Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here is my latest rack, which I think is my best yet. It holds 24 Sterilite shoeboxes (6 qt), and is 25.5" W x 48" H x 14" D. It can use two different model numbers of the Sterilite brand shoebox tubs - 1851, which I get at Walmart, and 1642 which I get at Big Lots, for $1.00 each. The rack is made out of 3/4" plywood from Home Depot, which was labeled as "cabinet grade plywood". Each shelf, both top and bottom, is coated with a water-based polyurethane, so it is moisture resistant. I will soon be building a 24" tall rack for 12 tubs, which will stack on top of this one.

-Toby Brock

-----
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

That looks awesome! How are your shelves fixed to the sides - Glue and screws? Plywood is the way to go...Melamine/Particle board tends to sag a bit after awhile. Did you finish the side that is facing down into the tubs? Belly Heat or Back heat? I know..lots of questions, but I am planning my next rack system, which will be my 3rd, and want to make it really nice. Great job, man!

Hunter

>>That looks awesome! How are your shelves fixed to the sides - Glue and screws? Plywood is the way to go...Melamine/Particle board tends to sag a bit after awhile. Did you finish the side that is facing down into the tubs? Belly Heat or Back heat? I know..lots of questions, but I am planning my next rack system, which will be my 3rd, and want to make it really nice. Great job, man!
>>
>>Hunter

Thanks Hunter! Yep, glue and counter sunk screws. The shelves are sealed with polyurethane on both sides, and the front edge as well. No heat at all yet, on this one. I live in subtropical south Texas, and do not use much supplemental heat for my snakes (various species of rat snakes). If/when I do install heat, it will be heat tape down the back wall.

-Toby
-----
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

That's great! It looks very sturdy.

>>That's great! It looks very sturdy.

Thanks! It is sturdy, and lighter than melamine, so I think I have found my material of choice. The only drawback is all the coats of polyurethane, and letting them set for a week. It seems like something that will last for many years though, so I think it is worth it.

-Toby
-----
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

I think I will use the Plywood idea, but laminate a sheet of Melamine onto it instead of the Poly...that way I have lots of colors/patterns to choose from, saw a great Burl wood that looks amazing. Wont have to use the higher grade of plywood that way, also.

>>I think I will use the Plywood idea, but laminate a sheet of Melamine onto it instead of the Poly...that way I have lots of colors/patterns to choose from, saw a great Burl wood that looks amazing. Wont have to use the higher grade of plywood that way, also.

Sounds like a good idea, and I'd like to see it when you are finished, if you wouldn't mind posting a photo of it.

-Toby
-----
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

I definitely will...just started laying out the design and dimensions. I worked in a cabinet shop awhile back, so that helps with laminating and assembly a bit.

I keep my racks in my house, in a spare room/office, so looks is important to me...however my first couple of racks LOOK great, but the tubs are beginning to stick due to using particle board/melamine and sagging shelves. Still look great, but even an 1/8" of sag affects the usability.

>>I definitely will...just started laying out the design and dimensions. I worked in a cabinet shop awhile back, so that helps with laminating and assembly a bit.
>>
>>I keep my racks in my house, in a spare room/office, so looks is important to me...however my first couple of racks LOOK great, but the tubs are beginning to stick due to using particle board/melamine and sagging shelves. Still look great, but even an 1/8" of sag affects the usability.

I know what you mean about sagging melamine, as I just scrapped one of my first racks and reused the shelves in a new rack. The old rack was a sideways style rack, which I did not use enough support on, and the shelves had begun to sag. I used the shelves to make a depth-wise style rack, and they were still in good enough condition that they were useable.

Best of luck with the new rack.

-Toby

-----
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

have you had a problem with ply sagging at all? Do you use 3/4" or have you used down to 1/2"?

>>have you had a problem with ply sagging at all? Do you use 3/4" or have you used down to 1/2"?

I haven't used ply for the shelves long enough to see any problems yet. It seems like it should be much more sturdy than melamine (particle board interior) or MDF, but I have no experience other than what I have heard from others regarding plywood, which seems to be that ply is stronger than other materials, in the long run. I have only used 3/4" ply so far, but I have used 1/2" MDF for a couple small MDF shoebox racks, and I don't like it. I had worse problems with 1/2" MDF splitting than in 3/4" MDF, and I don't plan to use this material for racks any more.

