Vinyl floor tile?

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Mrgecko

New Member
Messages
39
Location
Mass
I am getting things ready to but together a 10 gallon tank for my up coming new gecko. I was thinking of using Vinyl floor tiles for the floor and walls.

Some thing on the idea of this tile,

http://www.homedepot.com/Flooring-V...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Is there any problem using such tiles? seams easy to install as they are Self - adhering. I also will be using an UTH for the heat source if that matters.

Thanks for any info,
Mrgecko
 
B

BrightReptiles

Badhabits727
Messages
948
Location
Seminole, FL
I used to use it before I switched to a rack. Best advice I can give is cut to fit and lay it down, don't stick it to the floor, as it makes cleaning hard and future removal a mess.
 
doublet74

doublet74

Member
Messages
253
Location
Jersey
Just going by my own personal experience. The adhesive tile does not give off any kind of fumes when heated by a UTH. My gecko has been on it for 6 months and is extremely healthy. I believe the reason for this is that while maintaining proper floor temperatures the UTH doesn't have the ability to heat the adhesive to the point where it would ever give off any kind of toxic fumes. I mean seriously the melting point of that adhesive has got to be higher than 100° F. If it wasn't everytime the temps of somebody's house went up to 100°F the tiles would be moving all over the place. JMO
 
dlefik2008

dlefik2008

New Member
Messages
71
Location
Spencerville, OH.
glad to see some opinions on this, as i considered at one time using vinyl for my tank but i was up in the air about it as i had no experience with vinyl in these types of situations. i decided to just go with the stone tiles from lowes, had them cut them to right size and not too expensive. pretty easy to just pull them out piece by piece to scrub them when needed, dry them and pop them back in.

sorry to raid the topic, i just thought this was interesting to hear different opinions.
 
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lisagr07

New Member
Messages
34
dlefik2008 said:
glad to see some opinions on this, as i considered at one time using vinyl for my tank but i was up in the air about it as i had no experience with vinyl in these types of situations. i decided to just go with the stone tiles from lowes, had them cut them to right size and not too expensive. pretty easy to just pull them out piece by piece to scrub them when needed, dry them and pop them back in.

sorry to raid the topic, i just thought this was interesting to hear different opinions.
Click to expand...

i agree with this train of thought and will be setting up my leos tank/flooring with the stone/ceramic from lowes also....
 
M

Mrgecko

New Member
Messages
39
Location
Mass
Funny that this topic came back up. I was rereading some of my topics and completely for got about this after setting up my tank with vinyl tiles. After doing more research I just went with good ole paper towels :).
 
doublet74

doublet74

Member
Messages
253
Location
Jersey
Mrgecko said:
Funny that this topic came back up. I was rereading some of my topics and completely for got about this after setting up my tank with vinyl tiles. After doing more research I just went with good ole paper towels :).
Click to expand...

Keep an eye out some geckos eat the paper towels. Which can also lead to impaction.
 
Dog Shrink

Dog Shrink

Lost in the Lizard World
Messages
2,799
Location
NW PA.
High end vinyl tiles do not off gas and have a texture to them more like natural stone so that leos don't slip. I got mine at home depot paid about $2 a piece and stuck them to the floor. The glue on most vinyl tiles doesn't even start to melt till over 120 degrees F and have a flash point of over 170*F. I use to install these things professionally so I have a good bit of knowledge on them. Each vinyl tile has to have labling on the box explaining flash points of the glue and tile if you have any doubts. If it for some reason isn't on the box the manufacturer's web site will have the particulars. Off gassing from the plastic composit itself doesn't occur till well over 110*F so no harm can come from the glue or the plastic unless your temps are WAY off which would be more likely to kill your leo before any off gassing ever could. Ceramic or porcelain isn't a good option as they are insulators (think coffee mug here) the best choice as an alternate tile would be natural stone, soapstone, granite, marble, slate.

Hope this helps :)
 
M

Mrgecko

New Member
Messages
39
Location
Mass
Dog Shrink said:
High end vinyl tiles do not off gas and have a texture to them more like natural stone so that leos don't slip. I got mine at home depot paid about $2 a piece and stuck them to the floor. The glue on most vinyl tiles doesn't even start to melt till over 120 degrees F and have a flash point of over 170*F. I use to install these things professionally so I have a good bit of knowledge on them. Each vinyl tile has to have labling on the box explaining flash points of the glue and tile if you have any doubts. If it for some reason isn't on the box the manufacturer's web site will have the particulars. Off gassing from the plastic composit itself doesn't occur till well over 110*F so no harm can come from the glue or the plastic unless your temps are WAY off which would be more likely to kill your leo before any off gassing ever could. Ceramic or porcelain isn't a good option as they are insulators (think coffee mug here) the best choice as an alternate tile would be natural stone, soapstone, granite, marble, slate.

Hope this helps :)
Click to expand...

Well This does make sense. Perhaps I will further look in to this further. I would like to get more feed back on this matter for sure!!!
 
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