Building a rack?

• Oct 7, 2012

• #1

K

Kate C

New Member

Messages

27

What kind of wood should I use?

 

• Oct 7, 2012

• #2

Crewdog00

James Skar

Messages

405

Location

Brookfield, CT 06804

Melamine is pretty cheap from what I've heard and seen. Lowes's & Home Depot...

 

• Oct 8, 2012

• #3

Laporte

Tyler

Messages

147

Location

North Bay

I think I'd use 3/4" plywood so I have room to inlay wires and whatnots.

 

• Oct 8, 2012

• #4

S

SC Geckos

New Member

Messages

854

Location

here

I use either plywood or if I want it to look a little nicer I get furniture grade wood.

 

• Oct 8, 2012

• #5

Laporte

Tyler

Messages

147

Location

North Bay

You can buy end-grain veneer rather cheap, same as a gallon or two of brownish paint

 

• Oct 9, 2012

• #6

K

Kate C

New Member

Messages

27

Thank you for all of the helpful answers.

 

• Oct 9, 2012

• #7

katie_

Wonder Reptiles

Messages

2,645

Location

Ontario

I used plywood. Stained it black.

 

• Oct 10, 2012

• #8

Russellm0704

Active Member

Messages

1,070

Location

Marietta, Ga

Plywood or melamine works great. I have both. Melamine is really heavy though

 

• Dec 3, 2012

• #9

M

mtmountainman

New Member

Messages

356

Location

Montana

I know a lot of people really like using xpvc. It is lighter than melamine and a lot stronger. I also find that the screws like to strip out of melamine.

 

• Aug 6, 2013

• #10

L

LepardGeckosRock

New Member

Messages

88

Location

United States

PErsonlly i would say use pvc pipe

 

• Oct 24, 2013

• #11

F

funkyj

New Member

Messages

26

Location

CA

I built my last rack with mdf. I also converted a melamine shelf into a hatching rack.

 

• Jan 4, 2014

• #12

M

M.O. Exotics

New Member

Messages

10

Location

Ohio

i just finished building my first rack and i used a high end particle board. It was 20 dollars at home depot and they made all the cuts for me so all i had to do was drill it all together. The particle board i used looked really nice but did splinter several times. So if you use a high end particle board i would reccomend nailing rather than screwing. So to answer your question i would either use a high end particle board or 3/4 in plywood and then paint it

 

• Jul 26, 2014

• #13

Arizona Leos

New Member

Messages

87

Location

Arizona

You could try using extruded PVC. You can get big sheets of it at Home Depot or Lowes. Its very strong and lightweight!

 

• Oct 28, 2014

• #14

Ink'd Out Geckos

New Member

Messages

77

Location

Tamiment, PA

Prefab Home Depot rack. Easy to modify for a 5 tier system. I think in total mine ran me 50 bucks and I have 15 tubs on it.