Fake rock wall build. Some Questions

[J-A-X]

cold ? unless you live where it snows then i have no sympathy, I do most of my work after 7pm in the shed and the Adelaide hills can get to 5c just as the sun goes down. Throw a couple of extra jumpers on and head to the shed ya big wimp

I'd suggest a minimum of 4 coats, the first coat being a slurry mix to get into all the nooks and crannies, and get slightly thicker consistancy with the rest of them, dont be tempted to do a thick layer of any of them, they will take too long to dry. and this weather i'd give them a good couple of days to dry properly before the next coat. you can add oxide or paint to the last layer as a base colour before you start painting.

treg and I seem to both agree that the liquid component of the first coat should be 50/50 water & PVA and then add the render to it, i wouldn't go with grout for a beardie, its too soft, even with multiple layers.

good luck now get to the shed ! !

 

[reptileKev81]

cold ? unless you live where it snows then i have no sympathy, I do most of my work after 7pm in the shed and the Adelaide hills can get to 5c just as the sun goes down. Throw a couple of extra jumpers on and head to the shed ya big wimp

lols, RESPECT! Its 12o in the garage, hahah, So I guess I cant complain. Just gonna have some breakfast and a shower, then I'll work on it a couple hours before my class

 

[Sofoula88]

I agree def start with thin layers fr the grout/render.. I used grout and put jeez soo many layers I lost count lol..it's a very repetative time consuming process..my tip would be put atleast 3-4 layers of runny almost pancake like mixture again getting thicker as you go,then maybe 2-3 thick layers..don't just slap it on thick coz it will most likely crack if u don't do it right..need to build it up like anything else..I think I put like 6 or 7 coats..

 

[Tinky]

I put five to seven layers. Min 24 hrs between coats, but better if 48.

Start of with fairy thin mix and work up to a heavier mix for final coats. Don’t bother with color until last two coats, (unless you want to experiment with color options).

What sort of blow torch are you using? I would recommend a little devil, (in the tools section of Bunnings). About $20 and uses a refillable cigarette lighter.

 

[Treg92]

jax is really pretty hardcore, i don't know how she can work in that cold, i actually was working at Stirling the other day, and that was freezing!!!

treg and I seem to both agree that the liquid component of the first coat should be 50/50 water & PVA and then add the render to it, i wouldn't go with grout for a beardie, its too soft, even with multiple layers.

good call, render is also cheaper than grout, well, for me it is anyway, not sure what bunnings charges. but definately put on as many coats as you can be bothered to, i would think 4 at a minimum (just an uneducated guess)

anyway, post some pics of your advancements

 

[J-A-X]

jax is really pretty hardcore, i don't know how she can work in that cold, i actually was working at Stirling the other day, and that was freezing!!!

I'll take that as a compliment......I think although if you read one of the other threads, i've wimped out and i'm staying inside tonight, ..... i hope i'm not coming down with something, Nah, i'm just being lazy

I prefer the acrylic render, its stronger than grout, not as crumbly as cement and dries quicker than normal render. and i agree with Treg, 4 coats minimum, 2 thin, and 2 each a little thicker than the last coat.

 

[reptileKev81]

Been busy this week, haven't really had a chance to work on it till today.
Gonna wait for this application of expandafoam to set, just so I can get an idea of how much it will grow (4 hours according to can) so i can make sure it will fit. Then im gonna fill in the rest of the gaps later, especially across the middle. Wheels are still turning in my head trying to figure out how I can hide the crack in the middle...
Theres the hide on the left. Its not spectacular, but it beats the cardbox box my beardie has at the moment, lols

Sorry bout that last pic. Needs a rotate which I'll do when I go back inside to the laptop, on the iPhone now.

How long should I wait for the expanda foam before I can start coating it with acrylic render + pva glue?

And how long should it sit between coats?

 

[Sofoula88]

Hey.. Looking ok so far..your gonna need to glue that crack in the middle and make sure there are no gaps in the hide also..other than that looks fine,a little rough but will probz do the job lol.. I had the same thing/idea you had except I was gonna build a fake wall and add basking platforms because I haven't got anything to get them close to the uv.. I'm still working on that ATM it's like a 3 part project.. There's a hide box which I desperately needed coz like you my beardies hide until recently was a crappy telstra phone box lol.. Also making a pond n platforms... Here is the pic of my hide and I have vids on YouTube if ya wanna check em out but yeh here is the pic..http://i820.photobucket.com/albums/zz121/sofoula88/4e7060fd.jpg

 

[J-A-X]

It's looks like the start of something good

I normally give the expanda foam a couple of days to stop growing and harden up - but it's not as firm as normal styrofoam. A light mist with water as soon as you've finished your spraying helps it to grow a little faster.

Acrylic render I allow 3-4 days if you're doing it in the shed. 2-3 if you're inside with heating going. Keep us updated

 

[reptileKev81]

Hey.. Looking ok so far..your gonna need to glue that crack in the middle

Unfortunately, I am doing it in 2 pieces, otherwise I cant get it into the tank, theres a big crossmember thingy going across the middle of the opening. I was trying to cut the silicone out of it, but i failed due to lack of proper tools, lol
btw, the pic of your hide looks good!

As for the small cracks in the hide, I will wait for the glue to harden and set, then I'll get some expandafoam in the cracks.

It's looks like the start of something good

I normally give the expanda foam a couple of days to stop growing and harden up - but it's not as firm as normal styrofoam. A light mist with water as soon as you've finished your spraying helps it to grow a little faster.

Acrylic render I allow 3-4 days if you're doing it in the shed. 2-3 if you're inside with heating going. Keep us updated

Thanks for the info.
I've sprayed expandafoam over the crack in the middle, them I'm goon try and separate it with an undercut, so the foam from one side overhangs the other side hiding the crack. Hopefully it works, lol

Ill put another update in a few days when I continue.

Cheers
Kev