Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have found a local plastic company that can supply me with 1/4" sheets of expanded PVC or 1/8" sheets. The price is $110 and $71 respectively (4' x 8').

I am looking to build the rack 4ft wide and 3 shelves. Just a small space saver. Which thickness would be preferred?

Also any tips on the proper way to assemble? I am going to have it milled by the plastic folks, so I will NOT have to cut it. Attached plastic to plastic? Use wooden shelf braces?

Thanks in advance!
Matt

I have found a local plastic company that can supply me with 1/4" sheets of expanded PVC or 1/8" sheets. I am looking to build the rack 4ft wide...

Either product will sag too much. I would not even use 1/2" for a rack that wide.

What size box or boxes will you be using and what is the absolute narrowest you can go with this rack?

The prices seem a bit high to me. A few years ago I got two 1/2" sheets precut and shipped to me for about $200. It was the more expensive black as well. However, the precutting was only to rough size, I had to do the final milling.

Do those prices include cutting? Are the cuts made with CNC? And can you get 1/2"?
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

I have already purchased 8 men's shoe boxes from the container store (14-3/4" x 10-1/8" x 5-5/8" h ) and 2 boot boxes (22-1/2" x 14-3/4" x 5-3/8" h ).

I had planned on two shelves with 4 shoe boxes and the bottom shelf with 2 boot boxes. Each shelf would be 4ft long and 16 inches deep with peg board in the back.

Originally I was going to use the 5/8" melamine coated pressboard from Home Depot, but after reading so many negative things about it I decided to check around for the expanded PVC.

I wanted to use belly heat if using the melamine. I was going to route a 3" grove in the back of each shelf for the flextape. With the PVC I think I would have to use back heat unless I wanted to continually slide the boxes over the tape.

So, you believe that my shelves should be narrower?

Thanks in advance!
Matt

I have to run but for that small of a rack you might consider just using precut melamine shelving. The stuff that comes already edge banded is much higher quality than the full sheet stuff at Home Depot.

For leopard geckos you can probably get away with that wide of a rack if using melamine. Put some spacers in the middle to divide the rack to help. Make sure it's on a flat surface once done.

And you can build such a rack with a pretty sizeable gap since these are not escape artists. A bit of sag won't matter then. The one exception to this is if you use a lot of crickets or other prey items that could escape. Then you would want a tighter gap.

I'll look back on this when I get home later, assuming I can even make it out of my driveway.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

I did look at the melamine shelving. The cost of a sheet(4X8)is $28, and the costs of the shelves are around $11-15 each. It would cost me quite a bit more to use the shelving. I had planned on routing the edges and using t-molding. Also the shelves are only 12" wide. I would like 15-16" for the width of each shelf.

At this point I only have the boxes and am open to any and all suggestions. My wife and I just purchased our first home and this will be my first attempt at building something by myself.

The more tips and suggestions the better!

Matt

Well it turns out my wife can't get into her office parking lot anways so I have not left.

If you plan to use melamine from a full sheet then don't use the Home Depot stuff. It is a lower grade particle board and then the melamine coating is just a foil product that is pressed on. It is okay for racks but far from the best choice. I would probably not use it for a rack at 48" wide.

I think the rating system for melamine has changed in recent years, but the upshot is that a higher quality cabinet grade melamine is a better choice. Mostly due to the PB interior as honestly the melamine coating does not make that much of a difference on racks. You will need to go to a lumber yard that caters to the cabinet industry for this. If you have a plastics supplier in your area I'm certain you can find a dealer of higher quality melamine. You can also check at hardwood dealers. The type of places that sell bulk rough sawn premium woods to woodworkers.

I have not priced melamine shelving in a while. But last time I did I found it in wider planks than 12" and it was priced comparably to full sheets of the higher quality stuff. More expensive per square foot for sure but factor in the edge banding and the perfectly square cuts and it was a good deal.

Let me go back and look at your box sizes and make another post. This one is getting a bit long.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

At Home Depot they have 4ft shelves that are 13.75 inches wide. My boxes are too wide for those shelves.

I wonder about this material:

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100387765&N=10000003 90401 503114

No clue what that stuff is but it looks interesting. Check it out and let us know.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

I wish they had it in the store to look at. It can only be ordered and the shipping is $7 per sheet.

Is this the type of PVC you have used?

.510 inch thickness

Yes, but 12mm instead of 13mm as in the link. Mine was also black and I got twice that much for the same money.

$107 for a 48x48 sheet of white is way too much money.

What city/state do you live in? I may have some other sources or ideas.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

I'm located in Tallahassee, FL.

I am not set on what material I am going to use. I just want something that looks nice, is somewhat easy to work with and it easy to clean and keep clean.

Florida should have a lot of plastic suppliers. I put that in the title of this post so others might see it.

Honestly the material that intrigues me the most is that rubbermaid shelving you posted. But I'd have to see it in person first. Have you seen it? If so, is it black melamine with silver edge banding?

