK SUPPORT STRUTS ................. 2 X 75mm x 735mm
TOP FRONT FACIA PANELS
(OVERSIZED TO TRIM IN) ............................ 2 X 75mm x 900mm
BOTTOM FRONT FACIA PANELS
(OVERSIZED TO TRIM IN).............................. 2 X 100mm x 900mm

HARDBOARD BACK WHITE OR NORMAL ............. 1 X 1830mm x 765mm

INNER SHELF. 1 X 610mm x 300mm

BASE UNIT

FRONT/ BACK ............................2 X 150mm x 1830mm 
SIDES ./SUPPORTS....................... 4 X 150mm x 580mm
DRAWER FRONTS ......................... 2 X 610mm x 100mm

BUILD TIPS

When constructing the base unit, cover screws by countersinking then use edge tape to conceal as per my original thread. however when screwing in the support struts. position the support so that when you apply the draw fronts they hide the exposed screws used for fixing th support. you can glue the drawer fronts on by lying base on its back and using contact adhesive. countersink all screws so the cover up is easy.

The front facia panels are over wide deliberately..first fit both supports front and back..pencil a line on the edges exactly half way on the top/bottom then do the same with the support struts..match up the lines and screw into position..use 2 screws 11/4" supascrews flat head. Once fixed in position. place your bottom left facia in position and pencil mark the overlap from behind..then cut saw line slightly generous..this will then allow you to pull in the panel from behind into a tight secure position..screw it in from below..no need to screw into the support. repeat with other side. then turn whole unit over and do the top.

Hope that helps.:2thumb:


----------



## niccky

nick gilchrist said:


> Exact sizes to build the 6ft x 2ft x 30" unit.
> These are in Centimetres/millimetres as it is more exact and as most furniture boards these days are sold in metric sizes it should help.
> 
> TOP/BOTTOM .......................................... 2 X 1830mm x 610mm
> SIDES .......................................... 2 X 610mm x 735mm
> CENTRE/BACK SUPPORT STRUTS ................. 2 X 75mm x 735mm
> TOP FRONT FACIA PANELS
> (OVERSIZED TO TRIM IN) ............................ 2 X 75mm x 900mm
> BOTTOM FRONT FACIA PANELS
> (OVERSIZED TO TRIM IN).............................. 2 X 100mm x 900mm
> 
> HARDBOARD BACK WHITE OR NORMAL ............. 1 X 1830mm x 765mm
> 
> INNER SHELF. 1 X 610mm x 300mm
> 
> BASE UNIT
> 
> FRONT/ BACK ............................2 X 150mm x 1830mm
> SIDES ./SUPPORTS....................... 4 X 150mm x 580mm
> DRAWER FRONTS ......................... 2 X 610mm x 100mm
> 
> BUILD TIPS
> 
> When constructing the base unit, cover screws by countersinking then use edge tape to conceal as per my original thread. however when screwing in the support struts. position the support so that when you apply the draw fronts they hide the exposed screws used for fixing th support. you can glue the drawer fronts on by lying base on its back and using contact adhesive. countersink all screws so the cover up is easy.
> 
> The front facia panels are over wide deliberately..first fit both supports front and back..pencil a line on the edges exactly half way on the top/bottom then do the same with the support struts..match up the lines and screw into position..use 2 screws 11/4" supascrews flat head. Once fixed in position. place your bottom left facia in position and pencil mark the overlap from behind..then cut saw line slightly generous..this will then allow you to pull in the panel from behind into a tight secure position..screw it in from below..no need to screw into the support. repeat with other side. then turn whole unit over and do the top.
> 
> Hope that helps.:2thumb:


superb. does furniture board come in just one thickess. 

cant wait to build now thank you so much for your help


----------



## nick gilchrist

Yes generally its 15mm thick, but dont worry built in this way its quite strong enough. and no need to varnish etc. Good idea to silicon seal inside all around the bottom edges to ensure that any water seepage or splashes dont seep through to the underlying chipboard. Any issues just pm me if not sure. Good Luck!: victory:


----------



## niccky

thank you much appreciated :2thumb:


----------



## niccky

just got quote on the wood and it comes in at just under £82 from a local timber merchant. that includes the wood (obviously lol) cutting and delivery.

going to order it at end of month and build bank hol weekend i think.

