PVC type and supplier

[Harry1]

Hi all,

Hoping I can get some advice! I want to have a crack at making a hatchling rack and maybe some enclosures out of PVC.

Done heaps of research and reading. Seems to always come down to 1/2 inch Rigid PVC but the only quote for it I could find was $700 per sheet and informed its super heavy. Otherwise, I can find 16mm "Foam PVC Board" for about $200 per sheet. But sales bloke suggests it may not be great with heat and not super sturdy.

Or am I just better off going to bunnings and buying melamine sheets for $30 each?

Hoping someone can nudge me in the right direction?

Cheers!

 

[Herpetology]

Wouldnt use bunnings melamine or foam PVC
The melamine at bunnings is sub par and you can get better quality from your local cabinet/kitchen maker from offcuts

Foam PVC will warp under high temps
The only advantage pvc has is its weight and water resistance which you can get from melamine by sealing all the edges with silicone/sikaflex

 

[E.Shell]

I built some enclosures with solid PVC; 1/2" material for sheets and 3/4" material for trim and structure.

It is apparently much cheaper here in the states, a 4'x8'x1/2" sheet was around $115 USD, a 4'x10'x1/2" sheet was about $150USD in 2020. If it was as expensive as the OP's source, I would have used good-quality melamine as suggested by Herpetology.

The big problem with PVC is that it has very little structural strength and stability and care must be taken when designing to reinforce stress areas. In order to support the weight of 14" of damp substrate I contained the bottom of my 'box' made of 1/2" material by forming a 'tray' of 3/4" thick material around the bottom. I reinforced the door opening to support the 3/8" thick glass doors by doubling up 3/4" boards behind the 1/2" front sheet and running a 3/4" x 3-1/2" jamb around the whole opening. Over two years in service and it is still stable

I have not had problems with warping in use, but I did set things up so that the PVC is not directly exposed to heat projectors or flood lamps. One area exposed to a strong UV source (the 3/4" x 4" piece in the top center) did suffer some surface damage, like it was 'fried' a little, but it's up in the top of the enclosure and not visible from normal viewing angles. I put a little aluminum foil over the most exposed area to protect from further damage.

I had a piece of 3/4"x12"x3/4" making up my bottom tray bend a little, but it was painted a very dark color and sat outside exposed to the sun for two summers.