Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was just curious if there is a reason why people make their rack systems out of expensive melamine instead of cheaper plywood? Is it just aesthetics, or is there a functional reason? Thanks.

Due to the heat and humidity that the rack is subjected to melamine is less likely to expand, shrink and warp than plywood. However, if you wanted to use plywood you could, but you'd have to seal it first.
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Tosha

"Of course, this is just my opinion...and I believe I am God." -- Christopher Bianco

8.15.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and currently un-named)
1.0.0 Angolan Python
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope)
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.3 Lizards rescued from pool skimmer

Actually I usually use a laminate ply Oak or Maple.

It costs more than even melamine, but I just love the aesthetics of it. Costs about $40 in my area for a 4'x8'x3/4" sheet.

I apply 3 coats of urethane to protect it.

5 years since I built my first rack with this stuff, and it shows no ill effects since assembly.

All about preference and convenience I think.

TomChambers

1) Cost - You can buy plywood in the same price range as melamine but those products are much to warped to build a rack with. As another poster said, laminated plywood works but is more expensive. Up to twice as much. If you go this route use birch - it's the smoothest.

2) Sealing - Either paint, polyurethane, or a self-adhesive vinyl needs to be used. I used the latter.

3) Function - Boxes just slide so much better on melamine.

4) Expansion/Contraction - plywood can expanded and contract due to conditions changing, even when sealed. Let it acclimate to a warm room first.

Personally I use a combination of materials. I like melamine for the shelves and 1/2" laminated plywood for the sides. I believe you could go as thin is 1/4" for the sides.

If you don't include a back on your rack you save a lot of weight this way.

>>I was just curious if there is a reason why people make their rack systems out of expensive melamine instead of cheaper plywood? Is it just aesthetics, or is there a functional reason? Thanks.
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Current snakes:

0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

7.6 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

0.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

I have both and just built a plywood rack this past weekend? melamine looks better but for me, I already had the plywood so I did not incur any further costs of having to by the melamine. I sealed the top of the rack shelves with vinyl. This keeps moisture and smell from soaking into the wood. I don't worry much about expansion and contraction. It does not do either in significant enough amounts to worry.

For me, it's considerably less expensive, lighter and works just fine for my needs.
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Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles

>>I don't worry much about expansion and contraction. It does not do either in significant enough amounts to worry.

Plywood or real wood sides do shrink enough to cause the boxes to seaze up. If you buy plywood from an unheated lumber yard and then cut and assemble the rack on the same day it can shrink enough to change the gap tolerances that are so important to a rack. Combine this with the fact that most beginner builders make the gaps too tight to begin with and you could cause the boxes to be very difficult to pull out.

That should really be a non-issue with ball pythons since they are not the most adept at escaping.
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Current snakes:

0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

7.6 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

0.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

The experienced builder knows to allow wood and certain other materials to acclimate (if needed) before doing any cutting. I have built many wood items over the years and never had issues with expansion or contraction and I live in hot humid Florida. That's not to say a northern climate does not have issues. I'm assuming you are in a cold climate as none of our lumber yards are heated here.

Tolerances are important. My rack units are for adults. So even if I'm off a 1/4", it's not big deal since an adult BP is not likely to get through a gap that tight.

I can't help with the building aspects of beginners. At least no online.
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Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles

I assume anyone asking a question about rack building also needs a quick tutorial on how to deal with expansion and contraction with wood. And they especially need to understand not to use too small of gaps - the biggest mistake and regret beginners make. I've helped hundreds of people build racks and the biggest regret by far is using too tight of a gap. The next biggest regret is using real wood or plywood for the sides and experencing contraction.

It is a bigger problem in the north. Often wood is stored in unheated, outdoor yards where there is only overhead protection. If you cut that wood the same day you pick it up and then move it into a heated reptile room the shrinkage can be significant. Again this is really only an issue when beginners assume the tighter the gap the better.
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Current snakes:

0.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

1.2 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

7.6 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

0.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black & Tan)

advice is the caging forum. When I reply there, I'm normally more detailed. I still make mistakes though. Oh well, you live, you learn.
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Jay A. Martin
Jay Martin Reptiles

I use plywood exclusively for my cages and racks and have for many, many years. I wouldn't build a snake rack out of melamine if you gave me the stuff for free.

I really liked the look of the melamine racks when they became really popular in the early '90s, however I quickly discovered that even those that were taped or sealed at the edges swelled within a year in an environment with fluctuating humidity like in WNY. Things are very dry here in the winter and very moist in the summer, and in between in the fall and spring. I had many friends who blew big $$ on melamine racks only to take a sledge to them a year later because the tubs wouldn't fit anymore due to swelling or the particle board began crumbling.

I use all grades of plywood, even the cheapest stuff and it all works very well. If its rough it must be sanded and it must all be sealed with at least 2-3 layers of polyurethane. Use coarse screws, as the fine threaded ones pull out in the glue between the wood. Just make sure you support the shelving by screwing it in to the back of the rack. A sturdy rack is all about support from the screws and surrounding wood, so use plenty.

BTW, after I helped one of my buddies destroy his warped melamine racks in '92, I built a baby rack out of 1/2 inch ply and the boxes still slide in and out as if I just screwed it together yesterday. I'm sure others have different experiences with melamine, but I wouldn't waste the money when plywood is so much stronger (multi, crisscrossing layers), cheaper and easier to work with (screw & cut). I can post up some pics if you would like to see some of my plywood enclosures. Take care.

Will

In late November I had advertised a few animals for sale. A few minutes after posting I received a call from a thankful breeder. It seems he saw my advertisement and was interested in purchasing an animal. He immediately left his computer to call me from his business phone located in his basement snakeroom. Upon decending the stairs to his snakeroom, he paused at the smell of burning wood.

It seems his plywood/2x4 rack system was on fire. The heat tape had shorted which caused the wooden rack to catch.

Luckily the breeder had noticed my ad on Kingsnake and had decided to call immediately. The trip downstairs was just in time. No real damage to the basement and all animals were saved.

(He never purchased from me, though. I think he spent his money on a new rack.)

I am now in favor of expanded PVC rack systems. They have a higher tolerance to heat...just in case.

(Maybe the coated melamine is safer than plywood.)

Chris
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“The problem with the Ball Python market rests in the advertisement of true morphs versus pseudo-morphs. Many people are simply taking Normal animals for Granite." – CJBianco