Best material for back heat?

[EverEvolvingExotics]

I'm making a rack with melamine. I've done this in the past with using all melamine (sides/back and all) but it's way too heavy for my taste. I was thinking of using laminate hardboard for the sides but I don't know if the back will hold up to the heat. Since I don't have enough snakes/money to heat a whole room, I use belly and back heat to get the perfect all around temps. What would you all suggest for getting the least weight and being able to handle the heat of flexwatt. I'm guessing most things could take the heat since i'll of course be using a thermostat. Any advice helps and is welcome!

[EverEvolvingExotics]

I know somebody one here has used back heat and something other than melamine. What did you use?!

[Powerspythons]

I'm making a rack with melamine. I've done this in the past with using all melamine (sides/back and all) but it's way too heavy for my taste. I was thinking of using laminate hardboard for the sides but I don't know if the back will hold up to the heat. Since I don't have enough snakes/money to heat a whole room, I use belly and back heat to get the perfect all around temps. What would you all suggest for getting the least weight and being able to handle the heat of flexwatt. I'm guessing most things could take the heat since i'll of course be using a thermostat. Any advice helps and is welcome!

First of all I have never used laminate hardboard..or know what it is for that matter but do you think it is strong enough to hold the shelves of melamine(you already commented on how heavy melamine can be so I wont repeat it..oops I just did..)? Thats definitely something to take into account. Second, most building materials are capable of handling pretty high temperatures..otherwise there would be a LOT more fires than there already are...I've seen some back heat using peg board which worked fine.. Third, you're using BOTH belly and back heat?? That seems like overkill to me, as long as your room temperatures are not in the low 60s you should be able to get by with just belly heat(I use 4" flexwatt on my racks and keep it at around 98, which gives pretty good temps in the tubs 90* hot spot, 88* warm side 79*cool side) and I dont even have a back to my rack.

And PS. an oil filled radiator to keep the room in the mid 70s is really not that expensive, I just picked up 2 a few days ago(cause I live in a craphole apartment that wont heat up worth a darn..) for $80..

[tomfromtheshade]

XPVC is the best material to use. Its not cheap, but you build it once and it last much longer than any wooden material racks.

[OhhWatALoser]

despite what people think, the 100 or less degrees your flexwatt will max out at to give you a hot spot of 92 or so, is not hot enough to light up or melt much of anything. Don't make your rack out of ice or butter and you should be alrite.

[EverEvolvingExotics]

Maybe for the sides i'll go get some more melamine to help aid in the strength of the tubs, good call, hahaha. As for overkill. I don't know how your are able to get a good ambient temp with your tubs. I have used a few different homemade racks and the ambient temps are always the same as the room temps. The hot spots are the only area that gets heated. I guess your lucky. I know oil filled radiators aren't expensive to buy but i'd rather spend money on back heat than the monthy expense of heating a whole room. Thanks for the thoughts and opinions.