Drylok

[tubularseco]

Hello, Iam Sebastian from Puerto Rico. I own a baby sulcata and a baby leopard. I am moving my sulcata to a bigger plywood table and wonder if "drylok" (latex base) is ok to waterproof the wood and keep the substrate humid. Have anybody used drylok to seal a wood table? How long does it take to dry? Is it safe, vapors toxic, etc.?
I am open to any recommendations.
Thanks! sebastian

 

[Len B]

Being Latex it is most likely safe after it cures, but not sure how well it will work on wood, because wood is much more porous than motor or concrete.

 

[tubularseco]

Thanks for your reply Len. I haven't bought the drylok yet, what would you recommend me to use? I have read a few old posts that mention this product but there is not too much information.

 

[JoesMum]

I bought a sheet of pond liner ... Water proof, flexible, strong and easily cleaned. It works great.

 

[tubularseco]

I have thought about a pond liner but as my sulcata loves to dig, I wonder if she would be able to destroy or maybe try to eat the material...

 

[Tropical Torts]

I have looked at pond liner and i think it is just to expensive to not be used for anything else other than a pond. I have found that general purpose tarps you can buy at wal-mart for $5-$10 is way better for the money. I use it in several of my tort tables that i only use during the winter time, works great. Plus if you dont feel like taking the time to clean it then toss it and buy another one.

 

[Len B]

I have some things for the torts that stay outside made of 3/4 in treated plywood, the wood holds up in all the weather extremes we get here and holds moisture also, as far I know the newer treated wood is safe to use with torts. Speedline has a caulking 73-20 silicone, that if you caulk as you build(like gluing) will seal the joints so water doesn't pour out ,you may get some weeping though.

 

[Tom]

I'm still looking too... The tarp thing just is not going to work for me. I need something I can spray or brush on.

 

[tubularseco]

This link shows how to build a plywood fish tank. They seal the plywood with drylok and then they cover the seams with silicone.
link: http://www.txholeyrocks.com/home/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=57&catid=26&Itemid=61
If it is used for fish, then it should be ok for the tortoise table. If anyone have tried this before I would like to listen to any type of feedback before I move on and buy this stuff. Thanks, sebastian

 

[BrinnANDTorts]

You can use roll on truck bed liner
It's waterproof in two thick coats and extremely durable
It's what I used on Guptas new enclosure after seeing the myth buster episode of them testing against different elements
I just had a good feeling that It is going to last a very long time
I won't have to ne putting a new coat on every two years (hopefully)
Just an idea

 

[tubularseco]

how long did it take to dry cure completely. No dangerous vapors, etc.?

 

[BrinnANDTorts]

how long did it take to dry cure completely. No dangerous vapors, etc.?

Its in my room now and I can't smell anything but cypress mulch. I'm not exactly sure how long I let it cure but I would say at least two days. Give it one day in between coats and then after that two or three and it should be good. It might be good sooner than that
I would use your own personal judgement and go with whatever makes u comfortable

 

[chairman]

I have used drylok successfully with some of my animals. I was initially inspired to use it by threads on monsterfishkeepers regarding using it to seal plywood fish tanks and sumps. Some had success in creating a water-tight box, others did not. Nobody had fish die from "toxins".

In my hingeback setup, the walls are made of .5" plywood covered with drylok. I haven't had any issues with it, and it gets misted heavily twice daily. In a monitor setup, I had the floor (OSB) and walls (standard dimensional lumber) coated with drylok. This enclosure contains 1' of soil, kept damp at depth for a humidity gradient. The dimensional lumber held up just fine. The OSB started to swell/leak.

For a waterproofing solution you can buy for $20 a can locally, I don't think you can beat drylok. Just don't go cheap on the wood, apply the first coat super thin, and don't skimp on the followup coats (think 5+).

 

[tubularseco]

Hi Mike, how long does drylok take to cure or be completely safe, no toxic vapors at all?

 

[chairman]

I let mine sit until I couldn't smell the drylok anymore (I think 2-3 days) and then gave it another day before I added substrate/heat, and then another day to make sure everything was running correctly before adding tortoises. In total I guess it was about a week from the day I started painting each time. I'm not sure if I was being overly cautious or not, but no one had any problems as far as I could tell.

 

[Laura]

Shower curtains or plastic sheeting used in painting work well too.
the pond liners can be found often on Craigs List, pretty cheap. Look under the farm and garden section.

 

[DanaDale18]

curing time seems to be the question you want answered. depends on the wood you use. im not sure what kind of lumber you are going to use, here on the mainland its mainly osb or "plywood". if you are going to use a rough wood such as osb, 3 coats minimum. first coat of drylok is a sparse coat meaning leave areas of wood untouched by coating. this is because using a mortar meant paint, latex or not, sticks to itself very well. do this by using a roller and use very little coating. put the roller in a plastic bag to keep evaporation down. let the coating dry till it is taky to the touch, that way the next coat sticks well. depending on temp and ventilaion about 30 minutes. now coat super thick with the roller and coating. either put roller back in plastic over night or use new one tomorrow. next day do the same style of thick coating let dry 3 days. rinse some how rag and water or rinse off with hose, if able to do so. ta da drying time 3 1/2 days. hope this helps.

 

[Kristina]

I'm still looking too... The tarp thing just is not going to work for me. I need something I can spray or brush on.

Glidden Porch and Floor, then caulk the seams. Works like a charm!