# DIY fake rock-wall.



## Tit4n (Mar 28, 2012)

I did this in 2010, but due to few people asking me on HOW, i thought id post this up 

This part will take some time to perfect and get right, so try not to rush it and allow at least 1 week for its completion. 


Things you will need: 

- Acrylic water based paint.
- Styrofoam.
- Acrylic water based concrete/grout/rock sealer. (Non toxic, with no vapours)
- General builders cement mixed with sand 
- Backing board. (To which wall be attached to/Formed from). 
- PVA glue.
- Liquid nails.
- Stanley knife.
- Vacum cleaner.

Went down to my local general Harvey Norman type store and at the back found heaps of sheets.






Got some perspex and measured the size of the wall in the enclosure to suit.





Spread liquid nails to bond the perspex and foam:





After you apply the foam down, lift it back up to allow some air to create stronger faster bonding.





So now its dry (allow around an hour) you will see a clean canvas:





Once you have drawn a rough idea it will be easier to work from here.





Shaping begins, adding additional foam with liquid nails to hold it.





Start to slice off any obvious sharp corners with the knife, scratching few surfaces to remove the flat boring look.









By this stage the previously drawn concept went in the bin as more ideas came to mind. I dont want to make the wall come out too much to waste the enclosure space, so some texture is in order with a mild basking spot. (While there will also be thick branches inside for more direct basking).





Here you can see more "scratching" to remove the flat surfaces.













Now i have mixed cement+sand, put some render colour in (Optional) and some PVA glue to give it some flexibility and better bonding. Try to create a soup type compound where majority is PVA and only some water to thin it out.

Using a medium size brush i dab it on getting into all the little gaps, line etc.
After the first coat i will let it dry 24 hours and then go again to build it up....






When you get to your 2nd and 3rd coat i advise for you to get a sponge and smooth out some of those brush strokes out.

When cementing stage is out of the way feel free to start painting by mixing the paint with some water and spraying it on with a $2 hand sprayer bottle, creating the effect desired. 

After its dry apply black paint into cracks and tights corners/joints to create darkness depth.

(Sorry i didnt take pics of these steps)

Once again get a spray bottle and go over it once more to finish the theme. 

Once all that is dry apply the cement/grout/rock sealer and allow to dry (Also with spray bottle) 2 coats is more recommended for durability and especially in high traffic areas. While its drying feel free to sprinkle some sand, loose dirt for traction and a more natural feel/look.

.
.
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Final product:





Note; Soon i will be selling this enclosure with thermo, lights, timer etc etc as im in process of making a new one


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## reptalica (Mar 28, 2012)

Mate sensational thread and appears along the lines of how Jax goes about it. Some great information as I am in the process of just starting my fake background having collected a wad of foam from various sources. I found the fruit and veg retailers to be very useful in supplying the polystyrene broccoli containers and also managed to stumble across some at Target.

You mentioned a backing board...i.e. perspex in your example but is it absolutely necessary and could the foamwork be applied direct to (in my case) melamine ??? Liquid nails or pva glue should bond ok.



> Now i have mixed cement+sand, put some render colour in (Optional) and some PVA glue to give it some flexibility and better bonding. Try to create a soup type compound where majority is PVA and only some water to thin it out.



What are your approximate ratios for the above???? i.e. cement/sand/render/pva/water or is a guesstimation?

Cheers.


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## Skitzmixer (Mar 28, 2012)

That’s absolutely amazing!! Thanks for the very clear write up.
-Off topic what are the LCD type panels on either side of the enclosure, they look fancy!


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## J-A-X (Mar 28, 2012)

my liquid consists of 50/50 water&PVA then add render until the desired consistency is reached - each coat thicker than the last


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## reptalica (Mar 28, 2012)

Thanks Jax. Knew it wouldn't be long before you chimed in with a reply and informed answer


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## Tit4n (Mar 28, 2012)

Thanks for your comments guys .

Reptalica: I used perspex as it will not warp from moisture, and is easy to transfer around while in the making. If you get 3mm melamine with one side laminated (Around $6 from bunnings for 1200x600x600) that will also work. 
Make sure the backing is light enough as with all that cement it gets tricky to carry around and adds to the weight of the enclosure if you need to lug it around in future.

My mix is something along the lines of: 70% PVA, 25% water, 5% acrylic grout sealer, then as Jax suggested you add cement and keep mixing to get a nice soup consistency. If you get it too thick don't panic and just add bit more water. It must be like a mix between milkshake and thickshake consistency easy enough to put on the brush and while it almost runs/drips off it you apply to the surface.

