# What do I use to seal my tortoise table



## Jenkins42110 (Jan 16, 2015)

I have a closed chamber tortoise table that ill be finishing up soon I would like to know if anyone knows of a good sealer to use that's non toxic?


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## tortdad (Jan 16, 2015)

I use GE brand silicone #1 on all the joints. Let it dry for a day or two then paint on killz brand primer in a few coats. You have to let it air out for several days before you can add and dirt or torts. I'm not sure what others do or use. 

I've hear of people doing nothing more than using a shower curtain as a liner under the dirt and leaving the wood exposed on the inside.


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## cmacusa3 (Jan 16, 2015)

I'm going to do the same as above with the silicone and primer, let it air out for 3 days and then install the lights and heat and give it another 3 days before I move my tort in.


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## mini_max (Jan 16, 2015)

We used silicone and min wax sealant from Home Depot. It definitely had fumes, but they were gone in about 5 days, and we are very happy with the seal.


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## mini_max (Jan 16, 2015)

We have learned that the oil based stuff (the smellier) adheres better to surfaces that are smoother, so if you have a raw unfinished wood, you could get away with something gentler. We were coating an mdf shelf from ikea, so we went with the hard stuff.


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## Tom (Jan 16, 2015)

In the past we talked about Dry-Lok. The paint guy and paint company rep at Home Depot said they didn't think any conventional paint would stand up to being wet all the time, like from damp substrate. Not even epoxy. They recommend a specialized boat paint. It was really expensive, but it works just fine and is totally non-toxic.

My last trip to HD I was looking at linoleum and silicone caulking to do the bottom of my latest closed chambers and the guy there told me of his experience with Dry-Lok. Apparently he uses it to seal his concrete fish ponds. Now if the stuff were the least bit toxic is would leach into the water and his fish would die. If it can be submerged at the bottom of the pond, then it should be just fine with some damp substrate, right? He's been using it for years he said.

So I have no first hand experience with this product yet, but I'm giving it a try unless someone gives me a reason not to try it. I'm going to paint it directly onto the plywood and do a couple of coats. I painted a little test piece with it yesterday and I'm going to give it a bit of a torture test over the next few days while I finish building the chambers.

I'd love any feed back on the idea.


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## Yellow Turtle01 (Jan 16, 2015)

I like the idea of boat paint, I think it would stand up great against being moist... maybe some claws too 
I used just a plain 'waterproofing spray'. While it's non-toxic (it said, for curiosity ) it did smell a little strange, so I let it air out a few days and then it was fine. 
Works great


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## Cowboy_Ken (Jan 16, 2015)

Back in the “good ol' days" we would build our own huge plywood aquariums. These would be sealed with boat paint. Now in them days, the idea was, if it's lead free it's ok to use. Lead is no longer a concern for paints, you can let your kids eat all the paint chips they want, and with the trend towards zero environmental impact on our waterways, it shouldn't be too hard to find a non leaching, external boat paint. That's not to say it will be cheap. The last quart I bought was $19.99 and that's here in the PNW where everyone and their brother has a boat project in the barn.


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## Tom (Jan 16, 2015)

Cowboy_Ken said:


> Back in the “good ol' days" we would build our own huge plywood aquariums. These would be sealed with boat paint. Now in them days, the idea was, if it's lead free it's ok to use. Lead is no longer a concern for paints, you can let your kids eat all the paint chips they want, and with the trend towards zero environmental impact on our waterways, it shouldn't be too hard to find a non leaching, external boat paint. That's not to say it will be cheap. The last quart I bought was $19.99 and that's here in the PNW where everyone and their brother has a boat project in the barn.



$19.99??? Regular premium household paint is now $35-40 a gallon. Non-toxic boat paint is around $130 a gallon.


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## Cowboy_Ken (Jan 16, 2015)

Tom said:


> $19.99??? Regular premium household paint is now $35-40 a gallon. Non-toxic boat paint is around $130 a gallon.


