Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hey, can anyone tell me how well melamine holds up against moisture? also, how would someone go about heationg a melamine cage?
thanks,
connor
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1.2 leopard geckos1.0 jungle carpet python
1.1 columbian BCI

On mine I just attached my heat pad to a piece of tile and put it under the carpet.
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.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
.1 MO Locale Black Ratsnake "Molly" (Flogging Molly)

"Have you ever tried simply turning off the T.V., sitting down with your kids... and hitting them?"

Melamine is not great at dealing with moisture, but depending on the species things can be done to make it virtually waterproof. If you like the finished look of melamine and the price point there are affordable options for making it work. I know of one guy who even built a 90 gallon aquarium out of melamine so it can work for most any reptile species.

Best way to heat it depends on the species. For most cases I would say a radiant heat panel.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Jave local (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

1.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Celebes locale (Black & Tan)

for my two adult boa constrictors. BCI. both around 5-6 foot. i have the cage plans drawn up, and hought about cualk(sp) and vinyl/lynolium tiles for the cage. i could build two 8'x2'x2' (LxWxH) for 150 bucks. the only price i havent factored in yet is the acrilic/plexy front. maybe 170-180 for a guess. any options for water sealing/proofing? or if its not good with water, i could get just really good particle board i believe its called and just calk and tile the entire inside. i've heard bad stories about staining, so any option thats a little safer for my reptiles would be apreciated. thanks.

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1.2 leopard geckos1.0 jungle carpet python
1.1 columbian BCI

I think you're talking about melamine, which is plastic coated particle board. This can work for Boas but you need to make sure you're getting cabinet grade melamine and not the cheap stuff from Home Depot.

Also, I generally recommend glass over acrylic as it's cheaper and more secure.

Lastly, you can stain and clear coat cages, you just have to be careful to pick out the right products. You should look up some posts from Rainbows-r-us and see his oak cages.

Here is a picture of one I did stained with water based stain and food safe epoxy.

Decide what you want the cage to look like and there is a way to achieve it.

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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Jave local (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

1.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Celebes locale (Black & Tan)

do you know where i could get cabnet grade melamine? i went to lowes and they had melamine but i don't know how to tell if its good or not. and is the price any higher? thanks for the advice.

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1.2 leopard geckos1.0 jungle carpet python
1.1 columbian BCI

All the home improvement stores carry contractor grade. OK for racks and such where there is no pooling. Go to a cabinet shop to find the cabinet grade melamine. YES it will be more expensive but worth it. You might even take a cut list with you and the shop can cut all your panels to size.

My oak cage stacks, finished with varathane elite water based poly. Both have formica floors, right hand one has full formica interior. Used to breed Brazilian Rainbow Boas, very high humidity. The formica floor only stack has been occupied for over a decade with no problems. The second stack has been in use for two years.

BTW, have switched over to RHP's since these pics.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
19.29 BRB
13.18 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

okay, so using that stain would work or is there any other types of finishes i would have to aply? i realize that it might not stick to melamine. what types of wood do you recomend for a 4'x8' long cage with a horizontal divider in it? both top and bottom will hold my boas. thanks.

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1.2 leopard geckos1.0 jungle carpet python
1.1 columbian BCI

Sorry I missed your previous questions. Dave is right, cabinet grade melamine can be found at cabinet shops or cabinet supply shops. Make sure you are getting at least 100 weight melamine. Below that is 80 weight melamine which you don't want. Even further below that is the melamine foil coated particle board you find at Lowes and other big-box stores.

What Dave recommended was not a stain but rather a waterborne urethane - a topcoat that would go over a stain. There would be no reason to apply it to melamine. You would use a WB urethane on plywood, like the oak-veneered plywood he used on his cages. You could stain the wood first but it would not be necessary unless that's the look you wanted.

For an 8' long cage I personally would use plywood, although I'd also probably build two, four foot cages that could be bolted together.

I built one 8' cage from melamine and it was very heavy and I did not feel it was strong enough. Unfortunately the friend I built it for left it outside during a rainy week and it was never used so I can't really say for sure.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Jave local (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

1.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Celebes locale (Black & Tan)

thanks for all the help. you and everyone else have been a great help. but i have one more question. its deffinately better to got for waterbased stain and polyurethane correct? as far as the wood goes, does it matter too much? i do know about cedar, and pine and how they can be deadly.
thanks gain,
connor
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1.2 leopard geckos1.0 jungle carpet python
1.1 columbian BCI

It's deffinately better to got for waterbased stain and polyurethane correct?

For the most part I recommend waterborne covered over oil-based coatings or any coatings that contain a lot of solvents. It may mean recoating more often and it certainly means a greater cost but waiting for solvents to offgass inside of an enclosed cabinet can take forever - litterally.

With all of the options for laminating plastic onto the floor and walls of cages I just don't see any reason to use solvent containing coatings anymore. The only exceptions would be the epoxy paints that don't seem to have the extended offgassing periods for whatever reason. But they are expensive and nasty to work with.

As far as the wood goes, does it matter too much?

Wood species rarely matters as the inside of the cage would be sealed anyways, although I probably would still not use cedar. I would not hesitate to use pine plywood or lumber in a reptile cage. It's only a problem when they are exposed to the dust.

Find a plywood that looks good to you and go from there. Or use melamine to save money and get the already finished look.

Even with 100 weight melamine I do recommend a solid floor of some sort, whether it be linoleum, sign board, or whatever.
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Current snakes:

0.0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Java locale (green)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - Jave local (green)

2.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Seleyar locale (all black)

1.2 Gonyosoma janseni - Celebes locale (Black & Tan)