SkitzMaster: The LCD displays are thermometers/humidity screens. One on cool end and one on hot end. They also record the maximum temp reached and lowest temp reached. Very good for keeping accurate track of temps inside.


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## J-A-X (Mar 28, 2012)

reptalica said:


> Thanks Jax. Knew it wouldn't be long before you chimed in with a reply and informed answer



LOL, my radar seems to let me know when someone has posted something interesting. 

I find a pencil butane torch really handy for taking the flat surface off, just make sure you're in a ventilated area (or put a fan on a distance away to blow the fumes away) the flame doesn't have to touch the foam to get a great result


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## reptalica (Mar 28, 2012)

Jaxrtfm said:


> LOL, my radar seems to let me know when someone has posted something interesting.
> 
> I find a pencil butane torch really handy for taking the flat surface off, just make sure you're in a ventilated area (or put a fan on a distance away to blow the fumes away) the flame doesn't have to touch the foam to get a great result



I'll just wait till the cheese and kisses is in a bad mood then I can get her to blow some hot air onto the foam.


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## mad_at_arms (Mar 28, 2012)

How does it go with cleaning Tit4n?

haha reptalica I still giggle at cheese and kisses.


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## J-A-X (Mar 28, 2012)

LOL, I hope she doesn't read the forum or your tank won't be the only thing receiving hot air !


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## Pauls_Pythons (Mar 30, 2012)

Fantastic job, looks better than the prefab stuff from the reptile shops


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## dragonlover1 (Mar 30, 2012)

the thing I am curious about is it strong enough for a dragon to climb on without ripping into the foam?
I once built something with space filler and painted it and covered it with marine grade sealer for a tortoise but claws did some damage


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## Tit4n (Mar 31, 2012)

Mad: easy to clean, simple vacume up, spray with cleaner and then spray with water after all runs down as its is waterproof.

Dragonlover: this is not just styrafoam, hence the reason for cement and pva mix. It creates a hard rock like feel and very tough. Pushing it with a finger wont even flex it.


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## reptalica (Apr 1, 2012)

If I place the background (foam) directly onto the melamine would that work ok??? I would be using either pva glue or liquid nails as the adhesive or is a backing board i.e. perspex, pegboard the way to go and mount the foam onto that???


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## J-A-X (Apr 1, 2012)

I work directly on the enclosure, no chance of inhabitant getting behind, and no matter how it's attached to the enclosure, if sealed properly it's easy to clean


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## mudgudgeon (Apr 1, 2012)

Jaxrtfm said:


> LOL, my radar seems to let me know when someone has posted something interesting.
> 
> I find a pencil butane torch really handy for taking the flat surface off, just make sure you're in a ventilated area (or put a fan on a distance away to blow the fumes away) the flame doesn't have to touch the foam to get a great result



I've done the same, I also use a heat gun (industrial hair dryer) I bought a cheapy from bunnings, it works great to create random, more natural shapes compared to just carving.


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## Tit4n (Apr 2, 2012)

mudgudgeon said:


> I've done the same, I also use a heat gun (industrial hair dryer) I bought a cheapy from bunnings, it works great to create random, more natural shapes compared to just carving.



I have used that for few areas, you can see some of the heat melting in this pic:


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## browny (Apr 5, 2012)

love it, similar to a certain hawkesbury resident said elsewhere I hate all you talented people, my first attempt failed so bad........no pics were taken lol

*this should be made a sticky it's got all the right info' and pictures to match up 99.99% of it


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## Tit4n (Apr 6, 2012)

browny said:


> love it, similar to a certain hawkesbury resident said elsewhere I hate all you talented people, my first attempt failed so bad........no pics were taken lol
> 
> *this should be made a sticky it's got all the right info' and pictures to match up 99.99% of it




Another wall made using same method by me:


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## Morgana (Apr 6, 2012)

Hey All,
Such a great idea and lots of good results here!!!! . Just another tip: make friends with your local Aquarium shop. They receive all their fish in plastic bags inside good sized styrofoam boxes, which they then have to dump. I've had to move house and used all styrofoam boxes supplied to me free by the Aquarium guy next door to my brother's shop. (BTW - you can't beat them for packing up a house, they are waterproof and tetrus together beautifully, plus no arses falling out like with cardboard boxes!) I have an endless supply of styrofoam needless to say.......so all you DIY junkies race down to your local Pet shop. Even if you offer to pay a bit for each box, it's worth it. 

