# Pimp my viv - Making a rock background effect



## Becky Wheeler (Jun 15, 2006)

Hiya guys & gals,

Well it's been a while since I made a viv background and a couple of days ago I bought 2x 3ft vivs which in my opinion needed some major work. So I thought what the hell! I'll put some simple rock backgrounds in them.

So I started with this one first, very simple looking but it's only 3ft long so not much I can do in it but it's looking a hell of a lot better already.

This one is for my snakey! And this is the viv before I started work :gasp:


























I started by placing sheet of poly on the sides & back wall.










And then started sticking on my rocky effect with silicone.









I then started grouting on the first layer. Once dried out I'll then start slapping on another layer of grout and maybe a 3rd depending on if i'm happy with the way it looks and then start sanding it down so it's nice and smooth for my snakey. I also need to drill out to large round vent holes on each side.


































More to come so watch this space!!


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## pymn nice but dim (Oct 28, 2008)

looks cool so far


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## naja-naja (Aug 26, 2009)

lookin' good! what's it for?


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## Becky Wheeler (Jun 15, 2006)

It's for my Boa! She's currently in a 2ft viv but growing fast so now placing her in a slightly larger viv but wanted to make it nice and homey for her :flrt:

I've also got another 3ft viv which I need to sort out for our BRB but want to get this one finished first.


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## Captainmatt29 (Feb 28, 2009)

It looks great although not to burst your bubble that light is very low and once you add a grill into it, its going to be even lower for the boa to touch isnt it ?


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## Becky Wheeler (Jun 15, 2006)

messengermatt said:


> It looks great although not to burst your bubble that light is very low and once you add a grill into it, its going to be even lower for the boa to touch isnt it ?


Hiya hunny,

Yeah me and hubby were thinking about that yesterday but i'm thinking of changing that light fitting and using a small guard to go over it. It's all a working progress :whistling2:


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## Becky Wheeler (Jun 15, 2006)

This is the finished result! Pandora will move in once the temp is stable.


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## booboo (Apr 2, 2009)

Looks great Becky, well done !!! :flrt:


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## Becky Wheeler (Jun 15, 2006)

Thank you hunny! I have another viv to do! But my hubby has got the itching artist bug again and he wants to do the next background. Should be interesting : victory:


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## booboo (Apr 2, 2009)

i must get on and give it ago, we have a huge 5 viv stack now, so once we have moved all the reps around it should free up some vivs for me to have a go on :whistling2:


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## Becky Wheeler (Jun 15, 2006)




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## dionator (Oct 16, 2008)

WOW that accaully looks amazing very well done !!! :no1::no1::no1:


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## reptilestar101 (Aug 15, 2008)

WOW love it :2thumb:


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## Superfreak (Mar 10, 2009)

yet another brilliant background Becky, keep up the good work :2thumb:


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## VW_Rick (Nov 8, 2009)

Looks awesome, any info on the painting process!


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## Becky Wheeler (Jun 15, 2006)

Hiya mate,

We used water based colours! First painted the background in black, once dried use a grey but make sure that with the grey on your paint brush you dry off as much as you can with some kitchen roll and then brush over the black background. So your basically dusting a very light coat of grey ontop.

Once thats all dry your need to apply a few layers of varnish to protect it all.


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## Becky Wheeler (Jun 15, 2006)

forgot to mention I will be using this paint method again on The Alchemy viv project! and a video will be made so keep your eyes open.:2thumb:


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## xxx_phoenix_xxx (Sep 25, 2009)

it looks pretty damn good well done :2thumb: you should go ito bussiness might make you lots of pennies:lol2:


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## Becky Wheeler (Jun 15, 2006)

xxx_phoenix_xxx said:


> it looks pretty damn good well done :2thumb: you should go ito bussiness might make you lots of pennies:lol2:


Thanks hunny! Did think about offering my services but to be honest it's a very long time consuming job and people don't exactly want to pay a lot. For example this background would take me a week to do were as the brb viv (The skull one) took us 2 weeks!. 

But we are complete amateurs! and I think anyone can do a background if they put there mind to it. : victory:


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## chrisx2k7 (Jan 9, 2010)

what did u use to paint the bacground and what sort of grout do u use


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## chrisx2k7 (Jan 9, 2010)

oh jst read the rest of the thread for the paint lol


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## Becky Wheeler (Jun 15, 2006)

chrisx2k7 said:


> what did u use to paint the bacground and what sort of grout do u use


We used a waterbased paint but you can use normal household paint. As for the grout we get the ready made stuff in buckets! normally your find this in the bathroom/tile section of homebase.


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## chrisx2k7 (Jan 9, 2010)

*viv*

ok thanx


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