This was during the summer, Tom. Boat paint doesn't sit on the shelf here long and if any place thought of gouging they'd lose fast. And this was for a quart. The guy even apologized that he only had a light, battleship grey available. We see things different up here…


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## Jenkins42110 (Jan 25, 2015)

Sorry for not replying for so long had some tech issues. Thanks for the ideas! while looking through the Home Depot website I found something called Thompson Waterseal it's only 15$ a gal and it can stand up to the uv stuff. anyone have any experience with it?


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## stinax182 (Jan 25, 2015)

Just line it with tarp and you won't need to seal it.


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## Tom (Jan 25, 2015)

Jenkins42110 said:


> Sorry for not replying for so long had some tech issues. Thanks for the ideas! while looking through the Home Depot website I found something called Thompson Waterseal it's only 15$ a gal and it can stand up to the uv stuff. anyone have any experience with it?



No good for inside. Fumes. I tried it on the outside of an outdoor tortoise box and I'm still deciding if I like it or not.


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## leigti (Jan 25, 2015)

Jenkins42110 said:


> Sorry for not replying for so long had some tech issues. Thanks for the ideas! while looking through the Home Depot website I found something called Thompson Waterseal it's only 15$ a gal and it can stand up to the uv stuff. anyone have any experience with it?


I did use it but I put it on and then put the pieces of wood outside for a week to get rid of the fumes. it was for an open top table I wouldn't use anything with fumes for a closed chamber.


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## Turtulas-Len (Jan 25, 2015)

Boiled Linseed Oil works pretty good. The raw linseed oil works also, but takes forever to dry.


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## Jenkins42110 (Jan 27, 2015)

tortdad said:


> I use GE brand silicone #1 on all the joints. Let it dry for a day or two then paint on killz brand primer in a few coats. You have to let it air out for several days before you can add and dirt or torts. I'm not sure what others do or use.
> 
> I've hear of people doing nothing more than using a shower curtain as a liner under the dirt and leaving the wood exposed on the inside.


Sorry for not responding for so long but do you have the specs on the paint because theirs a couple diffrent types of it all by kilz and all white and it seems to be confusing me more then it should. And will just that paint and a pond liner be able to protect the wood from the humidity since it's closed chamber?


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## tortdad (Jan 27, 2015)

Jenkins42110 said:


> Sorry for not responding for so long but do you have the specs on the paint because theirs a couple diffrent types of it all by kilz and all white and it seems to be confusing me more then it should. And will just that paint and a pond liner be able to protect the wood from the humidity since it's closed chamber?


They make a water base and an oil base. I use the oil base. I buy some of the cheap $0.50 paint brushes and dump some killz on the wood and spread it around with the crappy throw away brushes. Yes that's all you need to do for a closed chamber.


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## Heather H (Jan 29, 2015)

so dont laugh at me. There is a ad on tv where a guy blows a hole in the bottom of a boat then seals it with this stuff. www.youtube.com/watch?v=17zyezuw07U Would this work for sealing an enclosure? not saying it is what I would use. Just wondering


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## leigti (Jan 29, 2015)

I think somebody did use it but said it was very expensive to do the whole enclosure.


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## Yvonne G (Jan 29, 2015)

Plus I'll bet it stinks to high heaven


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## Cowboy_Ken (Jan 29, 2015)

And if it's not “non-toxic" it will be bad for your tortoise. You would be adding an unintended variable to this product, heat. In that heat is not an element of its normal usage, I'm sure the manufacturers did not take that into consideration.


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## leigti (Jan 29, 2015)

I read on here somewhere that they used a role on truck bed liner product. I don't know much about about those, would they be as toxic as these other Products?


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## Cowboy_Ken (Jan 29, 2015)

I've got no idea of these products.


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## Heather H (Jan 29, 2015)

When people use plastic why not go all the way up to the top?


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## leigti (Jan 29, 2015)

Heather Hilliard said:


> When people use plastic why not go all the way up to the top?


What do you mean? do you mean like up shower curtain or plastic bag and run it up the sides of the walls?


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## Cowboy_Ken (Jan 29, 2015)

Heather Hilliard said:


> When people use plastic why not go all the way up to the top?


A most very good question, Heather.


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## Heather H (Jan 29, 2015)

Yes like shower curtains , pool liners. I have been looking at tons of enclosures. The plastic only goes up half way?