Morgana


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## J-A-X (Apr 6, 2012)

Fruit and veg shops use the same foam boxes too, so there's another source of usually free foam


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## Illusive (Apr 8, 2012)

Which sealer do you actually use? I had trouble finding something non toxic etc and ended up with ceramic pond sealer! Do you have a brand name/type you could pass on?
Cheers


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## J-A-X (Apr 8, 2012)

Bondall is the brand, pondtite is the product. Designed for ponds so totally non toxic when dry. Read the instructions, you do more than one layer. The clear is easy to apply and cleanup is with water, too easy all round, they also do colored sealers but it's a lot thicker and a solid colour which doesn't look natural


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## Coastal-Kemp (May 9, 2012)

Tit4n said:


> Things you will need:
> 
> - Acrylic water based paint.
> - Styrofoam.
> ...


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## Jason.s (May 9, 2012)

I love this thread i've herd of a few ways but this way looks cheaper and easy, I will have to try it
Thanks jason.


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## xJACKx (Jun 1, 2012)

Coastal-Kemp said:


> Tit4n said:
> 
> 
> > Things you will need:
> ...


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## Jande (Jun 1, 2012)

I buy my paints from a cheap shop $2 to $3 each.
Foam wherever you can find it. I visit Harvey Norman stores and ask nicely.
Grout/ rock sealer I, and many others use, is called Pondtite. I bought a _very_ large tub of it from Bunnings for $50. This will do a LOT of rock walls, but obviously smaller tubs and tins will be cheaper.
I use the 5kg bag of sand cement from Bunnings and it cost me $6. Did one large rock wall with 3 coats and touch-ups. I mixed in PVA glue to give
it strength. $4 from Bunnings for a 250ml bottle.
Backing board I used was just a piece of peg board I got free from a dump shop. A 4mm sheet of ply also does the trick and shouldn't be more than $10.
Liquid nails in a small tube was $7. Was enough to glue the foam to the back board and the larger pieces of foam. For the smaller pieces I used
Selleys Glue which was a 'fixes anything to just about anything' in a mostly yellow tube for $9. Did a lot of gluing on a large rock wall and had some left.
Stanley knives range in price depending on how fancy you want one to be. Paid $10 for one with spare blade storage in the handle and the first blade is still going strong after 2 rock walls worth of carving. Cheap isn't necessarily crappy.
Bought everything from Bunnings as you've probably already guessed. 
I also spent about $25 on brushes (one for applying pondtite and several smaller for drybrush painting with acrylics). I also found a roll of masking tape and some newspaper to be invaluable as the cement gets EVERYWHERE lol.

Best of luck if you try to make your own. It's soooo much fun!


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## Revell13 (Jun 1, 2012)

These walls look amazing mate, I used a slightly different method in http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/diy-zone-5392/first-attempt-terrarium-furniture-186546/ but I'm definitely going to be stealing some of your ideas for my next one!


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## Porkbones (Dec 14, 2012)

Jande said:


> I buy my paints from a cheap shop $2 to $3 each.
> Foam wherever you can find it. I visit Harvey Norman stores and ask nicely.
> Grout/ rock sealer I, and many others use, is called Pondtite. I bought a _very_ large tub of it from Bunnings for $50. This will do a LOT of rock walls, but obviously smaller tubs and tins will be cheaper.
> I use the 5kg bag of sand cement from Bunnings and it cost me $6. Did one large rock wall with 3 coats and touch-ups. I mixed in PVA glue to give
> ...



i see you use pondtite.i googled it because nothing came up in the bunnings website,it sounds similar to bond create made by bondall, but tht pondtite is made to be used around water.i have bondcrete an was wondering if tht can be used.it says "non toxic" and is an excellent adhesive and sealer.i use it to seal and sometimes stick 2gether hebel blocks after I carve them


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## SarahScales (Dec 14, 2012)

This is excellent! I've always been scared to make my own backgrounds as I've never known the process, this will save me a fortune! Thank you so much.


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## mad_at_arms (Dec 14, 2012)

Here is one I made for a 45 cube exo terra.


Sealed and fitted


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## J-A-X (Dec 14, 2012)

For sealing I'd recommend using something that states suitable for ponds. Bondcrete doesn't state that. Just because it states non toxic it doesn't mean it's safe when waterlogged - it sounds silly I know. But if you're planning on using it as a water bowl/ waterfall / swimming pond why take the chance?


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## J-A-X (Dec 14, 2012)

SarahScales said:


> This is excellent! I've always been scared to make my own backgrounds as I've never known the process, this will save me a fortune! Thank you so much.



