Styrofoam backgrounds.

[aj1992p]

Hey everyone am thinking of making a Styrofoam rock background for one of my enclosure and am wondering the correct way to do so?

What do i use to waterproof and what do i use to paint?

And would anyone have some free styrofoam i could have? can pickup anywhere is western sydney.

 

[dragonlover1]

styrofoam is free and available at the back of any shopping centre

 

[aj1992p]

styrofoam is free and available at the back of any shopping centre

Ok no dramas dragonlover1 thanks for the info! will drive around and look for some now!

 

[RedFox]

Next time you are in coles, woolies, etc ask a fresh produce member for broccoli boxes. Cut to the shape you want. Then grout or acrylic render over the top. Go to a $2 store and buy a whole stack of non toxic acrylic paints. When finish use a pond sealer such as pondite to waterproof it.

 

[aj1992p]

Beautiful will do red fox.

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Another question what could I use to stick bits of foam together??

 

[bohdi13]

liquid nails works well for me ... don't use anything that is like super glue

 

[bec2110]

So... I literally finished one 3 days ago
a non toxic PVA works as well because liquid nails actually ate my styrofoam and instead of painting it I put a colour In the mortar I used for the last few coats, came up amazing then yea as others have said, use a non toxic pond sealant. Although most are non toxic any way because they are made for fish to go in. But ask any way.

good luck!

 

[Gonemad]

Read your liquid nails some say not to use on styrofoam but others are ok (I made that mistake myself).

 

[Cypher69]

Is pond sealant really needed for styrofoam?
I just used styrofoam as a "dam wall" to separate soil substrate from the water section of my viv. After the initial 24 hours of monitoring potential leaks, the styrofoam seems fine on it's own without sealant.

 

[Tinky]

Contact the loading dock at your local Target/Kmart. You will get better Styrofoam. Broccoli boxes tend to be a bid dense, and can be difficult to work.

Whatever you make, (and I have some photos on my profile), make sure that it is easily removable for cleaning.

Poly
Hacksaw blade for shaping
Little devil blow torch for shaping and sealing
Liquid nails to put it all together
Grout
Render oxide for color and effects
Pondsealer

 

[J-A-X]

I prefer the broccoli boxes just because they are dense. It makes them strong to start with and I can get more detail when I carve into them. Don't misunderstand me I love the packing foam for its instant bulk and variable shapes but for me both have their place