Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello All,

I have a question about melamine used for snake racks... When attached together by screws, can it still break apart easily? I tried it a while back with nails just as a test and it did fall apart. Should I use glue and screws together when attaching the boards together? Is there anything else I can use to hold the melamine together a bit more stronger?

Thanks,
KMR.
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>>Hello All,
>>
>>I have a question about melamine used for snake racks... When attached together by screws, can it still break apart easily? I tried it a while back with nails just as a test and it did fall apart. Should I use glue and screws together when attaching the boards together? Is there anything else I can use to hold the melamine together a bit more stronger?

Conformat screws and glue work great. I myself used to use drywall screws and they worked great as well. Now I use a pneumatic nailer (brads) and glue, works great. Its the glue that holds well, but I don't glue anything to the melamine itself I glue wood to wood. Utilizing Dato's as much as possible.

Cheers
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

0.1 Snow "Khal" RTB
1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.0 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
3.1 Red Bearded Dragon's
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0.1 Child

I know of one forum user who built a huge melamine rack held together with nothing but nails (no glue). But he used a brad nailer which tends to really pull the panels together. Also, when building a large structure with multiple joints any individual joint is more secure.

Now, with that said, I would not recommend using nails without glue.

For someone without a lot of tools I would recommend coarse thread drywall screws, making sure to pre-drill and countersink each screw. I would also use a melamine glue for any joint between an exposed particle board edge and melamine surface. Roo Glue is the most common melamine glue in the US.

Regular wood glue does not bond to the smooth melamine surface so do not use that.

There are other choices, including confirmat screws, dado cuts, pocket screws, bisquit joints, but I won't go into those with any detail unless you have access to the tools or don't mind buying additional tools.

For reference, my first choice would be confirmat screws with melamine glue. But that does require a special and expensive bit.
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Currently keeping a small collection of various Gonyosoma. Both G. janseni and G. oxycephala.

I have 10 year old melamine racks which I put together with drywall screws and they are holding up fine. I think it would be even better to do as Bighurt suggests and use dado joints and glue but the extra effort and needed skill leaves it out for me. I have enough trouble making square cut offs!

What breaks them down is flexing so if you make sure your cuts are square and you get the screws in the right spots and then brace with a good back piece (I use either peg board or tileboard depending on whats available cheap) you will be ok with normal care. Another thing which helps is a 2x4 footer for the whole thing to set on so if your sliding or moving your not stressing the side panels. Just a rectangle of 2x4 screwed to the bottom shelf and the sides. If you want you can attach coasters or little adjustable feet or runners but I gave that up as a pointless expense. When I move a rack I just put a handtruck under it and roll it away. Plus they weigh enough to stop your house blowing away in a hurricane!

Peter
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Peter and Sara
Beouf River Reptiles

Ok thanks everyone. I greatly appreciate the help....
www.kmrline.com