Don't be scared, get all the info and dive in. We're here if you need a hand


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## J-A-X (Dec 14, 2012)

Jande, I wouldn't say pva/bondall adds strength, it doesn't, it's merely used for ensuring good adhesion on the first few coats of grout/ render. 
You can pick up acrylic render from bunnings cheaper than sand/cement 20kg for $14 (as of 14 days ago) it's not as crumbly but still gets everywhere


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## Porkbones (Dec 14, 2012)

JaxRtfm said:


> For sealing I'd recommend using something that states suitable for ponds. Bond tote doesn't state that. Just because it states non toxic it doesn't mean it's safe when waterlogged - it sounds silly I know. But if you're planning on using it as a water bowl/ waterfall / swimming pond why take the chance?



If this was about bondcrete an the comment was for me, no it's not going to be used for anything holding water and won't be placed in water,will only be used in the render for walls around 3sides of a tank,and then as a sealing/finishing coat after walls had been painted,that's all


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## J-A-X (Dec 14, 2012)

It wasn't "at you" as such, it was just that you mentioned it was non toxic so I thought I'd clarify that 'non toxic' doesn't mean that it's safe for water bowls etc


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## Porkbones (Dec 14, 2012)

JaxRtfm said:


> It wasn't "at you" as such, it was just that you mentioned it was non toxic so I thought I'd clarify that 'non toxic' doesn't mean that it's safe for water bowls etc



ok we could be going round in circles here lol.i dont know if you know what i mean.
yes bondcrete is a sealer and says its "the most versatile bonding and sealing agent available.it is not suitable for permanently wet areas.

you said " For sealing I'd recommend using something that states suitable for ponds"

i never wanted to make anything to hold water or sit in water otherwise i would of found something suitable, but for a rock wall background i dont see why i would have to use something that says suitable for ponds when its not going to hold or sit in water? bondcrete does seal very well and water runs off of it as i use it to seal my outdoor carvings i make.none have gone mouldy as no water can get in, but if i was to make 1 to sit in a pond then yes i would need to find something else. its not the same as pondtite but still seals and was pointing out that it says its non toxic.


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## RedFox (Dec 14, 2012)

Porkbones said:


> ok we could be going round in circles here lol.i dont know if you know what i mean.
> yes bondcrete is a sealer and says its "the most versatile bonding and sealing agent available.it is not suitable for permanently wet areas.
> 
> you said " For sealing I'd recommend using something that states suitable for ponds"
> ...


 
I think jax was just clarifying for others that bondcrete should not be used for this that hold water. You would be suprised the amount of people who don't read the instructions, warnings, etc. A lot of people would just see non toxic and think it would be safe to use on water containers. It would be perfectly fine for what you want to do.


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## Shaggz (Dec 15, 2012)

I was under the impression that people use Pond Quality sealers not solely for the sealing but because pond sealers are non toxic and safe for reptiles.


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## Porkbones (Dec 15, 2012)

RedFox said:


> I think jax was just clarifying for others that bondcrete should not be used for this that hold water. You would be suprised the amount of people who don't read the instructions, warnings, etc. A lot of people would just see non toxic and think it would be safe to use on water containers. It would be perfectly fine for what you want to do.



thanks. i 100% know it seals and 99.% sure it would of been safe to use inside the tank to seal the styrofoam after it had been painted but just wanted to be 100% before i use it. we have been talking about this in another thread and getting nowhere fast lol. thanks again


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## J-A-X (Dec 15, 2012)

I did understand you Porkbones, and red fox understood my intent. I just didn't want others thinking that simply because something was marked non toxic that it would be safe for water bowls etc. sealing something for outside use is a little different for something that will be in an enclosed space or as a sealant for waterbowls- that's all I was inferring. Please don't take offence there was none intended


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## Reptiles4me (Dec 15, 2012)

Thanks for sharing all that info ,jaxRtfm, I finally have a basic understanding of how to make my own background. May not be as easy as buying one but I know I'm going to have a lot more fun making then buying them.


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## justin91 (Dec 15, 2012)

This thread is amazing. I have already got my list of things you guys used/said and going to bunnings as soon as I get paid lol. Definitely sticky this thread. It's so useful. I wasn't going to even attempt to make a fake rock wall but now I can't wait. It seems so easy when you break it down into steps like that.


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## pyalda (Jan 8, 2013)

amazing work right there! i started making mine a few days ago. i tested super glue on a small piece of foam and it pretty much melted it (the reaction i expected)... then i used pva and i might as well have just poured some milk on it.( pethetic) so i decided to used silicon (not sure the difference between black and clear) . so i guess my question is...... does silicon go well/ bond strong with foam and foam.
cheers


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## mad_at_arms (Jan 8, 2013)

You need Liquid Nails High Strength, it works very well on foam.


