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I am constructing a rock wall and had a few questions. I will be glueing styrofoam to the plywood as the base. Then i will use a knife to shape it. After which I will brush over it with cement and sand to give it the hardness and some coloration. My question is do I have to paint it or can I just seal it with water and elmers glue? And approximently how long will it take for the cement and glue to dry and be ready for habitation. It will be for a bearded dragon. Thank you in advance

As far as the cement curing, a full cure usually takes a few days, depending on the mix that you use... I have used portland cement/sand mix when creating faux rock, with great success... However in your situation, you will probably find that the cement will have a hard time adhering to near vertical walls, without some kind of support... You can use 1/4" hardware cloth, chicken wire, or best yet, diamond lathe... THis way, the cement will squeeze in between each hole, thus making it stronger, and more stable, than resting on a vertical smooth surface...

As far as coloration goes, there are a few techniques that you can use for coloring, including cement stains, which are usually extremely messy and damaging to furniture, clothing, carpet, etc... The easier method is to use latex exterior paint, diluted to a milk-like consistency, and then sprayed right onto the rock with a handheld garden/plant sprayer.. Cement is rather porous, so it will suck the color right into the rock, where fading doesn not really occur, unless perhaps it's over the course of many years, exposed to natural weather conditions...

Working with cement is fun, but you also have to compensate for the weight that it will add to the enclosure... Using resins, epoxies, and elastomers is more flexible in design, lightweight, and you can achieve more realistic looking rockwork when using this stuff.. However, it is not for everyone, as it has a short working time, and puts out noxious fumes... Not for the beginner..

I am currently working on some more rockwork for a customer of mine, as well as a cage for my soon to be aquired pair of black water monitors... but Here are some examples of some of the rockwork I have done...there are others, but I have yet to compile all of them onto one page/site... Cheers, best of luck to you in your creativity...just go with the flow....hahaha.. Take care, have a wonderful day..

BOb
the odatriad
http://www.geocities.com/odatriad

CLICK HERE for Faux Rockwork Pics

You can buy dry colors to add to your mortar mix these are simpler to use and go right into the mix before mixing. You might consider colored tile grout also. If the surfaces your covering are smooth, as in uncovered plywood, then adherence may be a problem, if left with lots of nooks and crannies, as in your styrofoam, then it should bond pretty well if you press it into the nooks and crannies. A good trick when prepping the styro is to run a fork over the surfaces leaving grooves. Wear rubber gloves when working with these products, the alkalies will eat your skin up. If possible lay your surface flat while constructing your rock wall and let sit until dry. Misting them down regularly and curing them slowly makes them stronger. Rapid drying will leave them short and they will crack.
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Hope this helps.

BigT

Please bear with me while i make sure I have this right. I should do the styrofoam first, then scrap with a knife to give texture. Then put on the tile grout/cement which i can color before mixing. After the first coat, let it dry for 24 hours, then I can add coats with a drying period of 24 hours between each coat. Also during the drying process I need to mist it so that it won't crack. Is this correct, and how many coats should it take?

Thank you so much for the help

Here is a neat site i found that will help me.

http://708designs.netfirms.com/customcage/customcage.htm
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My roomates are2 boas, 4 corns,Rotti,3cats and snake food AKA the food chain.

Just got finished reading this site. Great help. I will be using this as my guide when I get to work this weekend. Thank you.

You pretty much have the right idea. If you want a good bond with the styro and successive layers of the grout the surface underneath needs to have some "tooth" to adhere too. Yes spraying will slow the cure time making for a stronger finished product. It won't affect the hardening time just gives a slow cure. Proper mixing consistancy should hold soft "peaks" too dry and it will be "short" and could/would crack, too wet and it will be too runny. If you use multiple layers get different yet complimentary colors for an even more realistic effect. Using disposable spatulas made from plastic milk jugs can aid in application.
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Hope this helps.

BigT

Thank you, I also found a wonderful site that will aid in my adventure.

I love your attitude
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Hope this helps.

BigT

Beautiful work!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you suggest that i use something like spray foam or styrofoam as a base and then the cement?

Wow, those rock walls are beautiful!

Are there books or literature on doing displays like that? Or just on Zoo quality (nice zoos) enclosure building?

Elizabeth
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