DIY ROCK BACKGROUND FOR REPTILES // Foam and Grout Custom Reptile Rock Work

This is how I made a background for my leopard gecko (and also tips for what not to do!)
Supplies needed:
Styrofoam/Spray foam - However you want to build
Silicone 1* - to glue pieces together if need be
Non Sanded grout
Non toxic acrylic paint - if you want to had colors and dimension
Water based Polycrylic/polyurethane to seal it all
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[@nataliemarkin3972]

Could you put a list of everything you used and a link? Thank you awesome idea too!

[@dalcon555]

Making a bioactive set up for a bearded dragon soon. Thanks for the inspiration :)

[@zareptiles]

You’re welcome! Good luck! 😁

[@cuddlycrochetbuddies6352]

I can’t wait to do this for my leopard geckos tank! Thank you for the tutorial!

[@zareptiles]

You’re welcome! It was a lot of fun!

[@michelle.1979]

I LOVE this. Exactly what I was looking for. You can tell by the sound, when you were putting the finished product in, that is solid and durable for such a small creature. Can't wait to try this method. Thank you love!!

[@zareptiles]

Of course!!! I use a different method now (drylock) - if you watch my newer enclosure builds you’ll see that method! Ive had better long term luck with that method personally :)

[@kylamulvanity7706]

Looks awesome thanks for the idea ❤️

[@zareptiles]

Thank you so much!

[@Aeris357]

Honestly this is a really good informative video. Thank you 🙏🏼

[@zareptiles]

I’m glad you found it informative! 😁

[@ninja250r2008]

you're so pretty and easy to understand. thanks for the guide!

[@zareptiles]

Thank you! Im glad you found it helpful!

[@BBsBeasties]

Looks great!!

[@zareptiles]

Thanks girl!💙

[@rain5268]

Im planning on making a naturalistic set up for my leopard gecko thank you for the tutorial!

[@zareptiles]

youre welcome! thanks for watching! 😁

[@breezexotics]

Well done!

[@zareptiles]

Thanks girl!

[@ashleygwin3472]

I used sanded grout for mine and it worked really well! I mixed it to a pretty thick consistancy and just used gloves to apply everything

[@ashleygwin3472]

I also used adhesive grout first for flat surfaces to help the sanded grout stick

[@zareptiles]

Gloves definitely would have worked better with the sanded grout than a paint brush lol! Good to know about the adhesive grout!

[@ashleygwin3472]

Yeah idk if I just got lucky but I used it on wood with the adhesive grout and on expanding foam by itself but it was like cement consistancy and I just spread it around!

[@maryhiggins7476]

SO HELPFUL!!! thank you so much!!!

[@zareptiles]

Im so glad you found it helpful!😁

[@insunreliable7875]

Well done and thank you!

[@zareptiles]

thank you so much!

[@Cojauk]

Thank you this helped a lot! 😁

[@zareptiles]

Yay im so glad! youre welcome! 😁

[@AnonymousAmyMakes]

A tip for anyone who might try this... Sand your pice down before you grout!! The surface needs to be rough for the products to stick to it. 😉

[@zareptiles]

great tip! I did several other backgrounds after this using non-sanded grout and it went much smoother and they came out great lol!

[@lostfound8112]

thumbs up...good info!

[@pewpewcat7679]

A good tip to make sure what you are making will fit that I use is cut out a piece of cardboard (or use paper, it doesn't matter, cardboard is just sturdier when you work on it) to the exact dimensions of the INSIDE of your tank. That way when you are working, not only will you know if your item will still fit but you can also see how it will arrange/look in your tank proportionally Your issue with the grout you could have just added some water when it's too thick, too watery, I honestly would have probably tinkered with some corn starch maybe. The grout you mix is also made with water so there should be no issue thinning premade mix with water

[@zareptiles]

Great tip! The original premixed ground was sanded, so that was the main issue. I added water to make it easier to paint on, trying to match the consistency everyone said to use, but it didn’t work because of the sand - it all just sank to the bottom. Once I went and picked up grout that wasn’t pre mixed or sanded I had no problems :)

[@Libby_izzy]

how does the polycylic hold up to cleaning?

[@hilalsinan9175]

love it sooooooooooo much .. wht a reality

[@dontbea7237]

Add a little bit of water to your clear coat and put it into a spray bottle works like a charm

[@painlessguy]

If you use a sanded grout you have to rough up all surfaces for it to stick to it. Best way to do is either a wire brush or sand paper.

[@lilianasanimalzoo2821]

Are all these items safe for Leo’s and did you silicone the background to the glass or no? How long did this take?

[@lizfl420]

Looks great! Are all these materials safe for the leopard gecko?

[@dontbea7237]

Nothing will stick to your silicone or your expanded foam on the smooth uncut foam nice job definitely like it another good cement to use is hydraulic stop masonry cement and then use Drylok waterproofing no need for clear coat and you have a sanded finish

[@zareptiles]

I use drylock for all of my projects now lol! Ive done several like that and im never going back to grout 🙅🏻‍♀️ 😂

[@sissymizzell4884]

Starting background for my uro. In this video you didn't use dryock...so you have used it now and like it better? I looked for more videos on this and didn't see any. When using the dryock is that for sealing the grout or is that all you used?

[@alop9535]

Using grout for my corn snake won’t mess up his soft underbelly right?

[@zareptiles]

Nope! Snakes belly’s are still covered by scales for protection, so they’ll be totally fine! The grout just basically is like turning the styrofoam into a hard rock like surface, totally safe 😁

[@josephbuckley5745]

How does that styrofoam do against a heat lamp?