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## pyalda (Jan 8, 2013)

so silicon isnt the best choice then..alrite fair enuf
thanks mate


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## J-A-X (Jan 8, 2013)

Liquid nails type of thing is the go. READ the blurb on the tube, not all are suitable for foam and will do the same thing as the superglue 
The one mad_at_arms suggested is safe, I use a different brand but same stuff. You don't need to cover the entire surface with it, I run a bead of it around the edge of the piece to be joined. And a couple of dabs in the middle and then press the surfaces together.


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## Gruni (Jan 8, 2013)

I bought some liquid nails that is actually water based so I'll be curious how it works out... I'll let you know in a week or so.


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## smileysnake (Jan 8, 2013)

Liquid nails-fast is the best for styrofoam its fast grab and formulated for this kind of stuff


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## J-A-X (Jan 8, 2013)

Gruni said:


> I bought some liquid nails that is actually water based so I'll be curious how it works out... I'll let you know in a week or so.



It's the water based stuff that is used for foam. The other solvent based one will eat the foam


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## Gruni (Jan 8, 2013)

I just grabbed the tube and I fluked the right stuff by all you guys have said... Parfix, Maxi Nails Fast, water based construction adhesive, low odour.


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## harlemrain (Jan 8, 2013)

I am a blonde so please do not judge me too harshly but where you said:

Now i have mixed cement+sand, put some render colour in (Optional) and some PVA glue to give it some flexibility and better bonding. Try to create a soup type compound where majority is PVA and only some water to thin it out.

Is the render colour mentioned there just the water based acryllic paint?  be nice I'm a woman so I don't know these things!!

Thanks


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## J-A-X (Jan 8, 2013)

"I'm a girl" is no excuse LOL 
You can colour it with whatever you have at hand, I use powdered oxide because it doesn't alter the consistency. But the cheap hobby paint works just as well but you might need to add more powder. Mix liquids together then add the render. Just do smallish batches. I use 2 Litre icecream containers


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## justin91 (Jan 8, 2013)

JaxRtfm said:


> "I'm a girl" is no excuse LOL
> You can colour it with whatever you have at hand, I use powdered oxide because it doesn't alter the consistency. But the cheap hobby paint works just as well but you might need to add more powder. Mix liquids together then add the render. Just do smallish batches. I use 2 Litre icecream containers



I believe she said blonde lol. 

Ot, I didn't put any colour into the cement mix, I just used the cement mixture water and pva glue. I just mixed it together in a 60c bucket from bunnings


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## Bananapeel (Jan 8, 2013)

justin91 said:


> I believe she said blonde lol.
> bunnings



She said i'm blonde and she later said 'im a woman so I don't know these things'


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## J-A-X (Jan 8, 2013)

ROFL, ok ok ! She said "I'm blonde - I'm a woman I don't know these things"  it's still no excuse


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## Chris (Jan 8, 2013)

Edit.


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## mad_at_arms (Jan 8, 2013)

CHRI5 if you use render you can tint the later coats to get a base colour.


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## J-A-X (Jan 8, 2013)

Then you can 'dry brush' for more random colours that make it look more realistic. 
Google 'dry brushing' and you'll get the idea - 
Heres a link to a thread that Treg did awhile back it included a great tutorial on drybrushing and worth bring into this thread.
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/showthread.php?t=164996


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## justin91 (Jan 8, 2013)

Bananapeel said:


> She said i'm blonde and she later said 'im a woman so I don't know these things'





JaxRtfm said:


> ROFL, ok ok ! She said "I'm blonde - I'm a woman I don't know these things"  it's still no excuse



Ok ok, I didn't realise she said woman lol. My bad. 

What I did was, used liquid nails to stick the foam to the ply (probably more then I needed to but wanted be certain it would stick) then used more liquid nails and some form of selleys glue that was mentioned in the 1st post to stick more foam to foam. I carved away and made the rock design I wanted. I then mixed the sand cement with just water and some pva glue till I was happy with the thickness of the cement, put 2 layers of it onto my wall. I then mixed some paint with water in a $2 spray bottle from bunnings and sprayed the wall with that. Did it 3 times. Gave really nice effect. I still have to seal it with some clear pondite that I got from bunnings.


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## Gruni (Jan 8, 2013)

How about posting a pic then Justin?


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## J-A-X (Jan 8, 2013)

Your keen Justin  
Let the render dry properly between coats and extremely well before you seal it! The last thing you need is trapped moisture. I know your keen to get it done but slow down enough to let it dry. Both the render and paint take on a different colour when dry. 
Lay some colour on it then WALK AWAY ! Leave it for a good hour or more and then look at it from a distance. You'll then see what areas need tweaking - sometimes the harder you look the less you see and when you've spent a few hours on it you're not objective enough to think it looks good. A liitle bit of patience will pay off. 