Cant wait


----------



## Burmtastic

My creation 

8*4*4 with a 3ft wide ledge in the middle and a double bed on top :2thumb:


----------



## nick gilchrist

Burmtastic said:


> My creation
> 
> 8*4*4 with a 3ft wide ledge in the middle and a double bed on top :2thumb:]





And no need in winter for a hot water bottle!:2thumb: PS that would pass as a split level central heated desirable residence in London, family of Asylum seekers, 2 dogs , a cat and the occasional visiting (long stay# see indefinately ) relatives would be in there like a shot..


----------



## Drchrissyb

*Square vs rectangle*

Hi there,

My husband and I are looking to get 2 bearded dragons and would like to build our own vivarium so thanks for the very detailed instructions! 

The space that we have to put the vivarium won't accommodate a standard 4ft long rectangular vivarium however we could build a square shaped one with the same floor area/ footprint. 

Would that be ok for 2 beardies, technically they would have the same amount of space but all the vivariums available seem to be rectangular so we weren't sure?

Thanks for any advice 

Chrissy


----------



## nick gilchrist

Hi Chrissy, if you pm me with details of the actual area you have available to you i can see if i can come up with a suitable type design. theoretically not a major issue.dependant on floor area.: victory:


----------



## copey1975

Just built this small one for my King snake.








.








. 
Just need to build another big one for my corn.
Excellent thread.
Mark


----------



## nick gilchrist

:2thumb::2thumb: looking good Mark..well done!:no1:


----------



## niccky

wood ordered for mine so the project starts over the bank holiday. im so exited lol.

will take a bit of time to complete as buying the bits and pieces a bit t a time.

all timber this week 

have the light heat fittings.

glass next month.

already thinking about my next project too a big viv for my ig:2thumb:


----------



## copey1975

And number 3 is done.
This Thread has saved me a fortune:2thumb:








.
Mark


----------



## Ratface

Hi there,

Did you ever finish the one for the viv stack? :whistling2:

Cheers : victory:


----------



## nick gilchrist

Ratface said:


> Hi there,
> 
> Did you ever finish the one for the viv stack? :whistling2:
> 
> Cheers : victory:


Well i started..then got waylaid. i will finish it, but as you can imagine its a bit more complex so takes a while to get the various stages simplified and laid down on "paper" so to speak. I will get it done though!


----------



## Genseric

I was thinking of buying some 6-8'x2'x2' for a burm.. but haven't sourced any outside of the modx viv exotic jobbies.
Would you have an idea of the size of wood that would need cut? It would need to be fairly sturdy, as there would be 3-4 needed, and it would be nice to have at least one atop of another.


----------



## niccky

Genseric said:


> I was thinking of buying some 6-8'x2'x2' for a burm.. but haven't sourced any outside of the modx viv exotic jobbies.
> Would you have an idea of the size of wood that would need cut? It would need to be fairly sturdy, as there would be 3-4 needed, and it would be nice to have at least one atop of another.


nick gave me measurements for a 6x2x2.5 viv all the correct measurements and plans. i would be happy to email them to you. they are on here somewhere too 

was all spot on my build coming on great


----------



## nick gilchrist

Genseric said:


> I was thinking of buying some 6-8'x2'x2' for a burm.. but haven't sourced any outside of the modx viv exotic jobbies.
> Would you have an idea of the size of wood that would need cut? It would need to be fairly sturdy, as there would be 3-4 needed, and it would be nice to have at least one atop of another.


Building an 8ft viv is a whole different ball game. especially if you are considering placing one on top of the other. the weight is considerable and if stacked as you suggest the lower unit will need lots of support.If it was me . i would instead construct a framework of 2x2 then drop in panels and screw into the framework..this allows you to use thinner wood as the frame takes the weight distribution. more work involved, but if you go the normal route of basically a box as such. then similar build as the 6ft one but instead of a single central support you would need 2. Also cost of glass could frighten you as you would need 6mm. I would most likely use aluminium sliding runners as used on shower doors etc..like i said..it certailnly would be an expensive build.
Another tip with big units is to keep costs down by using mdf. but line the interior with pvc tongue and groove cladding as used on garage doors etc..its cheap/waterproof. wipe clean and great for insulation.: victory:


----------



## niccky

listen to this guy he knows what he talking obout :2thumb:


----------



## sooksyajets

*building viv*

hi guys never built my own viv but started looking in to doing so as i normally just sell something to get the cash to buy a flat pack viv however im finding it hard to get hold of vivs as big as im wanting so i decided i want to build my own not only for size but as a project of fun after reading alot of your posts on building your own specially a few ideas from meko like his 2010 Lshaped viv/tv cab so i no what size sheets i need for the build im wanting but im unsure on what thickness to use 12mm 16mm 18mm in your opinions what is best any input would be great thanks also if any one had and plans already drawn up or posted on other sections for a viv for boscs im wanting something unusual but if no luck on plans ill be doing a straight L6ftH2ftD2ft when i start ill post picks


----------



## Meko

Whenever I've built one I tend to design the size around the wood; for example. If you wanted a 4x2x2, if you made it slightly smaller you could get it all done from a single sheet of 8x4.

With something like a 6x3x3 you're going to need a few sheets
1 - 2 * 3x3
1 - 1 * 6x3
1 - 1 * 6*3
1 - 1 * 6*3 (and a bit)

If you built a frame you could use strips instead of whole pieces, and use less sheets of wood.


When I did my big on I built it around where I wanted to put it. I could have gone for a 4x2 but as I'd have needed to leave a space in front of it anyway -why not use that space for the viv? 
Then I just decided to cover it in leather which meant I didn't have to use matching wood.

I'm looking at building another viv soon but decided to have a mesh roof to it. Just by doing that will save me having to buy another sheet of wood just to get a 5ft strip from it, and means I can make it slightly taller

So I'd suggest that you work out where you want it to go and then you can start looking at how to get your money's worth from the materials.


----------



## sooksyajets

Meko said:


> Whenever I've built one I tend to design the size around the wood; for example. If you wanted a 4x2x2, if you made it slightly smaller you could get it all done from a single sheet of 8x4.
> 
> With something like a 6x3x3 you're going to need a few sheets
> 1 - 2 * 3x3
> 1 - 1 * 6x3
> 1 - 1 * 6*3
> 1 - 1 * 6*3 (and a bit)
> 
> If you built a frame you could use strips instead of whole pieces, and use less sheets of wood.
> 
> 
> When I did my big on I built it around where I wanted to put it. I could have gone for a 4x2 but as I'd have needed to leave a space in front of it anyway -why not use that space for the viv?
> Then I just decided to cover it in leather which meant I didn't have to use matching wood.
> 
> I'm looking at building another viv soon but decided to have a mesh roof to it. Just by doing that will save me having to buy another sheet of wood just to get a 5ft strip from it, and means I can make it slightly taller
> 
> So I'd suggest that you work out where you want it to go and then you can start looking at how to get your money's worth from the materials.


aye i did some measuring and i wouldnt fit a 6ft length were i wanted it its only 5 ft so im making it L5H3W2 and so far it will cost me £34 to build the shell with 18mm mdf so ill be going to get that next week :2thumb::2thumb::2thumb:


----------



## DrewPickles

This is brilliant. I've been considering making my own viv for a boa, of course that would need to be a BIT bigger... which brings me onto my question, how much more expensive would that cost, considering it would need to be 6'x2'x2' roughly?


----------



## sooksyajets

DrewPickles said:


> This is brilliant. I've been considering making my own viv for a boa, of course that would need to be a BIT bigger... which brings me onto my question, how much more expensive would that cost, considering it would need to be 6'x2'x2' roughly?


just a extra £17 mate i change my idea a bit im going to build mine 7x2x4 and it only change in price for a extra sheet of wood the shell as it takes only 3 sheets of if your wanting any bigger 2 ft width but for L6xH4xW2 would cost you £35-36 its only 2 sheets of wood for the frame mdf at b&q and they cut to size you want the 2440mmx1220mmx18mm http://www.diy.com/nav/build/timber...mm/MDF-Board-L-2440-x-W-1220-x-T-18mm-9276268

Cutting Specs


----------



## DrewPickles

I like your idea of a wire mesh top. Would a boa be comfortable in that?


