# Custom made tank, what kind of wood?



## kal777 (Oct 8, 2011)

Hey, im looking into building a rather large reptile enclosure (roughly about 1400mmx600mmx800mm) and im considering my materials. ive made a small enclosure out of cabinet wood but want to make something a bit more fancy for a permanent enclosure.

im wanting to use a real wood and stain/varnish it. ive read that pine is a big no no as it releases an odour that is toxic to pythons in large confined quantities. is there any type of wood that can be easily found in Australia (like at bunnings) that is ideal for reptile enclosures?


----------



## GeckoRider (Oct 8, 2011)

I was wondering the exact same thing.. But i think i am just going to use Medium-Density Fiberboard.. although i don't know if that stuff is recommended 

Ok i just looked it up and it seems alot of People just Use Mdf..


----------



## saximus (Oct 8, 2011)

Pine is alright for enclosures just not for bedding (ie in shavings). You just have to seal it with an epoxy so it's nice and waterproof. I know you say you want real wood but melamine is fantastic. It's waterproof, easy to clean and looks nice.


----------



## kal777 (Oct 8, 2011)

@ saximus ive used melamine for the small tank (forgot what it was called) and i dont really like the look of it. not only that but its fairly brittle, not sure if it was just the stuff i got if it is all like this. so its fine to use pine? just as long as its sealed with something?


----------



## mad_at_arms (Oct 8, 2011)

I used marine grade varnish for one of my enclosures that I made from pine.


----------



## akuji (Oct 8, 2011)

Here is my enclosure I made recently, it is made out of Ply and I have used clear to allow a natural look View attachment 220985


----------



## hurcorh (Oct 8, 2011)

you could use marine grade ply, or tounge and groove style timber which is available is so many kinds of timber. there are heaps of different approached to this. cypress pine looks great. just make sure whatever timber you use you seal it properly.


----------



## jordan-gibson (Oct 8, 2011)

and if your coating it with something that requiers a hardener make sure you remember to put it in, i made that mistake yesterday and painted the back and sides without any hardener in it D:


----------



## Frosty (Oct 8, 2011)

I'm building mine out of pine. Internal walls are ply, with tongue and groove (think thats what its called :? ) for the external walls. The stuff with the grooves in it. All materials I got from Bunnings.


----------



## GeckoRider (Oct 8, 2011)

I read somewhere that Pine from Bunnings release fumes that can kill animals...


----------



## saximus (Oct 8, 2011)

Why is pine from Bunnings any different to pine from anywhere else?


----------



## GeckoRider (Oct 8, 2011)

Its not any different But what i read the person said they where going to but pine wood from bunnings.. and someone said that bunnings only sells treated pine which lets off fumes


----------



## AirCooled (Oct 8, 2011)

Different examples of wood treatments CCA:Copper Chrome Arsenate, a wood preservative.LOSP:Light Organic Solvent Preservative, a wood preservative.ACQ: Alkaline Copper Quaternary, a wood preservative.TanE:Copper Azole based timber treatment incorporating copper and an organic azole co-biocide...You could do what they did in the olden days and buy your wood from a timber yard.


----------



## hurcorh (Oct 8, 2011)

dont buy treated pine then. just buy regular pine. nothing wrong with it. but yes, you could get cheap timber at recycled timber yards or something along those lines which also might have more character and be more unusual. jarrah is a nice timber.


----------