And like Gruni said - WHERE'S THE PICS ?

PS. When you seal it it may be to shiney for your liking - use some fine grade steel wool and just gently wipe over it, not too much pressure or you'll scratch it up, you'll also find that at bunnings just under the sandpaper  
Don't use the stuff under the sink its too coarse and will scratch the surface up


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## justin91 (Jan 8, 2013)

So I didn't actually take that many photo's. Sorry, this is all I took.. My rock wall is in a corner tv unit so I actually had to build 3 rock walls and have them all line up and not stick out so much at some points so they still fit together when inside the enclosure. 
#1 Just all the stuff I bought from bunnings. Bought $100. The list of items is mentioned within this thread. Page 2 I think..


Next I stuck the foam to the ply wood with liquid nails.


Just some designs I toyed around with.


The first fake rock I made. Just the start. Looks better when I finish it. (that rock not whole thing.)


Just some more photos..



First layer of cement. Looks bad but does definitely look better after 2nd coat


Taking a look of what it would look like in my enclosure after one layer of cement + sand.


2 layers of cement and several coats of paint. Still some work to go but thats all I have done so far.




Oh and I realised it was my stupid phone camera that was making the paint look so yellow. Doesn't look as bad in real life but need to touch some spots up.


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## harlemrain (Jan 8, 2013)

JaxRtfm said:


> ROFL, ok ok ! She said "I'm blonde - I'm a woman I don't know these things"  it's still no excuse




Haha the shame I know  that means I have double the disadvantage!!


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## Bananapeel (Jan 9, 2013)

Being a woman is no disadvantage! I know plenty of women who can do as much if not more than many men.


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## J-A-X (Jan 9, 2013)

Bananapeel said:


> Being a woman is no disadvantage! I know plenty of women who can do as much if not more than many men.



You do know I'm not a dude don't you ? No formal trade skills- just a keen masochist of all things DIY  

Start small and work your way up. Your confidence will grow and you'll progress from there. 
This thread is proof of that.


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## Bananapeel (Jan 9, 2013)

JaxRtfm said:


> You do know I'm not a dude don't you ? No formal trade skills- just a keen masochist of all things DIY
> 
> Start small and work your way up. Your confidence will grow and you'll progress from there.
> This thread is proof of that.



Wait what? I'm so confused. I know you're not a dude. haha. I was directing this at coastalcarpet12. As she said she has double the disadvantage because she's blonde and a woman. Which is not true.


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## J-A-X (Jan 9, 2013)

oh ok ! i'll go get back in my box then  a lot of people think the Gender symbol is a female one as a joke......... which it isnt.....


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## NTNed (Jan 10, 2013)

Very nice work Jax, 
I'm about to build some new enclosures myself so I am gonna have a crack at these back grounds in it too. Just glad that I read this first so I can add some extra depth and width to allow for the extra room for the foam etc.

I'd love to start small but I don't think I have that luxury, Coastals, Darwins and a BHP, some giants in there. Oh well, back to the drawing board.

And I wouldn't panic Coastal, I've been a qualified fitter turner machinist for over 25 years and I won't be able to churn out something like this...... I won't be able to weld or machine any of it....lol.


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## J-A-X (Jan 10, 2013)

Cheers thanks  
When I said start small I meant practise by doing a hide first ! It gives you a really good idea how to proceed on a larger scale. 

With your trade skills your ability to 'see' what it could become will be your advantage. Most people get a pile of foam and just glue it together and hope for the best and it usually works out fine, but with a bit of additional imagination you can turn 'fine' into AWESOME LOL 


When you push your sleeves up make sure you've got a camera handy (phone is fine for forum posting) start a thread and show us what you've got !


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## J-A-X (Jan 10, 2013)

justin91 said:


> Oh and I realised it was my stupid phone camera that was making the paint look so yellow. Doesn't look as bad in real life but need to touch some spots up.



Any flash on a camera will do that. Turn on some room light or position a torch into the enclosure and turn the flash on the phone off. The flash is too white a light and it throws colours out of whack


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## justin91 (Jan 10, 2013)

JaxRtfm said:


> Any flash on a camera will do that. Turn on some room light or position a torch into the enclosure and turn the flash on the phone off. The flash is too white a light and it throws colours out of whack



Ah ok that's makes sense. I'll take a photo when I get home from work and upload it


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## joelysmoley (Jan 14, 2013)

Thanks for the guide on how to build one I just did mine today here's a few photos, not as good as yours though












The last picture is upside down

By the way this should be a sticky


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## joelysmoley (Jan 14, 2013)

Just have to add some paint and I'm finished


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## sharky (Jan 14, 2013)

That's awesome joleysmoley!!!!!!Charli is gonna love it!