-TB
-----
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

Toby,

To skip the polyurethane you can just use self adhesive shelf liner. Contact Paper is one of the more common brands. I used it to line the underside of the rack I made from hollow core doors (which are skinned with plywood) and it is still holding four years later.

I have heard that Contact Paper is using less and/or weaker adhesive then back then. I guess consumers complained that it was too hard to remove.

Rack looks good. I need to build a rack for the same box.
-----
Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

After seeing Chris mention the use of contact paper on racks a few years back I started using it on my racks. It works great.
-----
Randall L Turner Jr.
Boas make the world go round.

Thanks Chris!

Is there any type of glue/adhesive that you would reccomend for the shelf liner, if the adhesive proves to be too weak to hold? That sounds like a lot less trouble, and maybe cheaper too, than polyurethane.

-Toby
-----
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

I would try one of the spray on adhesives. Not sure how well it would work but that's what I'd try first.
-----
Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

>>I would try one of the spray on adhesives. Not sure how well it would work but that's what I'd try first.
>>-----
>>Currently keeping:
>>
>>6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)
>>
>>1.1 Philodryas baroni
>>
>>1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata
>>
>>1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

Thanks a lot - I am going to try the shelf liner for the next rack. Painting the polyurethane on was a real chore. I really hate painting, which is one reason I liked melamine so much.

-Toby
-----
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

I would test out the liner you get before picking up any additional adhesive. The last rack I built using it is holding up great without any loss of adhesion.
-----
Randall L Turner Jr.
Boas make the world go round.

>>I would test out the liner you get before picking up any additional adhesive. The last rack I built using it is holding up great without any loss of adhesion.
>>-----
>>Randall L Turner Jr.
>> Boas make the world go round.
>>

Thanks - will do.

-Toby
-----
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

I would test out the liner you get before picking up any additional adhesive. The last rack I built using it is holding up great without any loss of adhesion.

I agree to try it first. Just curious, but how old is this last batch of contact paper and what material do you have it adhered to exactly?
-----
Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

I picked the last bunch up about 6 months ago and it is attached to white oak ply.
-----
Randall L Turner Jr.
Boas make the world go round.

Thanks. To clarify, you attached it to the bare plywood? No sealer or primer of any sort before application?

>>I picked the last bunch up about 6 months ago and it is attached to white oak ply.
>>-----
>>Randall L Turner Jr.
>> Boas make the world go round.
>>
-----
Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

Right, I attached it directly to the bare wood in a quick fix rack and it has worked well enough I haven't touched it since.
-----
Randall L Turner Jr.
Boas make the world go round.

>>Right, I attached it directly to the bare wood in a quick fix rack and it has worked well enough I haven't touched it since.
>>-----
>>Randall L Turner Jr.
>> Boas make the world go round.

What brand is the shelf liner that you used?
-----
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

It appears to be kittrich Corp Con-Tact brand.
-----
Randall L Turner Jr.
Boas make the world go round.

>>It appears to be kittrich Corp Con-Tact brand.
>>-----
>>Randall L Turner Jr.
>> Boas make the world go round.

Thanks Randall! Next rack I build will probably use that stuff. I imagine it is cheaper than polyurethane, as well.

-Toby
-----
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

i am looking to make a rack very soon. i would like to use the 4x8 sheets of melamine at home depot because of the low price. i am planning on making the rack 24in wide. because of the shortness of each level do you think i will need to worry about the rack sagging?

the melamine sheets are $28.
what did you pay on you sheets of ply wood?

>>i am looking to make a rack very soon. i would like to use the 4x8 sheets of melamine at home depot because of the low price. i am planning on making the rack 24in wide. because of the shortness of each level do you think i will need to worry about the rack sagging?
>>
>>the melamine sheets are $28.
>>what did you pay on you sheets of ply wood?

I think that the melamine which Home Depot sells will eventually sag, no matter what. However, if you support the back edges, of the shelves well by attaching it to your back wall, it will probably last you a good several years.

