DIY Rack questions

[LittleTreeGuy]

I will second the PVC. It's superior for this application. It's lighter, and you'll never have to worry about moisture. I know you said you're looking at cost... well... you're building a rack... which means you're building a home for multiple snakes. Multiple snakes are expensive. Filling a rack will get expensive... maybe that's why you want to build the rack for cheap... but really, You will be GREATLY ahead of the game if you just buy the good stuff up front.

Now, having said that... I recently build a PVC rack, and I've worked with PVC and melamine. Here is my advice...

1. If you go with melamine, it will take two of you to cut the sheet down. It's heavy. If you can measure well, take all your measurements to home depot with you, and have them cut it all. It's like fifty cents a cut or something, but it will save you time.
2. If you go with melamine, and have to cut it yourself, get a circular saw blade with a higher tooth count, 60 would be good. Decide which side will be the front (for looks), and make your cuts on the back side of the board. This allows the teeth on the blade to cut into the melamine instead of out of it... this will minimize the chipping along the edge.
3. If you go with PVC, get a 40 tooth saw blade. A blade with a higher tooth count will generate more heat and will leave little burnt plastic edges on your cuts.
4. Regardless of material, I would pre-drill all of your screw holes. Both materials can bulge if not.
5. Depending on thickness you go with, 1 1/4" or 1 1/2" drywall screws are good fro PVC, a coarse wood screw is better for melamine, but drywall screws would work too.
6. Melamine, you will need to get melamine tape and seal all of the bare/cut edges. PVC, you can just sand smooth. It's the same color throughout, so it's easy.
7. I think if I used melamine, I'd probably use some glue as well as screws, but that's just me. Also, for melamine, you'll want to caulk all of your seams with a good silicone sealant to make sure no moisture gets to the wood. If it does, it will likely swell.
8. As far as the pins go... I would get your tubs that you want to use in the rack first. then use those to determine your shelf heights. Figure out if you want to use lids, or leave the tops off. That is better than having to fool with pins, IMO.

Hope that helps.