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## joelysmoley (Jan 14, 2013)

Thanks sharkyy


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## sharky (Jan 14, 2013)

You're welcome


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## pyalda (Jan 16, 2013)

with the painting... just wondering how to get all the roughness/ bubbly parts? i herd about the melting idea......can anyone tell me how that is done exactly? 
cheers phil

- - - Updated - - -

with the painting... just wondering how to get all the roughness/ bubbly parts? i herd about the melting idea......can anyone tell me how that is done exactly? 
cheers phil


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## J-A-X (Jan 16, 2013)

The melting idea ? Not sure I get what you mean by that ! 
If you are trying to accent the roughness as in trying to only paint the high bits of the render then you need to check out "dry brushing" Warhammer modellers use it a lot, it's the quickest most paint efficient way to add different color and make the rock come to life - well not life really, just make it look like a rock. The really good thing about rocks is that there are no two rocks that are identical so no one can say you painted it wrong. If you want a realistic looking rocky outcrop why not paint some graffiti tags on it LOL


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## bakessnake (Jan 16, 2013)

Heres one of mine


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## Barrett (Jan 16, 2013)

Awesome job and thread. Will have to give it a go.


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## pyalda (Jan 16, 2013)

Originally Posted by *mudgudgeon* 

 I've done the same, I also use a heat gun (industrial hair dryer) I bought a cheapy from bunnings, it works great to create random, more natural shapes compared to just carving.
I have used that for few areas, you can see some of the heat melting in this pic:



This here is what i meant about the melting idea. have no idea how to actully do it. can anyone give me a way to get rid of bubbles/ small foam bits.
cheers


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## J-A-X (Jan 17, 2013)

pyalda said:


> with the painting... just wondering how to get all the roughness/ bubbly parts? i herd about the melting idea......can anyone tell me how that is done exactly?
> cheers phil



Oh ok ! The way you wrote it made it sound like you wanted to know about painting


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## pyalda (Jan 17, 2013)

finally painted!........ i can see the circles that make up the foam board.... doesnt look like rock, looks more like foam. DAM does anyone have a solution to cover them up.
cheers


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## Sigman21 (Mar 14, 2013)

Awesome work guys! Months ago I started one for my 4 foot aquarium and I bought coloured Bondcrete as the hardener and waterproofer... I figured that once dried and set if I kept it in water for a period of time to let it cure and any residue run off, that it would be fine for the fish. Does this sound logical or am I going to harm my fish and turtles?

Thanks in advance


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## J-A-X (Mar 14, 2013)

pyalda said:


> finally painted!........ i can see the circles that make up the foam board.... doesnt look like rock, looks more like foam. DAM does anyone have a solution to cover them up.
> cheers



It sounds like you painted straight onto the foam without rendering the foam ! Unless you are keeping geckos your wall will disintegrate pretty quickly. 
The only way to fix it is to either render then paint it or to paint more layers.
If you're keeping gecko it will be fine, anything other than that, render it.


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## J-A-X (Mar 14, 2013)

Sigman21 said:


> Awesome work guys! Months ago I started one for my 4 foot aquarium and I bought coloured Bondcrete as the hardener and waterproofer... I figured that once dried and set if I kept it in water for a period of time to let it cure and any residue run off, that it would be fine for the fish. Does this sound logical or am I going to harm my fish and turtles?
> 
> Thanks in advance



I hope you let it air dry well before you drowned it . 
Rinse it well and test it out with a couple of goldfish first. Give the a month, if they survive I would think you'd be fine. I would have sealed it with pond sealer though, it's specifically designed for livestock.


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## Sigman21 (Mar 14, 2013)

J-A-X said:


> I hope you let it air dry well before you drowned it .
> Rinse it well and test it out with a couple of goldfish first. Give the a month, if they survive I would think you'd be fine. I would have sealed it with pond sealer though, it's specifically designed for livestock.




Yeah thanks for the advice. It's yet to be completed so ill do what you said and seal it with pond sealer.

Whats a good one to get?


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## J-A-X (Mar 17, 2013)

I use bondall "pondtite" but bunnings have stopped stocking it. Others have used crommelins (not sure on spelling) pond sealer.


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## Varanoidea (Mar 18, 2013)

This has given me the confidence to start my own when I have time. Better than that pre made stuff that costs an arm and a leg at pet shops. Will post pics.


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## kwaka (Apr 10, 2013)

Quick question, as I have read this thread several times, but this hasn't been asked (I may have skipped it, though). Can you build the background directly out of styrofoam, or should it be stuck to a backing board (mdf or perspex)? The reason I ask is that the vivarium that we just bought CAME with some styrofoam, but it is pretty thin (about 1/2" at most). Wondering about doubling it up (to save weight), and/or whether the rendering will make it more rigid/durable?

