[inuit_jay]

What does sealing mean?

[Matt K]

Answer to two questions:

VOC means "Volitile Organic Compounds". These are types of compounds that cannot stay in a solid or liquid form in a natural setting- they evaporate as a gas. So anything that dries, like paint, water, alchohol, Varathane, concrete, gasoline, Jell-O, or anything else that dries up or can dry up has a VOC rating. Ratings are from 0 to 100.

"Sealing" means to seal. For example, wood had tiny openings all over it. When you apply a 'sealer' it 'seals' these openings closed. Dry paint actually has tiny pores, openings, and cracks all through it (in most cases). When you are sealing it you are applying a coating over it to cover and close all these tiny openings and cracks. So the better it is sealed the better it resists other fluids and gases. Like to make waterproof...

[inuit_jay]

Jello has VOC? For sealing if I don't do it would it cause trouble? Leopard geckos don't need high humidity.

[Matt K]

For dry environments I doubt you should worry about sealing the wood to protect it from moisture.

I should have pics in a couple days of the ones I made. The dimensions are 24x24x32 and they are sealed with spar urethane. I plan to keep anoles in one and some large gecko in the other (tokays or skunks).

[Matt K]

Update:

So far so good. The spar urethane odor disappeared after a week or so, coincedently when I started putting a UV light over it. They are planted and the Anolis sp. living in there appear quite healthy and fine. Both have been mating, so we will see how the eggs develope in there.

[inuit_jay]

Updates: I painted varathane inside the case then the smell never disappeared. So instead I painted it on the wood dried it then put the case together, which worked great.
Next time I am definetly using plexi glass...