rocks

Palex134 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-14-2006, 07:02 PM

anyone have any good DIY ways to make fake rocks? I am looking for an easy, yet attractive DIY rock idea. Thanks

lessthantito · #2 (**permalink**) 10-15-2006, 12:20 AM

you could use expanding foam and shape it, it's sandable paintable you could coat it with an acrylic grout to seal it and pretty much that would be a cheap rock that is pretty light and shaped however you want

Palex134 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-15-2006, 12:21 AM

anyone have any picture examples and DIY steps?

Thanks Lessthantitio! I will look into that.

Anyone else?

Brandon Parry · #4 (**permalink**) 10-15-2006, 01:47 AM

expandable foam carved and skimed with tile adhesive

then coated with an acrylic finish and some sand for a rock like texture

I images if you wanted to make a stand alone rock you would need to slice the foam off the glass and ad to it, or you could shape some stryafoam and skim it with tile adhesive and then ad acrylic finish and some sand

Palex134 · #5 (**permalink**) 10-15-2006, 02:17 PM

HR,
that looks great. I will look into that!

**Riverside Reptiles** · #6 (**permalink**) 10-16-2006, 11:05 AM

Have any of you guys had any issues with off gassing or other toxicity problems from these products? I'd like to build some rock type stuff but a lot of those products that you guys are using contain some pretty heavy duty chemicals. Any issues at all? Anyone used expanding foam long term? Any issues with durability? I use it a lot around the house to seal up gaps and whatnot. But I'm curious how well it holds up in a tank exposed to UV, high heat, high humidity, cleaning, etc? Just being curious. I'd love to hear some other ideas for rock type structures as well if anyone has some.

herperboy · #7 (**permalink**) 10-16-2006, 02:50 PM

I havent used it myself, but from what ive heard after all of that stuff dries and airs out for a few days its harmless. The foam should hold up fine considering its covered with tile adhesive (mastic). I know I saw a website with a step by step process for building fake rock backgrounds, but I dont know if I can find it again.

Joel · #8 (**permalink**) 10-16-2006, 06:41 PM

a couple of sites i found usefull are these. the first is for large scale vivariums and in my opinion looks amazing. heres the link http://treemonitors.com/diyfauxrock.html, the second one again very usefull and looks great http://www.geocities.com/tnstuttle/cage_info.htm

Palex134 · #9 (**permalink**) 10-16-2006, 06:47 PM

those are great, but Id like it on a small scale. I love what brandon did, but I want the whole cage backround filled up I think. Other then that it will look great.

Brandon Parry · #10 (**permalink**) 10-16-2006, 07:32 PM

yeah I ran out of foam or else I would have covered the entire cage background