# New Background



## joelysmoley (Jan 24, 2013)

This is the background I made, my dad mixed the render for me and liquid nailed the first bit of foam onto the back board and I basically did the rest. Thanks Tit4n (fake rock wall DIY thread) for the help on how to make one my woma now loves it I will post some picks 

Liquid nailing all the foam together 






Carving the foam out to shape it all





Putting the render on 





Unfortunately I didn't get a photo of the rest but this is what it's like in the enclosure













Thanks Joel


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## PieBald (Jan 24, 2013)

Nice background, love your woma


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## joelysmoley (Jan 24, 2013)

Thanks she is great


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## joelysmoley (Jan 24, 2013)

Btw mods if I posted in the wrong section feel free to change it


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## Rob (Jan 24, 2013)

joelysmoley said:


> Btw mods if I posted in the wrong section feel free to change it



Already done !


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## joelysmoley (Jan 24, 2013)

Awesome thanks


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## ronhalling (Jan 25, 2013)

Fantastic job Joel, i would be proud to display a backgound like that in my new enclosure only i am not artsy like that, i can build stuff and do electrics if i have to can even cut and polish glass if pushed to as well but to create something as magnificent and natural as that takes talent, you and your dad deserve big cudos for that 1.....well done.....................................................................Ron


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## joelysmoley (Jan 25, 2013)

Thanks Ron and me and my dad are very proud of it


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## Shotta (Jan 25, 2013)

that is a cooly cool backgroung enlosure congrats makes me wanna think of building a background
good job 
thanks for sharing


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## joelysmoley (Jan 25, 2013)

haha im glad im inspiring others to enrich there reptiles by building backgrounds


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## J-A-X (Jan 25, 2013)

Any DIY is inspiring to others, especially from one so young. 
I have a homework assignment for you - Make sure you've done all your homework / chores first then jump on the PC (phone screen is too small)
type 'beckywheeler' into YouTube. And watch her !
In particular http://youtu.be/vwWVnzuDSV0
If you learn dry brushing you will lift your backgrounds to the next level of realism

Make a mock rock out of the scraps you have left over and show us your results


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## joelysmoley (Jan 25, 2013)

Wow thanks for the link JaxRtfm, i was trying to bring out the texture and make it more rock like but i didnt know how to do it, now i know and i definately do another background and will try dry brushing in the future when she goes into a bigger enclosure.


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## J-A-X (Jan 25, 2013)

You're welcome. Like I said, glue some scraps together , use a bit of the left over render you probably have and do exactly what you did for the wall (except dont seal it til the paintings dine) and use it as a practice piece. You can always use it in your current enclosure. 
If you put your thinking cap on you can make a hide for your woma


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## joelysmoley (Jan 25, 2013)

Ok Thanks


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## lizardjasper (Jan 25, 2013)

Awesome!! What was the render you used?


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## joelysmoley (Jan 25, 2013)

I cant remember i will ask dad when he gets home.


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## lizardjasper (Jan 25, 2013)

joelysmoley said:


> I cant remember i will ask dad when he gets home.



Thanks! I'm making one and I'm up to the render part...but I haven't been able to do anything for the last few days because of the weather. Not to mention that the stores are closed, the roads are closed and I'm stuck indoors because of the rain and wind.


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## joelysmoley (Jan 25, 2013)

here is the link i learned how to build one off, 
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/diy-zone-5392/diy-fake-rock-wall-183525/
im sure if u have a quick look through it, it will mention a type of render in there.


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## lizardjasper (Jan 25, 2013)

That's where I learned too. 
Great post, but it says -
"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."
I tried the cement mixture on my first attempt and it didn't work. So now I'm thinking just render. And yours has turned out great so I'll use what you did.


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## J-A-X (Jan 25, 2013)

Less than $15 will get you a 20kg bag of render from bunnings I pay between $10- $14 dependent what they have. Sometimes it's marked 'acrylic render' other times its just 'render' but on the bag it states 'polymer added'. There's no need to go down the 'cement and sand' road unless your mates with a brickie and get it for nothing .

This is what I've currently got


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## Gruni (Jan 25, 2013)

Mine is the Dunlop Multi-purpose Acrylic Render. 

Hey Jax how sloppy or stiff do you mix it? Also how thick do you smear it on?