[@zareptiles]

Good question. In theory, you ideally wouldn’t have a heat lamp directly on or over it since it’s a background, but also the styrofoam is covered in grout and sealed, so the styrofoam is no longer exposed, and The whole structure is meant to be pretty sturdy and hold up against quite a bit. If you are using this method for a background in an enclosure with over head heating, it’ll be totally fine :)

[@emu4901]

How did you prevent the insulation board from warping after you put spray foam on it?

[@zareptiles]

I didn’t do anything special and didn’t have a problem :)

[@sarahcarpenter8161]

And with the heat lamps this won’t melt?

[@zareptiles]

No they don’t, however I’ve never had a light fixture aimed directly at them and with this particular set up you can’t use over head heating

[@fabianabos6702]

if i want to make a custom background do i need to go bioactive?

[@zareptiles]

nope not at all!😁

[@karasparling7489]

Did you paint the back of the styrofoam board?

[@zareptiles]

yes :)

[@kaitlynverdecchia4011]

I think I’m going to paint mine grey before I seal it !

[@zareptiles]

thatll look great!

[@kaitlynverdecchia4011]

ZA Reptiles do you have to use the grout ?

[@rakela61]

Your idea is amazing and i followed all your step .. :)) but .. What can i put on top of the sealant? My dragons are slipping and I am thinking of a spray with a rough finish effect but I don't know if it will be toxic ... any recommendations? Thanks so much :))

[@zareptiles]

You can sprinkle sand on the sealant before it dries to create texture too :)

[@roseliou5827]

How thick was your styrofoam .5 inch or 1inch?

[@black-kryptic8539]

Rose Liou I would say one inch, hope it helped!

[@meganbonaparte4129]

What spray foam was used? It’s a pretty strong chemical so I wanna make sure I get all the correct supplies for my bearded dragon!

[@zareptiles]

You can use pond spray foam or great stuff gaps and cracks is a really common one :)

[@darareece742]

Is it okay if I do this and use a heat lamp or should I get a heat mat

[@zareptiles]

I would not but a heat lamp on the glass side of a tank. You wild have to use a heat mat with this method

[@lilianasanimalzoo2821]

How long should you wait before putting a leopard gecko in?

[@Stargate-over-starwars]

Few weeks to let evening offgass

[@lieuwebruinsma1082]

i kinda did the same but after a while the sand stuff letted go when my beardy started to climb

[@zareptiles]

Did you seal it? I’ve heard that can happen if it’s not sealed like crazy! I’m paranoid, so I put like 3 or 4 layers of sealant on LOL!

[@lieuwebruinsma1082]

@@zareptiles what do you use to seal it?

[@lilianasanimalzoo2821]

For the extra hide can it be used as a heat hide with a heat mat underneath?

[@zareptiles]

absolutely!

[@lilianasanimalzoo2821]

@@zareptiles also did you silicone the background to the tank?

[@zareptiles]

you can, but it was such a tight fit I didnt need to :)

[@apetloverslife5799]

We’re did you buy the foam board my stores have none ?

[@zareptiles]

home depot :)

[@apetloverslife5799]

@@zareptiles ok thanks so much ! ☺️

[@charlenemccullough7381]

Is all of these materials safe for bearded dragons

[@zareptiles]

Yes! I made my bearded dragon a background the same way! However these days I perfect using drylock on foam for my backgrounds! You can see this method in my newer enclosure builds :)

[@ayesharawal2447]

This is awesome! How would you go about cleaning it?

[@zareptiles]

So it’s in a bioactive enclosure, so I don’t have to worry about cleaning too much other than just spot cleaning and keeping an eye on things, but once you put on the waterproof sealant you can easily wipe it down with a wet cloth or something :)

[@ayesharawal2447]

@@zareptiles Oh awesome!! I assume with the waterproof sealant using a reptile safe disinfectant would be okay as well?

[@kaitlynverdecchia4011]

Can you list out the supplies ?

[@zareptiles]

just added it to the description :)

[@kaitlynverdecchia4011]

ZA Reptiles thanks girl!!!

[@soldbones.]

Can I use a heat lamp still with all of these products

[@zareptiles]

I personally would not use a heat lamp over a converted glass tank. If you had a glass tank with a screen top you could! But I wouldnt if you plan on turning a tank on its side. If you are just referring ring to the background - absolutely! All of the products used are used for the purpose of making a background thats totally safe for reptiles! I used the same methods to create backgrounds in my very large enclosures and they have basking bulbs :)

[@littlespiderproductions3017]

Uhh is this safe for a leopard gecko?

[@zareptiles]

I wouldnt have made it if it wasnt

[@littlespiderproductions3017]

@@zareptiles good point. But also what sealant should I use then?

[@zareptiles]

@@littlespiderproductions3017 waterbased polycrylic is my sealant of choice because its easily available at home depot and walmart

[@zareptiles]

@@littlespiderproductions3017 waterbased polycrylic is my sealant of choice because its easily available at home depot and walmart

[@littlespiderproductions3017]

@@zareptiles ok thank you. My father works in construction and probably has all this stuff so I should be good. Thank you!

[@breeanamenchaca7267]

Will you make me one if I pay you?😭😭😭😭 I’m three years late

[@zareptiles]

they are pretty heavy and would be nuts to ship! Ive done lots of videos showing various processes though - you should give it a try!