TV Cabinet Makeover

[Bel03]

Ok, quick question. I am about to convince the hubby that our tv cabinet is perfect to use for an enclosure. As he will be the one making the adjustments, i am trying to make my plans look as easy as i can, so he wont say no! I just wondered if there is anything i would need to do to the main unit itself, as in sanding whatever it is 'varnished' in away.......:? Does that make sense?

The cabinet is quite old, & was left to me from my nanna, it is a gorgeous pine (i think) cabinet, that has a slight shine to it. I just wondered if when having heat lights etc running if it would cause any kind of fumes i should be worried about?

Any ideas would be a huge help!

 

[Just_Plain_Nuts]

pics?

 

[Bel03]

This is the cabinet before emptied......i have a general plan mapped out for hubby to look at, im just not sure if it will need to be sanded first, or will it be fine to leave as is. If there is a possibility of harmful fumes being let off once heated, what would i need to use to seal/paint it again after it has been sanded?

 

[pythonmum]

No need to sand unless you wish to use a new finish or unless the existing finish is wearing off in spots and needs repair. You don't need to worry about fumes. The main thing you will need to do is seal the joins between the pieces of wood - especially at the bottom so that any liquid does not ooze into the joins. You can buy brown sealant in tubes or use clear. If putting a big snake in there, I suggest mounting the heat source under the DVD shelf and drilling a hole into the shelf so that the snake uses this for a basking shelf. My carpets love that setup and seem to feel very secure with the low ceiling. I use aquarium backings (plastic) for the background because they look good and are easy to clean. Check out an old thread of mine on fixing up a pine unit from Vinnies to get ideas although the shape is different. I love that enclosure.

 

[Bel03]

Thanks for that, i will take a look through your thread for any extra tips & ideas.....im sure there is something i havent thought of yet! I will have a think about leaving the dvd shelf there, i really like that idea, so thanks! I was originally planning on removing the shelf, & turning the entire cabinet into 3 seperate areas. The top part a basking area with a opening to the 2 small cupboards at the bottom, which i had planned to use as her 'hide' section, & the large glass door part; other then replacing the glass & adding door locks, i planned to leave as is & use as a cooler side, just adding a large branch, another hide & of course a way in & out! I really hope it turns out as good as i see it in my mind.......

 

[finchie]

That basking shelf is a great idea. I might try and incorporate one into my enclosure.
Your tv cabinet will like awesome as a snake enclosure. I wanted to make one out of a set of cupboards years ago but never got the chance

 

[Spider178]

Check out the DIY group, there are some great ideas on there especially with rock walls, etc.

 

[Bel03]

Thanks guys, i will check out the threads & groups mentioned before starting too much. The last thing i want is to ruin the cabinet, it means alot to me! I think it will be awesome for my bredli for awhile yet, she will have plenty of different areas to climb & explore, & im sure she will love it!