Retrofitting china cabinets?

[Bogertophis]

I'm guessing I simply use a sealant trowel to get a smooth even coating over the whole inner enclosure? And while I have an idea as to what wood types are safe, idk how I'd be able to tell what a cabinet was made of if there isn't a label, let alone if the wood was treated with anything potentially harmful. Any tips for that? Another thing is ventilation. Would something like circular sawing small slits on the back/sides be sufficient or would I need to be more intricate?

As an aside, did I accidentally leave a swear in my last message or something? I noticed you edited it and I'm not sure if I did something wrong?

No, that was me being distracted & fumbling my reply (hit wrong button) then restoring your post as it was, nothing you said, lol- multi-tasking att & not always good at it.

Trowel-? Depends on what product you'd use. Wood- wouldn't worry about what kind, you'd want to seal it (only non-toxic & NO VOC products) & make sure it doesn't off-gas. Any fumes means it's not fully dry or ready for occupant. If you drill vent holes, you'd want to seal inside them. Better to install an actual metal vent+, IMO, & the amount of ventilation you need depends on what kind of snake is occupying it. (as I said, for my rat snake, perforated metal worked great- they sell that in 3' x 3' sheets, cuts easily with metal shears)

[Snagrio]

No, that was me being distracted & fumbling my reply (hit wrong button) then restoring your post as it was, nothing you said, lol- multi-tasking att & not always good at it.

Trowel-? Depends on what product you'd use. Wood- wouldn't worry about what kind, you'd want to seal it (only non-toxic & NO VOC products) & make sure it doesn't off-gas. Any fumes means it's not fully dry or ready for occupant. If you drill vent holes, you'd want to seal inside them. Better to install an actual metal vent+, IMO, & the amount of ventilation you need depends on what kind of snake is occupying it. (as I said, for my rat snake, perforated metal worked great- they sell that in 3' x 3' sheets, cuts easily with metal shears)

That was my second guess. No worries, I'm no expert at multi-tasking myself.

And sorry, not trowel. I meant a putty knife. You know, these things. Thought was I'd use aquarium silicon (which is animal-safe when cured) and use one to make a smooth coating over the walls. Another huge asset is having a mother who's a big DIY buff, so she'll be able to assist with things. But I'd still like to streamline things so I don't need to have her too involved so as to not make the whole proposition too much of a burden. She's already done so much for me and all that.

And fwiw, the snake wouldn't be moving directly to this type of enclosure, since it'll be in a quarantine tub first and then probably grown out a bit in my currently empty 30 gallon. So even post-arrival I'll have ample time to fine-tune everything.

[Bogertophis]

...

And sorry, not trowel. I meant a putty knife. You know, these things. Thought was I'd use aquarium silicon (which is animal-safe when cured) and use one to make a smooth coating over the walls. Another huge asset is having a mother who's a big DIY buff, so she'll be able to assist with things. But I'd still like to streamline things so I don't need to have her too involved so as to not make the whole proposition too much of a burden. She's already done so much for me and all that.

And fwiw, the snake wouldn't be moving directly to this type of enclosure, since it'll be in a quarantine tub first and then probably grown out a bit in my currently empty 30 gallon. So even post-arrival I'll have ample time to fine-tune everything.

Um, no...you don't want to try to spread silicone aquarium sealant on flat surfaces...no, no, no...it's used in the corners, just like in actual aquariums. That's all- don't even go there.

Look into the pond sealants, perhaps, for what you're thinking- & again, I've never used them, but someone else here mentioned them a while back, if you can search that out. I don't remember who or how they used it, only that I became aware of such products att & thought they looked "interesting". (I enjoy hardware stores & thinking 'outside the box'.)

[Snagrio]

Um, no...you don't want to try to spread silicone aquarium sealant on flat surfaces...no, no, no...it's used in the corners, just like in actual aquariums. That's all- don't even go there.

Look into the pond sealants, perhaps, for what you're thinking- & again, I've never used them, but someone else here mentioned them a while back, if you can search that out. I don't remember who or how they used it, only that I became aware of such products att & thought they looked "interesting". (I enjoy hardware stores & thinking 'outside the box'.)

Didn't think I'd get that kind of response.

I don't know much about sealants and everywhere I look about them always says the same 100% silicon sealant or epoxy glue answer. Haven't really seen anything for what to use for full wall sealants.

[Bogertophis]

Didn't think I'd get that kind of response.

I don't know much about sealants and everywhere I look about them always says the same 100% silicon sealant or epoxy glue answer. Haven't really seen anything for what to use for full wall sealants.

You're confusing "sealing" corners with sealing surfaces. Silicone aquarium sealant is thick, not spreadable- it's used to glue & seal corners so water doesn't leak out. Non-toxic once dry.

In a cabinet, you'd want to seal (coat) all the sides, bottom & top so moisture doesn't affect the wood, then you'd also want to "seal" the corner crevices (in case the water bowl got spilled, for example- you wouldn't want the cabinet ruined). I'm not sure if any "marine varnish/spar varnish" products are pet safe- probably not. Most waterproofing products are not made for use with sensitive pets- they're made to put on outside fences, wood floors, boats & decks- stuff like that. A quick search found this https://www.mychemicalfreehouse.net/...finishes.html-
it sounded promising but they're talking about human homes, not small pets, so don't go by their info. That's why I suggested the products for sealing ponds- those products are designed to be safe for fish & turtles, etc.