----------



## sooksyajets

DrewPickles said:


> I like your idea of a wire mesh top. Would a boa be comfortable in that?


my idea ??? i neva thought of wire meshing the top as for my lizards this would drop the heat in the viv by a considerable ammount it is a good idea i guess and it would work aslong as you had a larg enough basking area only thing i would say is i dont no prices on mesh nor do i no much on keeping snakes personaly i wouldnt go with mesh for snake or lizard unless realy togh mesh and very close together holes as may have escapes also with a monitor they very strong and would tear up mesh easy enuff 2 8x4 ft mdf sheets will do back sides and tops depending on how deep substrate you are having if any you would then need to make atleast a bottom rail to hold teh soil in and sit the glass on my brother has a emerald tree python and the viv i built for him be it small dosnt have any substrate he has vivarium carpet so didnt need a rail along the bottom hope this helps you out  

eres one i just made a lay out for you its slightly smaller than the one you asked for but you could make it bigger for a bit more money as you would need another sheet of mdf for the rails this one i took in to consideration of the £35 price bracket but with rails for substrate 

5 ft x 3ft x 2ft


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## DrewPickles

Cheers, that's awesome. The scrap bits cut be made into supports or something in the middle. Just a thought. I'd have room for 5x3 instead of a 6x2, it would probably be better to be fair in regards to space. Oh and I meant Meko, when I was on about the mesh top. Lol.


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## sooksyajets

DrewPickles said:


> Cheers, that's awesome. The scrap bits cut be made into supports or something in the middle. Just a thought. I'd have room for 5x3 instead of a 6x2, it would probably be better to be fair in regards to space. Oh and I meant Meko, when I was on about the mesh top. Lol.


support wise the two scrap bits aint big enough as there only 1 ft by 2 ft scraps i suopse if you didnt cut it down the middle you would have a 1ft by 4 ft piece of wood again support isnt needed on a 5 ft viv if you was going over the the 6 ft mark or maybe having a heavy tv on top of the viv you would need to support the middle but a majority of the time in a viv this small no support needed  me personally i would put them in the rear of the viv some where to make shelves


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## DrewPickles

Oh yeah my bad. I misread, I thought it was 3ft deep and 2ft high, which is what I was going for. But that's easy enough to do, just flip the side panels onto their side. And I was thinking of possibly sticking my MBK viv on top of this one, possibly. So support might be necessary as a precaution more than anything. Lol.


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## sooksyajets

*viv*

if you where to take a printed copy of that viv mock up i just showed you to B&Q (one thet cuts to size) they will cut the wood as i shown on there for you only thing i would say is to remember that the you will need to take 18mm of top and bottom and side of the back panel or the two side panels at the back and top and bottom of the back panel so it slide in to the gap nicely unless your good with die and have the tools to do so your self


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## sooksyajets

DrewPickles said:


> Oh yeah my bad. I misread, I thought it was 3ft deep and 2ft high, which is what I was going for. But that's easy enough to do, just flip the side panels onto their side. And I was thinking of possibly sticking my MBK viv on top of this one, possibly. So support might be necessary as a precaution more than anything. Lol.


aye its a thing i think about when building simply cus im building a 8x3x3 viv and i was woryed about bowing so was thinking of salutation ive gone with splitting the front doors in half and having four doors with a piece of 2b2 in middle for support another way i was going to go was buying a huge log and screwing it in the centre floor to roof as a natural looking suport or using 2b2 in middle and covering with cork bark looks natural and something to climb up


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## DrewPickles

Sorry, i'm pretty tired and I think i'm missing something. Why do I need the 18mm off? :lol2:


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## sooksyajets

DrewPickles said:


> Sorry, i'm pretty tired and I think i'm missing something. Why do I need the 18mm off? :lol2:


well to slide the back in for a perfect flush fitting


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## sooksyajets

sooksyajets said:


> well to slide the back in for a perfect flush fitting


and i was wrong you would only need to take 18mm on each side panels no need to take it of the back panel


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## DrewPickles

Yeah, haha i'm with you now. Sorry, like i said, i'm tired, and i'm not exactly an expert at DIY :lol2:


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## sooksyajets

DrewPickles said:


> Yeah, haha i'm with you now. Sorry, like i said, i'm tired, and i'm not exactly an expert at DIY :lol2:


: victory:


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## Paurah

Hi,

First time poster to the forums.

