Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Would tung oil or a similar finish be acceptable for a wood terrarium instead of using polyurethane? The terrarium would be housing a cornsnake.

Thanks!

When you say Tung Oil Finish I assume you mean a 100% Polymerized Tung oil. There are many varnishes that have Tung oil in them that are marketed as Tung oil finishes despite not being much different than an oil based polyurethane.

With that said, I don't believe a 100% tung oil finish is acceptable for sealing a wooden snake terrarium. In my opinion you really want more of a finish that sits on top of the wood and makes for a smooth and easy to clean finish.

I now discourage people from using oil based polyurethanes in animal enclosures. Too much to explain right now, but the short story is that if they are not supposed to be used inside of a sock drawer then by no means should they be used in a cornsnake cage.

Waterborne polyurethanes are okay but don't offer a lot of moisture and chemical resistance. Might be okay in a cornsnake cage provided the cage itself was low humidity and it had access to a moist hide area. Even then I would do something more durable for the floor -- scrap vinyl flooring, self-adhesive shelf liner, or something.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

0.0.4 Rhynchophis boulengeri

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

0.0.1 Rhamphiophis rubropunctatus

0.0.2 Morelia viridis (Aru & Merauke locale types)

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

Thanks, Chris; your answer helps a lot!

Dan

when was this decided?
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"Wake me when its April"

Doug L

Hey Doug,

Did you get the email I sent with the Cambro catalog attached? I think I finally got it to go through but never heard back from you. I know sometimes emails with large attachments end up in my bulk folder so I thought I'd check and make sure.

I'm not sure when people stopped recommend using solvent based finishes in enclosed cabinets, but I read it a lot on various woodworking forums. Part of it has to do with modern VOC restrictions and how the polyurethane of today is not able to cure as completely and as quickly as they did 20 years ago. But I think some of it has to do with the modern understanding and concern with the effects of long-term offgassing.

Regardless, I have read posts from custom cabinet builders who used catalyzed conversion varnish on all of their work but switch to waterborne for the inside of drawers, etc.

Honestly a lot of this will all be a non-issue in a few years when the 2011 VOC restrictions are in full effect. None of this stuff will be available anyways.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

0.0.4 Rhynchophis boulengeri

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

0.0.1 Rhamphiophis rubropunctatus

0.0.2 Morelia viridis (Aru & Merauke locale types)

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

Man I better start buying up all the high voc products I can get my hands on!

I'd love to buy a large quantity of Waterlox but unfortunately it has shelf life issues.

I'll be very curious to see what happens in the world of finishes.

Hopefully one will still be able to buy denatured alcohol and mix up their own shellac.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

0.0.4 Rhynchophis boulengeri

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

0.0.1 Rhamphiophis rubropunctatus

0.0.2 Morelia viridis (Aru & Merauke locale types)

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

I ended up buying some model # 1963 sterilite 11 x 14 x 3'' and making a custom rack.

I keep milks snakes so this size works for me

Thank you for the help that was nice of you
BTW you can extend the shelf life of most products by keeping the container full.Change the container to a smaller one or drop small stones in to keep the level full.
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"Wake me when its April"

Doug L

A lot of guys store Waterlox by putting a tube in the cap and turning the can upside down and then pumping in or pumping out air. They even make a product specifically for this.

I'm just going to avoid solventborne finishes from now on, not that I really do anything that can be called woodworking nowadays. We have a 2K waterborne on our new hardwood floor that has impressed me durability wise and I would use that in place of oil-based poly.

And shellac still works well for giving that amber color to wood projects so it can be used as a sealer under a waterborne.

However, the denatured alcohol used to mix shellac is a solvent and I'm not sure how it's going to be affected by the 2011 regulations.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

0.0.4 Rhynchophis boulengeri

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

0.0.1 Rhamphiophis rubropunctatus

0.0.2 Morelia viridis (Aru & Merauke locale types)

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

However, the denatured alcohol used to mix shellac is a solvent and I'm not sure how it's going to be affected by the 2011 regulations.

Unless there are different kinds of denatured alcohol, I doubt it will disappear that quickly. We use it in the Aerospace industry to prep surfaces for adhesion...a lot. We also use Gallons of Isopropyl alcohol and Toluene....

That being said years back we used Freon and M.E.K. for other stuff.....

So you never know what will happen....
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Jeremy Payne
JB Reptile

1.0 Snow "Kahl"
0.2 Triple Het Moonglow "Kahl"
0.1 Orange Tail Hypo Het Leopard
0.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow
1.0 Ghost
0.1 Possible Super Hypo
0.1 DH Ghost
1.1 "Kahl" Albino
1.0 Hypomelenistic
1.3 Pastel Hypo
0.1 Suriname/Columbian cross
0.1 Anerthrystic

1.1 Morelia Clastolepis

I also suspect denatured alcohol is not going anywhere. It just has too many uses at the consumer level.

Obviously the US government is not going to outlaw gasoline or perfume, both of which I assume will be above VOC limitations, so I think denatured alcohol will fit in there somewhere.

But my understanding is the days of walking into Home Depot and buying paint thinner will be long gone.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

0.0.4 Rhynchophis boulengeri

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

0.0.1 Rhamphiophis rubropunctatus

0.0.2 Morelia viridis (Aru & Merauke locale types)

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback

I love the smell Of that stuff and for my money its by far the best finish for showing the beauty of wood(light coats)I use it on my stickley antique desk.Its not as durable as anything out now but its a easy fix if you have to and it drys in a hour
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"Wake me when its April"

Doug L

I just used it for the first time in years. With hindsight I would have bought dewaxed flakes online and mixed up my own.

The premixed stuff I bought at Lowes had not been dewaxed and probably had been on the shelf a while. It got a bit gummy while I wiped it on but all in all I forgot how nice of a finish it was.
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Currently keeping:

6.10 Gonyosoma oxycephalum (Javan, mixed colors)

0.0.4 Rhynchophis boulengeri

1.1 Philodryas baroni

1.1 Lampropeltis triangulum multistriata

0.0.1 Rhamphiophis rubropunctatus

0.0.2 Morelia viridis (Aru & Merauke locale types)

1.0 Rhodesian Ridgeback