Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was wondering if anyone had any idea of what product to use to seal faux rock work after it is grouted and painted??

Most people use a grout or stone sealer in a matte finish. I don't know if there will be adhesion issues over a painted surface, however.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephala (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

what about like a diluted elmers waterproof carpenters glue?

I have heard about using dilute glue, but I think it was regular white glue which dries clear.

There are a variety of acrylic additives that might work. Picking one and hoping it would dry clear and not glossy might require some luck, however.

Years ago a zoo in Canada recommended an acrylic additive for sealing some rockwork I had done. I ordered and used it and it worked very well. I highly regret not keeping an empty bottle of the stuff. It went on milky white and very thick and stayed shiny for a few days. After than it went matte and you could no longer tell it had been sealed. But it was much easier to clean and the concrete no longer sloughed off from heavy scrubbing.

I think acrylic based stone sealers have to be pretty close to this stuff, albeit thinned down a lot more.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephala (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

man, thanks for the advice. by the way, I'm mad jealous you have a Ridgie. Cheers

He's my first Ridgeback and I'm very happy with him. 105 pounds of affection.

Here are some old pictures. My wife was practicing with her camera on him the other day so maybe I'll have some new pictures to post.

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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephala (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

Hi,

Regarding the seal of grouted, painted "habitat sculptures", I've posted this link before:

http://www.bbrock.frognet.org/Making%20artificial%20trees%20and%20vines.pdf

I haven't done it (methodologically speaking) exactly like the author recommends, but have done similar things and been happy with results. In terms of both aesthetics and performance, which is something...an optimization problem with required tradeoffs, no? I will try the author's technique soon. Right now I'm between "real" homes, and all my herp stuff is in storage. Major pain in the ass. I hate renting, especially on a short-term basis.

Here's another link I've posted in the past, that has specific product recommendations:
http://imageevent.com/audiomaster/40gallonhexagon

I have used this particular goop (Ace concrete fortifier) the author (David Taylor) recommended. Love it for strengthening and sealing grout on "fake rock". I did not find it provided much gloss at all to the finish, when used to replace part of the water when mixing my slurry. I do want to try Brent's final-application technique - his "step 5" - though, which might yield some glossiness depending on degree of absorbtion into the grout.

I've also made up some of the coir/peat moss "spackle" with it, for plastering foam. Works great, beats the hell out of that nasty silicone method a la Black Jungle's tutorial. I believe the Ace stuff would serve Brent Brock's technique for "fake wood" too.

Hope this is useful and the links provide some inspiration. I get so much more pleasure keeping my animals with these sorts of cage enhancements, than I did previously with the "sterile box" approach. You might too. (Not knocking anyone here, just sharing my experience.)

cheers,
Jimi