I have been reading through about the DIY vivs, and would love to have a go at one for my Chinese Water Dragon. Just some questions that I haven't seen the answers to, just for my clarification:

1. Will any wood do, or does it need to be a certain type of wood?

2. How do you seal the insides?

3. Does the wood need to be treated to stop it rotting due to humidity? What with?

Thanks


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## sooksyajets

Paurah said:


> Hi,
> 
> First time poster to the forums.
> 
> I have been reading through about the DIY vivs, and would love to have a go at one for my Chinese Water Dragon. Just some questions that I haven't seen the answers to, just for my clarification:
> 
> 1. Will any wood do, or does it need to be a certain type of wood?
> 
> 2. How do you seal the insides?
> 
> 3. Does the wood need to be treated to stop it rotting due to humidity? What with?
> 
> Thanks


hi mate i built one for my CWDS its 6ft tall 4ft wide i did same for my iggys aswell but larger width and i use mdf 18 mm only problem with these is that there high humid reps so vanishing all wood 3-4 times helps but also means 3 weeks of wait time before you build you will also need aquarium sealer seal all edges this is what i did when i first built my cwd viv however when i had save up a bit more money i then gutted the viv out and put my cwds in a temp viv for a week and glass lined the whole thing making it super water tight its all about how much money you have to spend the desighn i give for the bosc viv i shown earlyer in this viv can be used as a arboreal viv just flip it 180 degrees so its tall rather than long and it will cost you same price for the shell of the viv i think it was £35 for 5x3x2 this is big enough for a pair of cwds this price is just for the wood btw not screws or varnish or glass as i have other things already so just do price on mdf cut to size from b&q it takes two sheets of 8x4 to make this 5x3 viv


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## Paurah

sooksyajets said:


> ... vanishing all wood 3-4 times helps ...


Great stuff, and thanks for the info. I wondered about varnishing the wood to protect it, but worried if the varnish would be toxic. Money is an issue, but also the health and happiness of my pet is most important.


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## sooksyajets

Paurah said:


> Great stuff, and thanks for the info. I wondered about varnishing the wood to protect it, but worried if the varnish would be toxic. Money is an issue, but also the health and happiness of my pet is most important.


varnish is horrid stuff but if left to dry for 3-4 weeks its fine its when you dont let it cure it can be a issue i also red some where else most outdoor fencing water prrofing is safe for pets but i cant garentee you on this one for reps its safe for the likes of cats dogs rabbits etc but they can be hardyer pets i varnished both cwds and iggy vivs left em for a month before using them  also varnishing the wood before you start to build so you dont have a fully build viv taking up space :2thumb::2thumb: then its just a case of screwing it all together : victory:


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## nick gilchrist

:whistling2: Just to interject here..as the OP I should point out that the intention of this post was to suggest a simple and effective...and cheap way of creating a good looking professional vivarium for the minimum outlay...and for that..it achieved its purpose.Personally imo if you are building a large viv and need to varnish it..you are already overcomplicating the situation and creating far more work than you need to do..there are many ways of constructing a waterproof attractive unit without the need to varnish anything..People were using 18mm wood and varnish in the 80s...its a bit like buying a Spectrum instead of an IPOD...One of the biggest and expensive mistakes prospective builders make is to overcomplicate what is essentially building a box. The skill is making the box look good...a bit like putting more make up on Katie Price and buying it from Harrods:whistling2: I have had many pms requesting advice on building different sized vivs..and i am happy to advise and give suggestions as well as spend time laying out personal individual plans subject to available time..if you have a particular space or idea..and need cut sizes or advice just pm me: victory:

PS if you really do need to waterproof the interior of any vivarium i know a product that will do this for around £7 including delivery..and dries in about 20mins..........


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## sooksyajets

nick gilchrist said:


> :whistling2: Just to interject here..as the OP I should point out that the intention of this post was to suggest a simple and effective...and cheap way of creating a good looking professional vivarium for the minimum outlay...and for that..it achieved its purpose.Personally imo if you are building a large viv and need to varnish it..you are already overcomplicating the situation and creating far more work than you need to do..there are many ways of constructing a waterproof attractive unit without the need to varnish anything..People were using 18mm wood and varnish in the 80s...its a bit like buying a Spectrum instead of an IPOD...One of the biggest and expensive mistakes prospective builders make is to overcomplicate what is essentially building a box. The skill is making the box look good...a bit like putting more make up on Katie Price and buying it from Harrods:whistling2: I have had many pms requesting advice on building different sized vivs..and i am happy to advise and give suggestions as well as spend time laying out personal individual plans subject to available time..if you have a particular space or idea..and need cut sizes or advice just pm me: victory:
> 
> PS if you really do need to waterproof the interior of any vivarium i know a product that will do this for around £7 including delivery..and dries in about 20mins..........


what issit then i would love some as im always building for new projects when bored  can ou give link for there site please


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## julie B

Great thread I would love to give this a go and it would definatley cheaper than the vivs you buy. Thanks :2thumb:


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## rexob

excellent thread, I'm thinking of making my own Viv at some point so this will be very helpful.


