Corkwood flats as backing

How would I go about using pieces of cork flats to put on the backing ? So he can climb?

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So who can climb? What species are you dealing with in this situation?

You can use 100% silicone or “Great Stuff” all purpose spray foam to attach the corkwood as a backing. Just keep in mind it needs at least 24 hours to cure (and preferably another week to air out the odor) until you can introduce any animals.

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I just used high-temp hot glue and original formula Gorilla Glue to attach my cork bark background to my blood python’s enclosure. Neither of those reek the way silicone does, which is nice. The hot glue sets almost instantly, though the Gorilla Glue will need 12-24 hours to fully bond and harden. Still less of a pain than silicone, in my opinion. You don’t have to deal with hot glue or Gorilla Glue off-gassing fumes.

I probably should have used less hot glue and more Gorilla Glue, because my blood python managed to rip off a couple pieces of the background. But I guess if you don’t have a big, chonky, freakishly strong python in there with a penchant for mischief, hot glue would probably be sufficient.

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I’d advise against using hot glue if you plan on having a high humidity enclosure thats misted often. The glue will not hold if it gets wet, I say this from experience. 100% silicone may smell for a while but it will not fail if it gets wet and can even support the weight of larger species reptiles if applied well enough.

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Most glue guns you see for sale are “crafting” glue guns that use low-heat glue. In my experience, they don’t hold for that long and are more prone to coming apart when exposed to moisture.

High-temp hot glue creates a much stronger bond that is much more moisture-resistant, at least in my experience. But it will scald you like nobody’s business if it touches your skin, so you definitely need to use more caution with a high-temp gun than a normal low-temp gun.

Then again, my blood python ripped off cork panels almost immediately, so I honestly can’t say how well the high-temp glue would have held up over time in that situation, but it’s held up very well in my spider enclosures and with some stuff in my boa’s enclosure, where humidity is generally 60-80%.

I mean, obviously silicone will create a stronger bond. I just hate working with it, so I prefer to avoid using it whenever possible.

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I was told originally was to turn the tank on it’s back then to get 100 % clear silicone wet it then go over it with the Josh’s foam stuff I have then set the cork flats in that then take the foam and seal the cork in really really good then let that sit for like 4 days then take the clear ployacrylic and seal it so it’s water resistant which we wanna do it that way but there’s all these videos of people taking the foam and turning the foam into like landscapes…. And this is for Sunny my beardie man’s :heart::heart: we have pieces of cork suction cupped on sections of the inside of the tank lol I originally used the hot glue method and I glued a piece of cholla wood a nice shaped piece of wood he can cling to and sleep on if he so chooses then I glued a nice thick piece of wood at the bottom middle of the backing and then 2 pieces of cork flat above that closer to the top of the backing BUT one piece finally came off after 2 1/2 years so honestly for the smaller pieces that basically weigh nothing hot glue -chefs kiss- but with the bigger pieces that have actual weight I feel more comfortable using the silicone wetting it then adding the foam so that way I know it’s gonna stay put once it has cured and set but I was hooong there was like another sage make shift way until we had the funds to get what we need which we have the cork flats we have Josh’s frogs foam we just need the silicone and poly acrylic it’s just taking FOREVER to even start the process lol

his tank is so freaking boring right now so I wanna add that corn backing and do portions of the sides not all of the sides in case we have to take the tank apart for any reason but my boy deserves to be able to climb on and we have to order a new pvc backing and get it cut to fit the back
Of the tank the first attempt damaged the top of the sides where they meet to go into the slats

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Oh! Hahaha sorry! I thought I out that it was for the sunbun,sunbun is my bearded dragon for those that haven’t seen my posts of our babies yet :heart::heart:



The handsomest dragon to ever dragon! :heart::heart::heart::heart: his dirty little snoot lol

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That was the first attempt ……very very heavy and it didn’t go in the slats lol

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Silicone will definitely give you the strongest, most permanent bond. Gorilla glue would also give you a really good bond, and it doesn’t off-gas the way silicone does.

Agree that even high-temp hot glue will not be as permanent or effective for larger, heavier pieces.

If you’ve got no issues working with silicone, then you may as well use that, as it will give you the strongest bond. I just hate working with silicone myself, so I always like to give people some alternatives.

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I’ve never worked with silicone before this will be my first time using it but we’re excited

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Use gloves and work outside, the fumes are definitely strong and needs a well ventilated area. Be careful with how much you use as the stuff can get very messy if you underestimate it and be aware that it takes a long time to cure, it doesn’t set in place and hold for at least an hour or so depending on how much was used and needs a minimum of 24 hours to fully cure.

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I was gonna let it cure through out the weekend,I was
Told if the foam I’m using isn’t water proof that I need to get clear gloss polycrylic and seal it but I didn’t underhand if she meant like just the silicone and foam parts or like the whole thing like the wood too…we’ve got everything except for the polycrylic I’ll be getting that after work today

Ah, she said I can use the polycrylic in the wood pieces if I want to but if not then I’m supposed fo just go over the foam that’s exposed and stuff to make it water proof :heart::heart: my husband and I are gonna get started on it today!