Would prefer to make it a drop in version (going to do two sides and half a bottom), and don't want to waste styrofoam or space if I don't have to, but don't want to build it and screw it up for want of a quick answer to a dumb question...


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## bigjoediver (Apr 10, 2013)

Get a sheet of 3mm MDF, quite light, a 900x600 with one side coated white is around $6-7 at Bunnings.


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## kwaka (Apr 10, 2013)

Thanks Joe, yes I know I can glue it to 3mm MDF, my question was whether just styrofoam was going to be rigid enough or not.

If no-one has tried it, I might try it myself, and leave me with the option of gluing the MDF to the semi-finished shape if it doesn't work.

Cheers


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## bigjoediver (Apr 10, 2013)

If you made it out of one piece of high density type foam and it was just painted and sealed like some of the commercial aquarium type backgrounds I can't see why it wouldn't work, but if it was pieces glued and rendered I don't think it would be rigid enough and could crack whilst trying to position it in the enclosure.


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## kwaka (Apr 11, 2013)

Yep, good call. Being multiple pieces glued probably not rigid enough. One formed piece, no worries, but not multiples.

Cheers


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## LB_Reptiles (Jul 26, 2013)

thats actaully so cool aha


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## ellenwalter (Oct 16, 2013)

Curious how it's mounted inside the tank?


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## kwaka (Oct 17, 2013)

It was originally a drop in version, but Elliott's first foray in there resulted in him getting behind it! I have now silicon sealed it in, filled in the bigger gaps (especially around the cord hole in the side) with expanding foam and then render, sealed it up, and she is all good to go. Picking up a new thermostat this arvo, a week of testing, then I will put Elliott in there in his click clack with the lid off until he is happy enough to sleep elsewhere.

Will take a more recent photo once I have it all set up again...this was the original test before it was all sealed in.

View attachment 298862


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## kwaka (Oct 18, 2013)

More photos of the finished setup (well, sort of). Waiting on the thermostat to arrive, after which I will do some heat tests without substrate, then with substrate, then with heat spot on the shelf. It gets to 35 degrees on the shelf, and I will have the floor temp at 30 at the warm end far left, with overnight at about 25 since Elliott is still only 10 months old. As he gets older, the base temps might decrease, we'll see.

The transition setup is shown here with a granite paver with heatcord in situ. Once I have everything working, I will put the paver in with his click clack on top with the lid off. That way he gets to choose his existing hides with temps he knows, or he can explore as much as he wants, hiding in the new hides or basking on the shelf. When it is obvious he isn't using his old hides on the paver, I will remove the paver and keep his hides in there loose until he outgrows them, and I will put another hide in down the cool end.
Current setup:
View attachment 298896


Right hand side showing position of paver once testing is done:
View attachment 298897


Left hand side showing shelf for basking and his new big hide:
View attachment 298898


Complete setup, ceramic heat lamp on the left, moonglow light on the right, set on a timer:
View attachment 298899


Was a journey with lots of learnings - thermostat-less heatcord will crack glass, and seal everything tight to the walls, cos little nakeys can get in small spaces are the two biggest ones.


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## Blinky (Oct 18, 2013)

View attachment 298911


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## Snifter (Feb 25, 2014)

Hello, if I missed the answer to my question please don't shoot me as I read through all pages.
I know many of you may permanently attach your fake rock wall to the back of the enclosure, but how would one do it if they wanted to be able to remove the feature? As I would most likely find it easier to give it a more thorough clean/sanitise if I could do it outside the enclosure, also it would be nice to be able to swap between different backdrops. I know if the feature were to come out further at the bottom it would help support it but would there be a way with not having to do that?
Also I understand once you have the grout, cement etc on it will give it strength but is there a chance a basking spot extending from the rock wall could crack, collapse from the weight of an adult Bredli?
Or do some of you glue ledges to the board and place styrofoam over that? 
I just bought a TV cabinet unfortunately solid pine so I hope sealing the pine with Polyurethane will eliminate any issues for my snake.
Sorry for long post, but it's my 1st post


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## Gruni (Feb 25, 2014)

Mine is mounted on a plywood backing and with screws through the back wall of the cabinet I can remove it anytime I want to upgrade or repair it.


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## MissScarlett (Feb 25, 2014)

Hi all ! While on this topic would it be better to glue/render a background directly onto the enclosure wall and seal it to prevent mites hiding behind it rather than a backing that was on a board and screwed in?


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