# My first custom foam background :-)



## tpduckwa

Hey guys.  I recently decided to have a go at making a custom foam background for a terrestrial tarantula enclosure.  I've had a cracked ten gallon terrarium laying around for ages so it seemed like a good candidate for my first attempt.  I also had a slightly damaged rock cave type reptile hide I picked up for a couple bucks from the pet store where I work.   I used some silicone to fix the "cave" in place a couple inches above the bottom of the terrarium to allow for several inches of substrate underneath.   Then I covered the back and sides of the terrarium with great stuff spray foam.  I tried to create some nice texture and depth, but really had no idea what it was going to turn out like in the end.  This is what i ended up with (please excuse the cellphone quality pics) :





After the foam had cured completely I used some grout to smooth out and fill in some gaps in the foam, as well as to add a nice rocky texture.  I used brown grout so I would have a nice base coat of color as well.  The grout was more difficult to work with than anticipated.  I used my hands and a toothbrush to apply several coats of grout to the foam.




 After the grout was dry, I used acrylic paints to add a little depth, dimension and color.  I added three shades of brown for shadows, midtones, and highlights.  I finished it off with touches of two shades of green to try to simulate a mossy look.  I am by no means artistically gifted, but I am quite pleased with the way it turned out  







I'll post some more pics when I get it all finished and cleaned up!  I think I will put my L.p. in it

Reactions: Like 2


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## tpduckwa

I think its done, couldnt get a very good photo of it :-(

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## Ludedor24

couldn't have turned out better! awesome job

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## ArachnidSentinl

That looks really sharp, especially with the addition of that moss. What species are you going to house?

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## tpduckwa

thanks! I was thinking of putting my L.p. in it


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## Josh75

Wow, looks great!!  :biggrin:

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## Fossa

Looks really good!! what sort of expanding foam did you use and roughly how long did you cure it? Having looked round my spare room I've probably got about four tanks I could do this with sat empty...my main fear is of course killing the Ts somehow with noxioius gas ... maybe being a tad paranoid though!

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## JoeMean

That's awesome!!

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## tpduckwa

Fossa, i used great stuff spray foam.  i let it cure for 3 days or so before i started to cover it with grout.

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## PrettyHate

That looks really awesome! Good job! I am sure that your LP is going to love it


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## SamuraiSid

Thanks for sharing. I think it looks pretty good. 

Did you neutralize the grout and will the sub be moist?


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## Akai

That is indeed looking sharp.  Thanks for sharing.


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## akpropst

Incredibly simple yet amazingly awesome! Well done. I keep meaning to finish my started "projects". I got a few days off I may have to do just that. Thanks for the motivation


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## MarkmD

Pretty cool for your first time, good job.


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## uncle charlie

Wow!!! Need to say I am stealing a lot of ideas from you. Do you know whether the foam and grout will work for pokies (and other arboreals)?

Sent from my BlackBerry 9800 using Tapatalk


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## rm90

That looks great!! It has given me a few ideas now.
I love how for the little tunnel area you put it up about an inch so the ground could be higher there!! smart idea


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## Fossa

tpduckwa said:


> Fossa, i used great stuff spray foam.  i let it cure for 3 days or so before i started to cover it with grout.


Cheers, I realize now that you already mentioned in the post ... I just didnt realize great stuff was a brand name! haha

Just completed building a tunnel like log for my T.ockerti ....currently waiting on the sealant curing then I can get to work on the decorating. My other half says I should put as much effort into re plastering our kitchen as I do making the T's cage decorations.......whoops!


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## tpduckwa

thanks for the replies guys n gals!  I'm already gathering ideas for my next build, most likely an arboreal enclosure   the grout most certainly would work for any species of tarantula in my opinion.


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## JungleCage

WOW! nice job. I love the cave addition. what did you put over the Great Stuff foam? is it just peat moss? also what did you use to attach the peat moss to the foam? (attaching the peat moss to the foam can be a real pain using silicone)


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## tpduckwa

the foam was covered in several layers of grout and painted before I added the moss.  I used black silicone to attach the exo-terra "forest moss" to the background.  It stuck quite easily to the rough texture of the grout.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Eclipse

Wow I'm impressed! It went way better than my first arboreal terrarium I was trying to setup with my friend. A lot of people like to pour a bunch of clay, coco-fiber, or sand or some kind of dirt or whatever right on the foam before it dries. Either that or they'll put some of that weird tar stuff then sprinkle the textures onto it. That's how most of the tutorials on youtube do it. I like the way you did yours though, it's less messy, good job!