Personally I don't think plastic is worth it unless you're putting a premium on weight. But the fact that you found a local supplier with a CNC mill might make it worthwhile. Home Depot won't be able to cut melamine that well on their panel saw.

I like plastic for cages but am not sure the cost is worth it for racks.

The one plastic I really like for racks is the hollow core stuff used by two plastic cage companies that advertise here on kingsnake. And even then it's harder to work with and I think for the extra cost I'd rather put nice casters on a melamine rack.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

I think I am moving away from the plastic idea. Might try the plastic source in the future to make a python cage.

I think I am going to buy some birch plywood and make the rack out of it after coating it with water based polyurathane.

Should be cheaper this way. I have never worked with the plastic and it could be a costly experiment.

Thanks for all the advice!
Matt

Sounds like a good plan. You might read one of the threads further down about using self-adhesive shelf liner in place of waterborne urethane.

BTW, I went and looked at that Rubbermaid product, the black shelves with the silver trim. I don't remember the exact dimensions, but I believe it was 1/2" less in both width and length. And it was priced a bit higher than other melamine edge-banded shelf products. Nice looking product but would not work for some extra tubs I have in use that I need to build a rack for. The listed dimensions would have worked, the actual dimensions would not.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

None of the Lowes or Home Depot stores around me had that Rubbermaid product. The website said that it was 4ft X 16" I believe for under $10. So you saw one and both dimensions are 1/2" shorter than stated?

Is it a wood based product? From the photo I can't get a grasp of what it is exactly. The load of 350 pounds; how would that compare to similar sized plywood?

It is edge banded melamine and appears to be good quality melamine at that. The edge banding could have been better but was acceptable.

I don't recall the actual dimensions. The boxes I have are 15.75" long and the shelf was shorter than that.

The length was less important but I'm pretty sure it was 47.5".
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

I have already purchased 8 men's shoe boxes from the container store (14-3/4" x 10-1/8" x 5-5/8" h ) and 2 boot boxes (22-1/2" x 14-3/4" x 5-3/8" h ).

I had planned on two shelves with 4 shoe boxes and the bottom shelf with 2 boot boxes.

Since you have boxes of two different heights and need dedicated shelves for each size I think you can go ahead and build the rack 48" wide. I even think you can use the less expensive melamine.

If you use expanded PVC then go with 1/2"

Either way, I would have vertical dividers cut to provide support to the shelves. Three dividers for the shoe box level and one for the boot box level. The height of these dividers would be the actual height of the box (without lid) plus whatever gap you want.

Use some leftover material for the back if you can. A full back adds weight but also strength.

Have the rack sit on the sides and possibly back. Don't have it just resting on the bottom shelf. Shim to keep things flat and square once the rack is done and setup.

Have some sort of support built into the middle underside of the rack. Something you can shim or adjust.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

I think this might work.

47.875 W x 14.625 D Shelf from Lowes

These prices were quoted for just the sheets. I told him the cuts I would need and he said he would do them for free. Yes, CNC milling.

I didn't get a quote for 1/2" thickness. I can though.

I told him I was in no hurry and the sheet could just be apart of any future order he makes.

With the higher costs of petroleum I would assume that is why the increase in petroleum based products. There was only one plastic supplier listed in my local phone book. I called a few lumber yards and they didn't deal in plastics.

Matt

Not trying to dissuade you here, but reality is what it is. You can buy a 10-box rack made from PVCx with heat installed for just a little more than the cost of you to buy the plastic yourself. I guess we are not suppose to give names, so look on the classifieds here under the caging section.

Another rack idea to consider:
Have you seen the threaded-rod support rack that someone posted not long ago? That is a great rack for what you are doing.

You use melamine shelves, drill a hole near each corner and put a threaded steel post in the hole. Each shelf is held up by a nut and washer. You can adjust the distance between shelves as needed for your boxes.

The nice thing here is that the shelves do not need to be perfectly the same size. Meaning you can cut them and not worry about them being exact.

The only part that needs to be precise is the holes in the shelves - they must line up near perfectly. This is not hard to do actually, especially if you have access to a drill press. You can clamp two shelves together and drill through them. Those two will line up.

Melamine is a good choice for the shelves. I did plywood once with 1/8 PVC laminated to the top, but I think melamine is just easier.
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Mark

Mark,
No sweat. At this point all I have are my boxes. I just want to build something that looks semi-nice for my reptile room. Right now I just use 20 gallon aquariums for my leopards, but would like to house more in a small space and I didn't really want to shell out $500-1000 for a professional rack.

Nothing has been decided at this point other than the boxes I am using. I do like your idea of the rod/shelf method. I think I might give that a try. No gluing/screwing even necessary.

Thanks for the advice. The reason I posted was for constructive criticism. I skimmed over the first few pages of posts, but thought I would make one in regards to material.

I shifted away from the reptile hobby in my last home (rental). Now that I have a house and a room addition in my garage I look forward to developing it into a more suitable reptile room.

Matt