Wonderboard

Deigo

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Hey Everyone,
I built this enclosure yesterday and it looks like the wonderboard is drooping in the middle.I have three wonderboards stacked. I View attachment 323398only have about 8 inches of soil on top. Is this normal?
 

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Markw84

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Yes, that is what you will have using wonderboard. It has little structural strenght and will sag easily. It is meant to be used as a base for tile with complete support beneath it from the subfloor. It won't deteriorate, so that's the good part. You may see the sagging increase over time.
 

Deigo

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Yes, that is what you will have using wonderboard. It has little structural strenght and will sag easily. It is meant to be used as a base for tile with complete support beneath it from the subfloor. It won't deteriorate, so that's the good part. You may see the sagging increase over time.
Thanks for the info. Is their something else I should of used. I just got the idea from a video online.
 

Yvonne G

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You could have reinforced it across the underside with a 2x4 or something like that.
 

Deigo

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You could have reinforced it across the underside with a 2x4 or something like that.
Hmmmm.....not sure if that would work. Would be in the way for Diego to go into his burrow. Wouldn't it?
 

Yvonne G

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Hmmmm.....not sure if that would work. Would be in the way for Diego to go into his burrow. Wouldn't it?
It would still sit on the ground, so same distance as the wonderboard.
 

Krista S

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Hey Everyone,
I built this enclosure yesterday and it looks like the wonderboard is drooping in the middle.I have three wonderboards stacked. I View attachment 323398only have about 8 inches of soil on top. Is this normal?
That looks so cool! ? I’d love to see the rest of the enclosure and the lucky tortoise who gets to live in it.
 

Deigo

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That looks so cool! ? I’d love to see the rest of the enclosure and the lucky tortoise who gets to live in it.
Thank you! It still needs the roof and door, probably next weekend. I'm going today to buy the plants, vines etc. I will post pics soon.
 

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Deigo

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Thank you! It still needs the roof and door, probably next weekend. I'm going today to buy the plants, vines etc. I will post pics soon.
 

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Krista S

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Thank you! It still needs the roof and door, probably next weekend. I'm going today to buy the plants, vines etc. I will post pics soon.
The tortoise picture looks like Jenga, but with tortoises. ? I look forward to seeing the enclosure pics when you’re done!
 

Tom

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I usually use plywood for that application. I had to look up wonder board, and I can see why you chose that for this application. With plywood, I always had to use 2x4 or 2x3 supports to prevent sagging.

Doesn't help you now, but I always made the sides tall enough to accommodate the supports and still have enough height for the tortoise to get in and out.
 

Deigo

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I usually use plywood for that application. I had to look up wonder board, and I can see why you chose that for this application. With plywood, I always had to use 2x4 or 2x3 supports to prevent sagging.

Doesn't help you now, but I always made the sides tall enough to accommodate the supports and still have enough height for the tortoise to get in and out.
I was thinking plywood, but didn't want it to deteriorate quickly. While wonderboards shouldn't do that. Hmmmmm.....thanks for relying.
 

Krista S

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What about if you did 1 layer of wonderboard at the bottom,then a layer of plywood and then the other layers of wonderboard on top of the plywood? That should keep the plywood from rotting out too quickly and give the added structure.
 

Deigo

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That probally would work. I was just following a video on the internet. How to build a turtle burrow. Thanks! Guess only time will tell. At least with the wonderboard it shouldn't deteriorate.
 

Yvonne G

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So you mean put it on the sides?
No, cut two the same length as the wonderboard. Screw them the length of the board, one going across the part acting as the mouth of the cave and the other across the back. You might even have one across the middle. The 2x4s support the board.
 

Deigo

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No, cut two the same length as the wonderboard. Screw them the length of the board, one going across the part acting as the mouth of the cave and the other across the back. You might even have one across the middle. The 2x4s support the board.
Omg....I feel so dumb. You are on top of it. Ok project for next weekend. Thank you so much. I feel better now.
 
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