I think the 4x8 sheets of cabinet grade ply were somewhere around $35 - $40 each. The ones I bought for this rack were 24" x 48" sheets, and sold for $14 each, so cost me more than a 4x8 sheet. They were much easier for me to deal with though, and I had to make a lot less cuts than I would have with a 4x8 sheet.

-Toby
-----
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

do you think a pegboard back would be strong enough? or should i just go with a thin ply wood.

>>do you think a pegboard back would be strong enough? or should i just go with a thin ply wood.

I have used pegboard on all of mine, and I think it works well. Plywood would probably last longer, though.
-----
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

ok. thank you very much. im gonna start building tomorrow i will take lots of pics and post up when its done. its gonna hold 12 6qt, 2 15qt, and 2 28 all from big lots ($30total thanks for that info).

Maybe the melamine that Home Depot sells will sag over time, I think a lot of this has to do with the quality of the melamine. We buy our melamine from a wholesale lumber distributor. We can get it in several colors, to include maple and oak wood grain. They also sell a matching edge banding. This does two things, makes it look finished, and most importantly, seals out moisture so that it doesn't wick into the particle board.

We have been using this melamine for several years. We have had no problem with sagging in our racks. Our biggest rack is for 66 quart underbed boxes which is 19" x 39".
-----
Randy and Michelle
Art In Scales
(719) 439-4199
info@artinscales.com

>>Maybe the melamine that Home Depot sells will sag over time, I think a lot of this has to do with the quality of the melamine. We buy our melamine from a wholesale lumber distributor. We can get it in several colors, to include maple and oak wood grain. They also sell a matching edge banding. This does two things, makes it look finished, and most importantly, seals out moisture so that it doesn't wick into the particle board.
>>
>>We have been using this melamine for several years. We have had no problem with sagging in our racks. Our biggest rack is for 66 quart underbed boxes which is 19" x 39".
>>-----
>>Randy and Michelle
>>Art In Scales
>>(719) 439-4199
>>info@artinscales.com

I am sure that you are right about the quality of the melamine being the biggest factor. I like melamine, for its convenience - build the rack, and it's ready to use. I would probably still buy it, if I could get some better stuff, but I have not been able to find it anywhere but Home Depot (and our local store seems to be phasing it out). I have even called several local cabinet builders and so-called specialty building supply stores, and they just do not carry it in this area.

-Toby
-----
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

when building it how much room did you leave for the bins to slide and how did you do it?

>>when building it how much room did you leave for the bins to slide and how did you do it?

I folded pieces of 20 lb printer paper four times, and taped them to the bottom of the outer two corners of the outer two tubs on the shelf. You can test the fit with the middle tub. What will you be keeping in the shoeboxes? It is important that the clearance between the top of the tub and the shelf be less than 1/8" if keeping baby corns. With some types of tubs, such as the Sterilite 1754 and 1756, you can build the rack with the tops on the tubs, which will give you just about the perfect amount of space, and will keep older juveniles of most species of snakes from escaping. I don't know if this will work with the new Sterilite 1753 and 1755, as I have not seen these models yet.

Also, I build my racks upside down, from the top to the bottom. I can send you a link or two, for a couple different DIY rack builders' pages.

-Toby
-----
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research

I figure out the actual hight of the tub, not whats written on the side of the tub, then add 1/16th inch. I cut 4 blocks to use as spacers on each corner of the shelf. Once the shelf is attached I move the blocks up to the next shelf and so on.
-----
Randy and Michelle
Art In Scales
(719) 439-4199
info@artinscales.com

>>I figure out the actual hight of the tub, not whats written on the side of the tub, then add 1/16th inch. I cut 4 blocks to use as spacers on each corner of the shelf. Once the shelf is attached I move the blocks up to the next shelf and so on.
>>-----
>>Randy and Michelle
>>Art In Scales
>>(719) 439-4199
>>info@artinscales.com

Good point - I have done the same thing with some racks, like this one which is made of melamine and plywood. It uses 41 qt Sterilite tubs.

-----
Southwestern Center for Herpetological Research