# best wood for a viv and cheapest place to get it?



## thevalley (Sep 8, 2008)

please can someone tell me what wood to use
plywood, contiboard, mdf etc please tell me
and also the cheapest place to get them from?
cheers


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## sam_martin82 (Mar 2, 2009)

Hi. I just bought beech coniboard from Homebase. A piece 8ft long by 2ft wide and 15mm thick was £24.99. They do 3 cuts for free and any after are 50 pence each. I have just built a 5ft x 2ft tortoise table for less than £60 inc all wood, screws, glue, sealant, screw caps etc. Best wishes.


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## thevalley (Sep 8, 2008)

ouch i fort it was a bit cheaper then that


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## ratking (Mar 4, 2008)

u can get it from timber yards for cheaper i pay 20 for an 8x2 sheet and all cuts are free


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## thevalley (Sep 8, 2008)

yeah thats what i was thinking


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

8x2 in white contiboard is about £13 a sheet from B&Q


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## Lotus Nut (Jan 7, 2008)

MDF often works out cheaper to but but needs to be sealed, white 15mm melamine faced chipboard (MFC) is next cheapest followed by 15mm beech/teak/oak mfc, 18mm is a bit more expensive.

Ply can also work out reasonable if building large vivs but again will need to be sealed.


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## thevalley (Sep 8, 2008)

okay well i am building a 7ft viv so what would be the best wood?
just asking in case some woods are crap for large vivs


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## Lotus Nut (Jan 7, 2008)

I would go for 18mm MFC if you like a decent finish, if humidity is going to be very high or your not too bothered about looks then 18mm ply will be fine and cheapest if you go for shuttering ply, this normally has one good side and one which may have minor defects such as knot holes so use this side on the inside.


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## lewi (Mar 15, 2009)

If the humidity is high wouldn't he need WBP plywood?


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## fairyflake (Mar 9, 2008)

i would use wbp ply, as soon as mdf, chipboard gets wet is kanckered.. at least wit wbp ply it is more tolerent to water/moister.. i would still seal the ply anyhow.


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## fairyflake (Mar 9, 2008)

8 x 4 sheet would cost u between 35-40 quid


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## thevalley (Sep 8, 2008)

i hope so cos that is cheap in wicks lol


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## Lotus Nut (Jan 7, 2008)

Shuttering ply will be fine as it can be used outside, not as good as wbp but nearly half the price and will be fine so long as its sealed/varnished etc.


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## carpetboy123 (Mar 14, 2009)

sorry how do u seel ply


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

coat it in yacht varnish, epoxy resin or fish pond stuff.. gives it a safe waterproof layer.


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## Buggs47 (Mar 25, 2009)

Please can you tell me what you would use to seal the MDF..


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## Jim2109 (Mar 30, 2009)

a cheaper alternative to plywood is to use "oriented strand board". if you get grade 3 OSB then it is supposedly quite resistant to humidity. seal it with yacht varnish and it will work perfectly. it costs about half as much as plywood and doesnt sacrifice much in strength. B&Q and Wickes both sell it. 

MDF is a nightmare to work with and for the minor cost savings i personally refuse to work with it anymore. its hard to cut, its toxic, even minor moisture can render it destroyed, it splits and delaminates too easily. for a reptile enclosure its probably the worst wood choice possible. OSB is a fairly similar price


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## gear21 (Dec 19, 2008)

Meko said:


> 8x2 in white contiboard is about £13 a sheet from B&Q


 6x15 in white 9.95, 6x2 in white 14 from bandq cuts r free 6x2 in beach 21


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## DRACSAT (Apr 13, 2008)

lewi said:


> If the humidity is high wouldn't he need WBP plywood?


NOPE, as long as it is sealed with a good varnish and all joints sealed with aquatic silicon humidity won't be a problem


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