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im going to build a larger enclosure (5x3x1-1/2 ft) for multiple rat snake and was looking at MDF instead of plywood. im thinking this will be more moisture proof and easier to clean than rougher plywood. i have a small tank i got from a friend made from MDF but havent ever used it and it seems like a nicer alternative. any experience?

Actually MDF will be less moisture resistant than most any plywood, which is why many cabinet companies will use plywood on their sink and vanity base cabinets but then use MDF or particle board for everything else. Unless you mean the waterproof MDF which I understand to be expensive and hard to find. I believe it also offgasses, like other treated materials.

Also, for a cage the size you are thinking of I would have a slight preference for plywood or even melamine.

Regarding easier to clean, either plywood or melamine will need to be sealed and what you use for that will ultimately determine how easy it is to clean.

Still, I think MDF is a decent product for some uses. It's very flat and consistent in thickness. In the past it has been very cheap compared to plywood and melamine, although the last time I checked MDF was close enough to melamine in price that I could not imagine using it. Don't know what prices are like today.
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Currently keeping a small collection of various Gonyosoma. Both G. janseni and G. oxycephala.

thanks for the help.

What would you recommend for sealing plywood or melamine?

That's a tough question as there are so many choices. Answer these questions and maybe I can help you narrow down your choices.

What ratsnakes species will this cage be for exactly?

What is your budget?

What look do you prefer? Clear coat over wood grain? Solid color? Faux rock? Or what?

Do you mind breaking down the cage and re-sealing or finishing every few years?

Do you want a lifetime finish?

Are there any cage features you desire that may require or introduce humidity above what a "normal" ratsnake cage would require? Live plants? Misting systems? Waterfalls?
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Currently keeping a small collection of various Gonyosoma. Both G. janseni and G. oxycephala.

What ratsnakes species will this cage be for exactly?
CORNS AND VARIOUS OBSOLETA.

What is your budget?
DONT MIND SPENDING A BIT EXTRA FOR QUALITY AND NOT HAVING TO REDO EVERY FEW YEARS.

What look do you prefer? Clear coat over wood grain? Solid color? Faux rock? Or what?
THE FAKE ROCK SOUNDS COOL, BUT IT SOUNDS ROUGHER/HARDER TO CLEAN.
A WOOD LOOK WOULD BE GOOD.

Do you mind breaking down the cage and re-sealing or finishing every few years?
WOULD RATHER NOT,WOULD RATHER PAY TO GO HEAVY DUTY FROM THE START.

Do you want a lifetime finish?
UM,YES.

Are there any cage features you desire that may require or introduce humidity above what a "normal" ratsnake cage would require? Live plants? Misting systems? Waterfalls?
NOPE,JUST THE STANDARD 24/7 LARGE WATER BOWL.

THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP THIS IS GREAT.

Alright, that really helps a lot.

Basically it sounds like you'll need something durable for the floor and then something clear for the walls, etc. With the species you keep and the lack of live plants or misting systems you could probably get away with a waterborne polyurethane and then some sort of plastic or vinyl laminated over the floor and maybe the first few inches of the cage walls. Really this plastic can be anything. Sign board like Sintra or scrap vinyl flooring or vinyl tile. Just silicone the edges and you should be fine.

Since you want more of a lifetime finish I might consider one of the two-part waterborne urethanes for the walls. These are modern floor finishes and are very tough. But you'd have to know a flooring guy who would sell you just a very small amount as the smallest bulk container would be way too much.

You could probably get away with a regular old brush on waterborne poly as well but I can't guarantee that it would not need to be touched up after several years.

You could also try an oil-based varnish but would need to take extra care to make sure that you thinned it enough and applied it properly as to make sure everything offgassed before putting snakes in the cage. Let me know if what interests you and I can give more specific advice.
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Currently keeping a small collection of various Gonyosoma. Both G. janseni and G. oxycephala.

I wrote all of the previous post assuming that you would be using veneered plywood in the wood grain that you prefer. This is probably what I would use if I wanted to spend a bit more for a quality final product. I would likely use a two-part wood floor finish for lighter wood species. For darker species I would probably use a one-part varnish like Waterlox but would take caution to apply it correctly and make sure it offgassed completely before introducing the snakes.

If you found a melamine product with a faux wood grain that you liked then all of the previous post would not apply, other than the plastic flooring bit. Melamine is particle board that comes pre-finished with a plastic (melamine) veneer.

It has received a bad reputation in the reptile community. I believe much of this is due to the fact that many people just go to Home Depot or similar stores and buy the cheap melamine which just has a thin foil layer of plastic, not a thick thermofused layer like the higher quality melamine. I have made the same mistake.

The higher quality melamine should hold up fine in a cage like you describe, again especially since you will not be using misting systems or have live plants, etc. The floor, however, will still need a more durable layer to deal with water spills and the moisture held by substrate.

Melamine will be much cheaper and a lot less work then plywood. But plywood will be lighter, stronger and better looking.

If you decide to go with melamine, make sure to go to a cabinet supply shop or woodworking specialty store and get at product with at least a 100 weight melamine coating.
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Currently keeping a small collection of various Gonyosoma. Both G. janseni and G. oxycephala.

cool, got some plywood today, and i think im going to use the waterborne poly. I was going to use melamine but none of the supply shops around had any,maybe next time i can get my hands on some to try. my current tank is poly/plywood and its worked well enough so far, but it doesnt have the plastic bottom and i think thats going to be great for cleaning.

thanks alot for all your help, you've for sure steered me clear of a mistake or two! ill put pics up when im done. thanks again.