Fake Wall Questions

Glass_ · #1 03-10-2010, 05:12 PM

Hi, I've been thinking of making a fake rock wall out of polystyrene for my hermit crabs, and have a few questions.

1. How hard is the finished product? Like, how tough is it or what would it take for it to break. Is it delicate and crumble, crack, or flake easily? I'm afraid my hermit crabs might break it with their claws and eat it(yeah, they'll eat it. and they have tough claws too.)

2. How much is the grout, and how much do I need for a rock wall? It's either going to be 15 x 14 or 30 x 14 inches, if that helps. I'm on a kind of limited budget.

3. How much will the whole thing cost? Again, I'm on a limited budget. Also, I'd like to know the materials I'll need to make one, and if some are optional or not.

That's pretty much it, but I have another question unrelated to fake rock walls. For cork bark backgrounds, do they grow mold easily? And, where can I buy them?

Thanks a lot.
-Glass_

boabab95 · #2 03-10-2010, 05:27 PM

1. not sure, someone else will have to answer.
2.at home depot it's 21.99 for 11.6kg. a couple thin layers then a couple thicker layers should do it. make sure it gradually gets thicker.
3.depends on how thick you want to make it. check youtube they usually have good DIY rock walls

Epiphile · #3 03-10-2010, 05:46 PM

I wouldn't agree entirely with boabab's method (I went from thick to thin, layer-wise), but tile grout is cheap as anything (you won't need much, as a little goes a long way), and plain cement may be even cheaper. I used several concrete tints added in different ratios for the different layers, and got a good effect that way- the tints aren't expensive either. I mixed in an acrylic copolymer for added strength and water resistance- I don't know if it helped or not because it's my first one. The whole thing cured really well, and it takes a lot to crack it, even though the whole thing's not much more than 1/16" thick. I've never kept crabs, but I doubt they'd be able to make a dent in it.

I basically went this route (DB member HX's): http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/par...e-rocks-3.html

boabab95 · #4 03-10-2010, 05:54 PM

i've never done ne before so im just going off of what i've read and heard.

Glass_ · #5 03-10-2010, 08:41 PM

Thanks to both of you, really helped. I looked around a bit too, and found some helpful articles. The grout's kind of expensive, so could I instead use the cement, or should I have both? And then could I mix some non toxic acrylic paint to the cement to change its color a bit? Oh yeah, and looking at the "QuikCrete" at Lowe's I came up with a problem- it said you had to pour it at least 2 inches thick. Am I reading it wrong, or can I not use that stuff? I'll give the link here... http://www.lowes.com/pd_4030-286-110140_4294858248_4294937087?productId=3033119&Ns= p_product_quantity_sold|0&pl=1&currentURL=/pl_Concrete%2B%2BMasonry%2BProducts_4294858248_429 4937087_?newSearch=true$ddkey=http

earchCatalogDi splay$Ns=p_product_quantity_sold|0

yup. It says "For pouring concrete 2 inches thick or more". I can't find the right stuff here...

Also, the polystyrene is 8 feet long, making it 20 dollars. Where else could I find polystyrene?

Again, thanks a bunch for your help.

Epiphile · #6 03-10-2010, 08:56 PM

You could check dumpsters around construction sites for free polystyrene- I see it around often enough.

I think that for its intended purpose Quikcrete would need to be that thick, but for our needs it shouldn't. And acrylic paint may work well as a colourant for concrete- try it out and see.

boabab95 · #7 03-10-2010, 09:00 PM

Most people use quikrete because of the price and results of others who have used it.(please correct me if im wrong). you can find styrofoam at virtually any store, just ask and they'll usually be glad to give it away!

beckdg · #8 03-11-2010, 10:17 AM

i usually will do my first and last layers thinnest. the first layer or 2 on foam is just to have something to adhere to since crete is not made to stick to foam. if you need something stronger or are not familiar with working with crete and want to avoid cracking and such you may want to go with a patch or leveler, etc. that's made to go on thinner and be more resilient. grout should work just fine.

Glass_ · #9 03-12-2010, 05:20 PM

So wait, are you saying that the quikcrete will crack? It seems to be the cheapest one, so if I can't find anything as cheap as quikcrete(tile grout and patch and leveler was 20$+), and the quikcrete would easily break or crack, I probably won't make a fake background with it anymore.

beckdg · #10 03-12-2010, 09:11 PM

any of those products will crack if not applied with the right precautions. grout is made to fill in tight spaces, crete is made to be poured thick, levelers and such are made to adhere to crete itself so we start at a disadvantage. prevention is pretty straight forward though. avoid extreme heat and low humidity for the first couple days and you should be good, if not add a little spritz with a spray bottle here and there, etc..

adding a binder such as flevopol, acrylic paint, etc. should help to avoid such an occurence also.