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## Goobs

Hi, this is a great thread :2thumb: I've built a viv exactly to the plan on the first post. This maybe a stupid question but i've got 2 round 70mm vents instead of the large oblong one in the first post. Is the positioning of these vents important? I was thinking of putting them on the back, at the top with one at either side, is this ok or does it not really matter???


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## GECKO MICK

Nice thread interesting read.:2thumb:


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## sooksyajets

Goobs said:


> Hi, this is a great thread :2thumb: I've built a viv exactly to the plan on the first post. This maybe a stupid question but i've got 2 round 70mm vents instead of the large oblong one in the first post. Is the positioning of these vents important? I was thinking of putting them on the back, at the top with one at either side, is this ok or does it not really matter???


mmm its depending on what your keeping in it how high your temps need to be for instance bosc monitor need one end realy hot so wouldnt be advisable to put a vent on that side and use both at the cool end if ou have a lizard like a cwd then i would say one ither end chameleons need lots of ventalation on over hand so would be best getting the oblong most vivs ou but prepacked have 1-2 vents on lower left corner for cool end and one in top right for hot end   hope this helps


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## Manic Marley

*Building MDF viv*

Hi

I'm building a viv out of 1 sheet of 2440mm x 1220 x 18mm MDF, what should I seal the interior walls with?


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## rexob

Manic Marley said:


> Hi
> 
> I'm building a viv out of 1 sheet of 2440mm x 1220 x 18mm MDF, what should I seal the interior walls with?


Acrylic varnish, i have just re done a new interior in my Viv after grouting i was told to use acrylic varnish by the more experienced members : victory:


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## jarry

woowww what a useful thread...may be we wouldnt get this much knowledge on google..it was worthy..must have to try this...it will be fun..thanxx for the info...


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## Kreations

Great thread, will help a lot.. Plan on building my own using this guide making a few modifications to fit my needs


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## SammyLou93

*Viv*

Thanks alot for this, i'v always wanted a snake but the cost of a vivarium in pet stores and so on are so expensive so i was thinking about making my own if it was indeed cheaper, and you have shown it is and a good size and everything for a good sized viv  thank yoouuu adding to faves  p.s. is it big enough for a corn snake/ californian kingsnake? just to make sure


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## sooksyajets

SammyLou93 said:


> Thanks alot for this, i'v always wanted a snake but the cost of a vivarium in pet stores and so on are so expensive so i was thinking about making my own if it was indeed cheaper, and you have shown it is and a good size and everything for a good sized viv  thank yoouuu adding to faves  p.s. is it big enough for a corn snake/ californian kingsnake? just to make sure


way aye  you could house a corn in a 3 ft viv for a long while if bought as a hatchling


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## SammyLou93

sooksyajets said:


> way aye  you could house a corn in a 3 ft viv for a long while if bought as a hatchling


Awesome  sooo doing this as soon as i get the chance now! Yay :3


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## nick gilchrist

As its been a while since my CUT WOOD SIZE GUIDE has been up. i thought i would do another reminder..basically same build rules..Here are the cut wood sizes for other required units.

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/habitat/697411-how-build-your-own-wooden.html


Also repeat of building a corner vivarium

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/habitat/727439-how-build-corner-vivarium-base.html

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/habitat/727492-how-build-corner-vivarium-base.html





Merry xmas everybody!: victory:


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## paul3col

Awesome thread:2thumb:


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## Burmtastic

I've been at it again.....

For my burmese




























For the Iggy





































:2thumb:


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## Jazzypops

**

Good job! I'd love to build viv's for a living! I've previously built one and got a lot of satisfaction out of it! Sadly it never got used


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## ticmike

Awesome and inspiring thread.

If you dont mind me asking, what program are you using to mock up your designs, would love to do the same with a few ideas i have.


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## MegaReptile

To be honest i picked up a new vivexotic lx36 for £30, with beech vinyl, glass, runners and vent.


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## KevUK

The one thing confuses me about building a complete viv from scratch, is actually measuring the glass to fit in the runners perfectly, i had enough trouble modifying a small 4ft to a 4x2x2 and getting the measurement for the glass confused me to no end, i ended up using the old glass which is quite narrow in height and adapting the front pinths to fit the glass.

