I am ecstatic to announce that this project is a finalist in Instructables' Reclaimed Materials Contest!
Check it out here!
Check it out here!
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BUILDING NARNIA
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SuppliesMATERIALS:
GE Silicone I caulk: 5 clear, 1 black Great Stuff Gaps & Cracks: 6 cans Gorilla Wood Glue: 1 bottle Varathene water-based polyurethane: 1 quart Flex Seal clear liquid: 1 quart Flex Paste black: 6 lbs Box of disposable gloves: 2 boxes of 100 #6 1 inch wood screws: about 100 1.5" wide pine strips: about 10 ft Aluminum screen: 1 roll Dry substrate: 100 qts Sand-blasted grapevine: as much as is appropriate for space Mopani wood: as much as is appropriate for space 4" & 6" plastic plant pots: enough to get some good height with vining plants Plants appropriate for inhabitants: tall, short, vining, etc Glass - I was able to use the glass shelves, which were the perfect size White plastic ceiling crate Garden barrier fabric LOTS of zip ties - I like 4" Twine |
ELECTRONICS/AUTOMATION for each enclosure:
Double dome light xtures Small LED strip lights Misting system (pump, tubing, nozzles, etc) 5 gallon bucket and lid 9/16 and 5/8 spade drill bits Surge protector with long cord Thermostat Hygrometer/themometer gauge TOOLS: Several paint brushes Plastic putty knives (the super cheap ones) Caulking gun Jigsaw & extra blades Drill & various drill bits (drilling & driving) Razor scraper Pocketknife 
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Step 1: Choosing InhabitantsBefore you can really start building, you need to know what you're building for. I've worked a lot with crested geckos and other New Caledonian species but I really wanted to try something different. I had three compartments of various sizes, but they were all taller than they were long- this meant the animals should be arboreal. The middle compartment is much wider than the outer two, so that told me the size of the animals. Most arboreal animals are tropical or subtropical, so that really narrowed it down for me. I finally decided on White's tree frogs on the right, giant day gecko on the left, and a prehensile-tailed skink in that big middle compartment. I'll link care sheets to each animal. White's tree frogs Giant day gecko Prehensile-tailed skink - there is not a ton of consistent information on these guys, but this is relatively elaborate 
Prehensile-tailed skink: pending
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Robert, the giant day gecko
Steven and Thomas, White's tree frogs
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Step 2: Cutting Holes and Sealing WoodNOTE: I strongly recommend safety goggles and a mask for both components - the sawdust and fumes are harmful and WILL make you sick. I decided that I should cut the holes at the top for the purpose of ventilation before applying chemicals to seal the wood. To cut holes, I first drilled a hole so I could get the jigsaw blade in - I did this at all four corners. I then used a jigsaw to cut. These were not the straightest lines but I wasn't (and still am not) too worried about it. The cabinet also had light fixtures in it that I needed to rip out. They were T5 fixtures which would have been helpful if the were not 30+ years old and falling apart. Every cabinet will be different, but this took a lot of unscrewing, prying, yelling, pulling, and screaming. |
Once that was done, I applied three layers of Varathene. It is very important that this is water-based, as the oil-based will not be safe when fully cured.
Once the Varathene was dry, I went an extra step and put on two coats of Flex Seal. This stuff is liquid silicone, so you're basically painting a rubber barrier between the wood and whatever humidity will be in the enclosure.
The last step here was to seal any joints where the wood met more wood, or where there was glass or holes. I used silicone caulk for this. I applied a straight bead down every corner, then used a gloved finger to smooth it out. I repeated this until I was satisfied that the enclosures were completely sealed.
Once the Varathene was dry, I went an extra step and put on two coats of Flex Seal. This stuff is liquid silicone, so you're basically painting a rubber barrier between the wood and whatever humidity will be in the enclosure.
The last step here was to seal any joints where the wood met more wood, or where there was glass or holes. I used silicone caulk for this. I applied a straight bead down every corner, then used a gloved finger to smooth it out. I repeated this until I was satisfied that the enclosures were completely sealed.
Step 3: HardscapingThe next step was to create kind of a tray or barrier to hold substrate in. Luckily, the cabinet had thick glass shelves that spanned the width and depth of each section perfectly. I used silicone to secure a piece of glass on the bottom of each enclosure, and then one standing up just behind the door trim. I went over the standing piece a couple of times, allowing it to cure between coats, just to be certain that it was super secure.
Next, I took some plastic plant pots and secured them into the enclosures wherever I thought some vining plants would be nice. Prehensile-tailed skinks eat pothos as their main food source in the wild, so I placed pots to accommodate lots of pothos in the center space. I used wood screws to hold them in place. I then took my wood and placed it, using twine to hold that in place. The fun part: Great Stuff is a polyurethane expanding foam. It comes out FAST and is extremely sticky. Wear gloves for this and test it out on paper towels - SLOWLY. Make sure to get the straw behind everything to make sure it sticks and doesn't create precarious spaces for your animals to get stuck in. Also, this stuff is heavy, so just use a little at a time, you can go back once you see how much it expands. A bunch of mine fell off as I was working and I had to go back. Wait a few hours, at least, for the Great Stuff to dry. Then, you get to carve it! Great Stuff expands a lot and is a little unpredictable. I use a razor blade scraper to get the size and shapes I want. You can cut the twine and remove any unwanted screws now, too. The foam is weight-bearing and will hold your hardscape in place. Once everything is where and how you want it, you'll want to make sure it looks natural. I used Flex Paste (paste silicone) and a plastic putty knife to cover the Great Stuff. Eventually I gave up on the putty knife and just used a gloved hand This is messy, but that's okay! Nature is also messy, and we're trying to replicate nature. To this in small sections, starting at the bottom. Once one component is covered, pat some dry substrate onto the the Flex Paste. You'll want to press firmly so that it really gets into the paste so it's permanent when it cures. Do this on each foam component. Once the paste cures, I use a clean, soft-ish paint brush to gently brush the loose substrate to uncover the texture created by the foam.
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