I want this cage to look halfway decent(have yet to do anything decent).I have a choice of plywood,Oak vaneer and Birch and plain old cheap plywood at 20 bucks a sheet.
The birch was more expensive then the oak.I can get a 4x8 sheet of 3/4 Oak for 40 bucks.Will this stuff work?
Would I need to stain this or just put a poly type product on it?
How would I finish this out?
I priced the polyethylene and it was super expensive at around 40/50 bucks a gallon.Is that right?
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oak vaneer plywood for an enclosure
calebjg
Feb 05, 2010 08:23 PM
Replies (2)
cbboids
Feb 08, 2010 08:11 PM
I'm not sure where your shopping but don't go back. Lowes has birch for $40 a sheet. It finishes out beautifully and it's much easier to work with than the oak. No need for stain but it does add a nice touch. Polyurethane is all
you need. I would do a few coats Inside and out sanding it smooth inbetween coats. Apply it with a cheap foam brushes. You can get a quart of clear poly for under $10 and that should be enough for a descent sized cage.
Good luck, let me know if you have any other questions.
Nick - Nick@evoboats.com
C.B. Boids
Snake Monitor and Dragon cages
chris_harper2
Feb 09, 2010 09:19 AM
You can really use whatever veneered plywood that looks best to your eye. Oak has a more open grain which takes more sealer to fill but is worth the effort if that's what you want.
Stain is entirely up to you. Birch plywood does not always take stain evenly which can create a blotched look.
What do you mean by "finish this out"? Do you mean the sealer, trim work, or what?
I priced the polyethylene and it was super expensive at around 40/50 bucks a gallon.Is that right?
Do you mean polyurethane? The waterborne types are pretty expensive but go on so thin that they are pretty economical overall. You can get epoxy for just a bit more per gallon but it goes on thicker and costs more but you do end up with a much more durable and easy to clean finish.
I do suggest avoiding oil-based polyurethanes. They are cheaper and offer a nice degree of protection for the money but take a long time to offgass, especially if not applied correctly, and possibly won't even be available by 2011.