In the near future im looking at building 2 new vivs as im wanting some ackies, so id be looking at 6ft ones and building a second one sit ontop hopefully and house my dragon in it and decking it out with all sorts of ledges and things to run around on.

I get confused by numbers alot


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## jaip1971

why dont you make a template from cardboard or foamex board, when it fits and goes in and out as required use that as the measurement. easier to trim than glass.


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## KevUK

OH doh  see thats why i like this place, sometimes the simpliest of ideas is the best one (feel stupid i didnt think of it  ) much appreciated though cheers jaip


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## Jamesah1975

Easy (well it is if you know how lol), the deeper of the two plastic sliders should be at the top and the shallower one at the bottom. Measure the gap between the the two, say for arguments sake it is 300mm, then all you do is add 8mm to that which gives you an overall glass height of 308mm. That will then make sure you can lift it in and remove when necessary and slide perfectly. Make sure you get the glass smoothed off on all sides (not polished as this is expensive) so to don't cut your fingers or you animal. Remember with sliding doors an edge will be on the inside of the viv that your animal could potentially cut itself. This is why it needs to be smoothed off. Tell your glass shop what its for, they can then advise you.

I did my first one in standard 4mm thick glass, slightly knocked it on the side of a table and it took a huge splinter out the glass and I had to throw it away. Now I used toughend glass. More expensive but better if you're a tit like me and not careful.


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## JRB 89

*this is brilliant!*

this is brilliant, I'm seriously thinking about building my own viv to save money on shop bought ones. the diagrams are clear and very easy to understand even for a DIY simpleton like myself. I think I shall print this off and take it to B&Q at the weekend 
well done :notworthy:


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## NikDan

I used this to make a 4 stack viv got the white 8f h 32" w boards from maxwells £16. Quarter ply for the back for free the runners and glass is the only real cost will be making 3 singles next


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## Heartworm

Got the wood for this for £15 including the edging, only question I have is does anyone use a ceramic bulb in these, if so which guard do you use? A case of just mounting the ceramic holder straight to the roof of the vivarium?

Should 100W be enough?, It is for a Royal Python.

Ta, away to build!


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## Paul Yates

Spot on mate, wish I'd seen this before doing my own.. Didn't do too bad but would strongly advise people follow this thread if attempting their own. Mine was slightly bigger so the only thing I would suggest to people is that b&q do 8' x4' sheets for £26 in a few nice oak variants for the bigger viv. ( back to praise for post: I have plenty of experience in joinery work comes with the job I'm in but this would be priceless to beginner and expert alike  )


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## samc31

*i know ive just bumped a 2013 thread*

but i must say this is amazing and im going to be making a viv in the holidays so this will help me no end would 4 by 2 by 2 be big enough
thanks mate


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## skov

Thanks to the OP for the excellent write up :2thumb:
It inspired me enough to build a couple of vivs this week:










Not quite complete, but they're nearly there. Just need to fit vents and glass and give them a coat of paint (the wife wants one purple and the other lime green!).


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## skov

With their new paint jobs:


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## Metalnaut

Thinking of making my own viv (with my grandads help.....and tools!) For my african house snake with some unlaminated wood panels he uas lying around....what sort of varnish/ treatment should I use for the wood?


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## bmbtimber

Its a good layout for designing wooden vivarium. Thanks for posting it here.


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## law26

*wow*

How did you make those? ***128513;


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## Sandra Carlin

*Vivarium parts*

Hello!

If you are looking for parts for your vivarium I recommend this website

Vivexotic spares

my friend has made a good collection of vivarium with parts from here and I highly recommend it.

Cheers! :2thumb:


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## Sotirios

Hi,

Tnx for your plans. I'm planning on making one myself for a corn snake. I've got a few questions though.

1) How thick should the hardboard for the back be? The ones I saw were just 3 mm thick. This can't be enough, right?
2) Can I use artificial (in this case polystyrene) glass? If so, should it still be 4 mm? And is it easy and safe to cut this type of 'glass'?
3) How should the inside of the vivarium be cleaned and disinfected/sanitized, without affecting the board.

Thanks in advance.


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## dps51

just been reading all about this 
seen this one on youtube 
may have a go at doing a small one 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FDUfglurns


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## KateBH20

Hi! Thanks for vivarium ideas. Is Diversa Rectangle (second one here ) will be good for a Crested Gecko?


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