# Help!!! waterproofing and sealing wood!!!!!



## taylorreedmullen (May 23, 2015)

I'm making a terrarium right now and the sides and back are made of plywood but I need to somehow waterproof it and seal the cracks where I nailed it together. I've tested out bondo's fibreglass resin and it just came out super sticky and wouldn't cure. I really need some help!!!


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## Bighurt (Jun 18, 2011)

You'll have far greater success with a epoxy resin vs a polyester resin. Sounds like you goofed on the mix. I always air on the side of a hot mix, gives you less work time but it will cure.

I would consider using Max ACR, they are on eBay.

Or US composites 150 thick cure epoxy.

I have a couple MDO vivarium's I'm using some other products on, but they are a gamble so I'm not going to mention them.

If you are trying to get something quick and local, Sherwin Williams sells epoxy at many of it's stores your local store may have some. If not they can order it only takes 2-5 days for the transfer.


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## hydrophyte (Jun 5, 2009)

If you already put Bondo on it, then I think you need to start over with new pieces of plywood. Make sure you have the job all planned out with the right materials. It is not so easy to get a perfect seal on plywood and if you don't it will just leak and be ruined.

I don't recommend the US Composites resin kit. It is cheap, but it has some important problems. You should get one of the clear coat or laminating resins from Polygem instead.


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## taylorreedmullen (May 23, 2015)

hydrophyte said:


> If you already put Bondo on it, then I think you need to start over with new pieces of plywood. Make sure you have the job all planned out with the right materials. It is not so easy to get a perfect seal on plywood and if you don't it will just leak and be ruined.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't recommend the US Composites resin kit. It is cheap, but it has some important problems. You should get one of the clear coat or laminating resins from Polygem instead.



I didn't put any resin on it yet I tested it out on a spare piece to be safe


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## taylorreedmullen (May 23, 2015)

Bighurt said:


> You'll have far greater success with a epoxy resin vs a polyester resin. Sounds like you goofed on the mix. I always air on the side of a hot mix, gives you less work time but it will cure.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The Max ACR sounded good until I saw it was like 90$ and came with wayyyyy more than I needed. Any ways I could get smaller quantities anywhere?


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## taylorreedmullen (May 23, 2015)

Is this stuff safe I could use it to seal the seams maybe


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## Bighurt (Jun 18, 2011)

The Gorilla Epoxy would work better if it had been used as the glue in the joint. Using it as a fillet now may not be 100% effective.


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## timmygreener (Aug 22, 2011)

Sounds like you didn't add the mix together correctly. If had great success with bondo resin for multiple things let alone my tank. It has a short work time and dried hard as a rock...sometimes it's warm to the touch from the chemical reaction


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## taylorreedmullen (May 23, 2015)

timmygreener said:


> Sounds like you didn't add the mix together correctly. If had great success with bondo resin for multiple things let alone my tank. It has a short work time and dried hard as a rock...sometimes it's warm to the touch from the chemical reaction



How did you mix it? Did you get a separate hardner? Or did you just use the liquid one it came with?


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## timmygreener (Aug 22, 2011)

The one that came with it. But I did buy a spare tube and added an extra few drops every time I mixed a batch.


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## JoshsDragonz (Jun 30, 2012)

When sealing the wood you want to make sure the resin or epoxy you are using doesn't contain harmful agents like Nonylphenol. Make sure it is aquarium grade or pond grade epoxy. 

I have used the Max ACR multiple times and have a viv that has been running for almost 1.5 years now using the Max ACR. It's good stuff. 

If you have any specific questions I would be happy to answer them.


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## JoshsDragonz (Jun 30, 2012)

Also, a side note, I liquid nailed all joints first. Then fiberglass reinforced all joints after that. And put the epoxy on nice and thick (multiple coats). Better to have more than you need vs not enough and risk leaks.


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## taylorreedmullen (May 23, 2015)

timmygreener said:


> The one that came with it. But I did buy a spare tube and added an extra few drops every time I mixed a batch.



How did you apply it since I did really thin with a piece of plexi spreading it around but it only cured when it was thick I found?


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## taylorreedmullen (May 23, 2015)

JoshsDragonz said:


> When sealing the wood you want to make sure the resin or epoxy you are using doesn't contain harmful agents like Nonylphenol. Make sure it is aquarium grade or pond grade epoxy.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I would really love to use max ACR but I can't afford it! And I'm only using it for one Viv and its sold in huge quantities and it would just be wasted.


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## Chung (Mar 1, 2015)

You can try Pond Shield epoxy paint from Pond Armor Non Toxic Epoxy Pond Liners . Its a little cheaper, around $70 for a 1.5 quart kit. Folks that build plywood aquariums use it all the time. They reinforce their corner seams with fiberglass strips. (They paint the fiberglass in as it were...) Its completely fish safe so I'd imagine it would be fine for PDF's as well.

It's said (in the aquarium world) that to build cost effective plywood tanks (where the total price of a plywood tank is cheaper than an all glass tank) you have to build a very large tank or several small one ones to save $$$.

Hope this helps


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## Chung (Mar 1, 2015)

Forgot to mention that silicone will adhere to the Pond Shield with ease.


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## Ignimbrite (Jun 28, 2014)

Check out the diy section of cichlidforum.com. I think you can use drylok paint to do it. 


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## daswooten (May 5, 2010)

Chung said:


> Forgot to mention that silicone will adhere to the Pond Shield with ease.



Any idea if spray foam sticks to it? I've been considering trying to make a large plywood vivarium.


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## CaseyWagner (Aug 3, 2015)

If you have a local boating shop you can find some excellent marine epoxies there. They'll likely be expensive, but perfect for the job and you don't have to wait on shipping.


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## Chung (Mar 1, 2015)

daswooten said:


> Any idea if spray foam sticks to it? I've been considering trying to make a large plywood vivarium.


Can't answer that one, no experience with that. However you could contact pond armor and ask them if they have samples they could send you and then see if spray foam will adhere to it. I would do a light sanding on the sample to help increase adhesion. Sorry I didn't reply quicker, been away on business.


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