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## MarkmD

That would be grate to see an arboreal one.

Reactions: Sad 1


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## arachnofab

tpduckwa said:


> I am by no means artistically gifted, but I am quite pleased with the way it turned out


Are you kidding? That turned out AmAzInG! Nicely done, sir.


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## pokemepokey

This is incredible! You sir have inspired me to have a DIY tarantula enclosure. I've been looking for a reason to rehouse my P. Tigrinawesseli anyways.


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## Aarantula

Incredible job!!! Just a couple questions...

1. What did you use to sculpt the wall? 
2. What brand spray foam did you use?
3. Do you have any concerns in regards to the foam being toxic to your T? (Is the foam toxic?) 

Thanks!


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## Peter Parker

That is a masterpiece Bro. Surprised the grout stuck to the cellulose even with a bonding agent. I'm going to try it a different way. I'll send you a pic when I'm done.


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## tpduckwa

Aarantula said:


> Incredible job!!! Just a couple questions...
> 
> 1. What did you use to sculpt the wall?
> 2. What brand spray foam did you use?
> 3. Do you have any concerns in regards to the foam being toxic to your T? (Is the foam toxic?)
> 
> Thanks!



1.  I did not sculpt the wall at all.  Just tried to get some interesting textures and shapes as I was spraying the foam.  
2.  I used "Great Stuff" expanding spray foam
3.  I do not believe there will be any ill effects on the T.  I allowed it to cure for at least 7-10 days, so there should be no residual fumes.  The grout covers the foam completely so I do not think the spider will ever be in direct contact with the foam.

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ConcreteWeb said:


> That is a masterpiece Bro. Surprised the grout stuck to the cellulose even with a bonding agent. I'm going to try it a different way. I'll send you a pic when I'm done.


The grout was difficult to apply.  It took several coats to get decent coverage.  I used pre-mixed grout without any additional bonding agents.


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## StonerTKeeper

Awesome job, dude. Looks like it took some work but was worth it.


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## Bobby B

tpduckwa said:


> Fossa, i used great stuff spray foam.  i let it cure for 3 days or so before i started to cover it with grout.


Your habitat looks really nice! But which spray did you use? "Great Stuff" makes a few different kinds 
like "gap filler" "windows" "gaps and crack" Ect.


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## Mello

tpduckwa said:


> I think its done, couldnt get a very good photo of it :-(
> 
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> View attachment 108370


This is AMAZING!! You should make more and sell them. I'd totally buy one!


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## edgeofthefreak

I have this thread bookmarked. Truly a ridiculously cool work of art. I have the materials to try something far less awesome (paint? i so didn't think of paint...) but I'm afraid to wreck a 5.5gal...


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## hairyspideyfan

... have to agree with everyone else - a truly inspired work of art! :clap: I'm going to have a go with a exo terra tank I've just got really cheap. At the moment, I think it's a little on the big side for my T, but the expanding foam will help bulk out the background. I would never have thought of doing it this way, I probably would have spent too much money buying the polystyrene background for 3 sides, and it wouldn't have looked half as good as this! Thanks for the step-by-step photo's - I really think I can do a decent job of it now!


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## cascade

That is awesome. 
Well done, I like the cave.

What I know about expanding foam, once it dries and cures then it is fine and once you paint it or apply tile grout, it seals it so it becomes safe for your spider.


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## Seeyoutwo

Where can I buy grout? Also what type of the foam did you use? Thanks!


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## viper69

Wow this is excellent. I'd buy a setup that looked like that. It's great! But what if the T's doesn't like the hide hole all that much ??


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## Bien

I salute you for making an awesome terrarium.. i will make some terrarium but made in cd cases haha >)


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## Devil'sRival

When I made one for a gecko I used Drylock waterproof paint right on the foam. I did one white base coat and then tinted the second coat tan. Its another option instead of the grout and paint. I paid a few dollars for three colors of tint from Sherwin Williams. They took it from their machine and put it in coffee cups because I didn't have anything else. Not sure if they'll all do that though. 

My biggest regrets are not making it removable and forgetting to tape off when I painted. It would've been a lot easier to do everything and then put in the finished product. For those asking how to shape the foam, use a wire wheel for a drill. Wear safety glasses and gloves. Trust me, that wire hurts at high speeds. 

Link to paint:
http://tinyurl.com/q5xhzhd


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## oddT

*Definitely*

Thanks for sharing this is on my to do list


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