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## Heather H (Jan 29, 2015)

@Tom why only go up part way with plastic? How is it secured ?


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## Heather H (Jan 29, 2015)

Cowboy_Ken said:


> A most very good question, Heather.


I'm trying to see if Tom can answer lol. I want things perfect. Sorry if I ask too many questions


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## Cowboy_Ken (Jan 29, 2015)

I'm gonna hazard a guess here and say it's only used in the substrate area figuring that would be the “damp" zone, as it were.


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## Tom (Jan 29, 2015)

Heather Hilliard said:


> @Tom why only go up part way with plastic? How is it secured ?



I'm only using the plastic to protect the wood from the damp substrate. The humidity doesn't hurt it. I secure it with a staple gun. All staples are up high and out of reach of the tortoises and well above the "splash zone".


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## Heather H (Jan 29, 2015)

Cowboy_Ken said:


> I'm gonna hazard a guess here and say it's only used in the substrate area figuring that would be the “damp" zone, as it were.


And you were right lol


Tom said:


> I'm only using the plastic to protect the wood from the damp substrate. The humidity doesn't hurt it. I secure it with a staple gun. All staples are up high and out of reach of the tortoises and well above the "splash zone".


Thank you


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## Cowboy_Ken (Jan 29, 2015)

Heather Hilliard said:


> Sorry if I ask too many questions


Never apologize for asking questions to get things right. Tortoises will only gain when we all, (you included) can answer these questions.


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## cmacusa3 (Feb 23, 2015)

A friend at work just used the spray in bed liner from Home Depot $7.00 a can. He let it air out and heated it up for the fumes to get out. Then he filled the wood box with water for a few days and it didn't leak a bit. He is about to move his tort in the enclosure. It looks really good. I will try to get a few pictures to post.


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## Yvonne G (Feb 23, 2015)

Hm-m...bed liner in a can. What next?


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## dariceboij (Apr 5, 2015)

tortdad said:


> I use GE brand silicone #1 on all the joints. Let it dry for a day or two then paint on killz brand primer in a few coats. You have to let it air out for several days before you can add and dirt or torts. I'm not sure what others do or use.
> 
> I've hear of people doing nothing more than using a shower curtain as a liner under the dirt and leaving the wood exposed on the inside.


 could i treat the wood first then assemble and seal? Also i noticed no one links products is that not allowed?


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## tortdad (Apr 5, 2015)

dariceboij said:


> could i treat the wood first then assemble and seal? Also i noticed no one links products is that not allowed?



I'm sure you could treat then assemble I you wanted too. There are lots of products you can you use. You just want something that seals wood and has no fumes once it's dry. It also needs to dry hard so the tort can't scratch it off and eat it.


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## tortdad (Apr 5, 2015)




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## jamarsh53 (Jul 15, 2015)

I used rain guard. It is non toxic and has a 10 year guarantee. You can get it at Home Depot. Here is the description -

Provides long lasting and virtually indestructible water repellent protection
Coverage rate porous masonry surfaces 60 - 100 sq. ft. per gallon, dense masonry surfaces 100 - 150 sq. ft. per gallon, wood 300 sq. ft. per gallon
Does not alter surface appearance
Protects from stains and weathering
Mold and mildew resistant coating
Dries in 1 to 2 hours
Included battery operated sprayer
Apply in cold weather down to 40°F (4.4°C)
Ready to use with no need for premixing
Water based product clean up with soap and water
100% eco-friendly - low VOC and low odor


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## Yvonne G (Jul 15, 2015)

Be very careful when using any product such as above that you allow it to totally dry and air out before using the tort table. Sitting it in the sun for a few days would for sure dissipate any left-over fumes.


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## johnsonnboswell (Jul 15, 2015)

I used Vermont Casings whey based polyurethane. No fumes at all. I love this stuff! Dries fast, too. 

Unfortunately I didn't realize that the outdoor poly cures with uv exposure. It's great above the soil line, but I don't know how well it's holding up below. I'm afraid to check. Next time I'll let it cure longer before I fill the habitat.


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