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## joelysmoley (Jan 25, 2013)

I know your not asking me gruni but my mix in between sloopy and stiff and i smeared it on so you couldnt really feel the styrofoam anymore


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## J-A-X (Jan 25, 2013)

First coat - about the consistency of standard cream (not. Double thick or dollop  ). It gets into all the nooks and crannies. I add pva glue to the water with this one, it seems to help it stick to the foam. Use an old or $2 shop large paint brush. 

Next layer a little thicker

last coat is about the same consistency of a good ol' mud pie or sand castle. smeared on by hand (use rubber gloves or have a bucket of water handy. ) be careful not to leave finger grooves / lines on it. Once it starts to dry you can brush with an old brush to remove all the little 'balls' that seem to appear.

Just remember you don't want it perfectly smooth - we make fake rocks, we're not rendering the house


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## joelysmoley (Jan 25, 2013)

some great info jax, i only applied one coat but mine still turned up fine.


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## Skippii (Jan 25, 2013)

Ahh Jax, you've got such a wealth of knowledge when it comes to DIY. How would we ever get by without you!

Also Joel, great background, you should be proud! I'm hoping to make my own at some point, and it's threads like this that really give me ideas and inspire me to give it a go. So thanks 

x

- - - Updated - - -

Where are you guys getting all this styrofoam from by the way?

x


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## Gruni (Jan 25, 2013)

The dumpster at Harvey Norman. You get some great high density styrene that way.


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## Skippii (Jan 25, 2013)

Cheers Gruni, definitely another fella we couldn't do without around here! I'll pop down to Harvey Norman next time I'm in the area and see what spoils I can find.

x


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## joelysmoley (Jan 25, 2013)

I got some styrofoam from behind restaurants, they have good foam esky's just make sure you ask them if they still need it, if it has like bits of vegies and stuff just wash it out.


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## Gruni (Jan 25, 2013)

Those are brocoli boxes if you go to Coles/Woolies they will happily give you as many as you can carry.


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## joelysmoley (Jan 25, 2013)

Yeah thats what they are called, didnt know you could get them from coles and woolies though.


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## Gruni (Jan 25, 2013)

Yeah the produce boys chuck them out every day.


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## Levold (Jan 26, 2013)

Gruni said:


> Those are brocoli boxes if you go to Coles/Woolies they will happily give you as many as you can carry.



Do they still have broccoli boxes at the supermarkets? Thought they switched to black foldup crates and cardboard boxes at my ones atleast. 

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk 2


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## Gruni (Jan 26, 2013)

As far as I am aware they are still available... having said that the last ones I had to grab was just over a year ago for a mates 40th and we needed somewhere to shove some coldies. :lol: I got my last styrene from Harvey Norman and didn't even try the produce guys.


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## thomasssss (Jan 26, 2013)

joelysmoley said:


> Yeah thats what they are called, didnt know you could get them from coles and woolies though.


i packed shelves at coles a few years ago , they have an abundance of foam that all ends up in the bin unless there is someone whos asked for it so they dont mind the least giving it out , in my experience anyway


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## Levold (Jan 26, 2013)

thomasssss said:


> i packed shelves at coles a few years ago , they have an abundance of foam that all ends up in the bin unless there is someone whos asked for it so they dont mind the least giving it out , in my experience anyway



Didn't think of looking in the dumpster. They use to always stack the boxes in the corner of the delivery port. Will ask next time.

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## thomasssss (Jan 26, 2013)

Levold said:


> Didn't think of looking in the dumpster. They use to always stack the boxes in the corner of the delivery port. Will ask next time.
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9300T using Tapatalk 2


easiest way would be to ask someone thats heading in and out of the storage area , the check out chicks wont pass on the message and our dumpster was located next to the cardboard compactor thingy so not accessible to the public most of the time , if you go later at night you might catch the packing guys and they will be the ones that will sit stuff aside for you , its been a while since i worked there and there may have been a bit of a reduction in the amount used but im sure there would still be a fair amount going through supermarkets


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## Gruni (Jan 26, 2013)

I asked the young bloke at Woolies this morning and he said they still get some stuff in styrene and some in the fold up boxes. I always find when I need them I ask the fruit and veg staff and they happily go grab me some.


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## lizardjasper (Jan 26, 2013)

Gruni said:


> I asked the young bloke at Woolies this morning and he said they still get some stuff in styrene and some in the fold up boxes. I always find when I need them I ask the fruit and veg staff and they happily go grab me some.



That's how I got mine! But I went to coles. Then I drove around the back of harvey norman and they had a heap in the bin.


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