Search for "non-toxic waterproof sealant" & make sure you read all the fine print- you want something easy to paint on all sides. I've used waterproofing before- I think it was Thompson's water seal. It was easy to work with, dried clear. But depending on how/where it's used (how much moisture it's exposed to) it doesn't last forever, it needs re-coated in about 4 years. Just pulled this up:

Is Thompson's water Seal non-toxic?
Environmentally safe, will not harm plants, pets, fish, livestock, humans. Contains zero volatile organic compounds (VOC). No toxic fumes. Seals and protects with single application on most surfaces.



Bottom line- these projects take planning & research, so do your homework.

[Snagrio]

You're confusing "sealing" corners with sealing surfaces. Silicone aquarium sealant is thick, not spreadable- it's used to glue & seal corners so water doesn't leak out. Non-toxic once dry.

In a cabinet, you'd want to seal (coat) all the sides, bottom & top so moisture doesn't affect the wood, then you'd also want to "seal" the corner crevices (in case the water bowl got spilled, for example- you wouldn't want the cabinet ruined). I'm not sure if any "marine varnish/spar varnish" products are pet safe- probably not. Most waterproofing products are not made for use with sensitive pets- they're made to put on outside fences, wood floors, boats & decks- stuff like that. A quick search found this https://www.mychemicalfreehouse.net/...finishes.html-
it sounded promising but they're talking about human homes, not small pets, so don't go by their info. That's why I suggested the products for sealing ponds- those products are designed to be safe for fish & turtles, etc.

Search for "non-toxic waterproof sealant" & make sure you read all the fine print- you want something easy to paint on all sides. I've used waterproofing before- I think it was Thompson's water seal. It was easy to work with, dried clear. But depending on how/where it's used (how much moisture it's exposed to) it doesn't last forever, it needs re-coated in about 4 years. Just pulled this up:

Is Thompson's water Seal non-toxic?
Environmentally safe, will not harm plants, pets, fish, livestock, humans. Contains zero volatile organic compounds (VOC). No toxic fumes. Seals and protects with single application on most surfaces.



Bottom line- these projects take planning & research, so do your homework.

Had a thought, what about non-adhesive vinyl sheet cut to fit after the corners/edges are sealed? I've seen some enclosures utilize it. It's water resistant, easily to clean with and there's plenty of styles to choose from to find something "fitting." Plus I wouldn't have to use any kind of chemicals to put it in, just some small screws should do the trick.

[Bogertophis]

Had a thought, what about non-adhesive vinyl sheet cut to fit after the corners/edges are sealed? I've seen some enclosures utilize it. It's water resistant, easily to clean with and there's plenty of styles to choose from to find something "fitting." Plus I wouldn't have to use any kind of chemicals to put it in, just some small screws should do the trick.

Personally I'd never use vinyl because I don't like breathing it, & snakes would be enclosed with it & they're far smaller & more vulnerable than we are. FYI, that "new car smell" that people like so much- it's not good for you, it's all that vinyl etc that cars are made from. You might look into the stuff they line shower walls with though.

Quick quote sample:
Does vinyl give off toxic fumes?



Due to the materials used in the production process of vinyl, it will sometimes emit various levels of VOCs into the air for a short amount of time after installation. These toxic chemicals can be harmful to air quality of the immediate environment it's installed in and may cause respiratory problems over time.Apr 8, 2020

[Snagrio]

Personally I'd never use vinyl because I don't like breathing it, & snakes would be enclosed with it & they're far smaller & more vulnerable than we are. FYI, that "new car smell" that people like so much- it's not good for you, it's all that vinyl etc that cars are made from. You might look into the stuff they line shower walls with though.

Quick quote sample:
Does vinyl give off toxic fumes?



Due to the materials used in the production process of vinyl, it will sometimes emit various levels of VOCs into the air for a short amount of time after installation. These toxic chemicals can be harmful to air quality of the immediate environment it's installed in and may cause respiratory problems over time.Apr 8, 2020

Yeesh... Think I'm just going to rest on this whole cabinet idea for the time being, the more I try to think about it the more complicated it gets.

[Bogertophis]

Yeesh... Think I'm just going to rest on this whole cabinet idea for the time being, the more I try to think about it the more complicated it gets.

I know what you mean- it's best planned carefully, not on a whim. It's more challenging if it's your first such project too.

Many things have drawbacks- for instance, Formica. It would be nice but it's really hard to work with (hard to cut), unless you can get someone skilled to do it for you- to cut the pieces to fit, then you install them & seal the corners.

[Hugsplox]

Yeesh... Think I'm just going to rest on this whole cabinet idea for the time being, the more I try to think about it the more complicated it gets.

Yea converting furniture is a big project and, in my experience limited as it is, sometimes even the best laid plan doesn't work out. As the popular military saying goes, no plan survives contact with the enemy. Sometimes you find a nice piece and what you had planned for it just doesn't work out. I was fortunate the couple of times this happened that I was able to clean the piece up enough to sell to the antiquing folks to use for its original purpose.

Don't get me wrong, it can be really rewarding to build your own stuff, but also frustrating and sometimes disappointing. Like Boger said, best to plan out ahead of time very carefully. Don't invest all your funds on the front end because odds are you'll need additional supplies as your project progresses.