Can I use any wood besides melamine?

[BodaciousFunkatron]

I want to build a rack for my adults. Is it possible for me to use a sheathing board or a plywood board instead of melamine? I don't want to shuck out the money for melamine, but i will if i have to. Anything for the best of the animals!

 

[daddio207]

Yes.
Melamine is used because the plastic coating keeps moisture out of the particle board. You can use uncoated particle board, plywood and wood but there will be some degree of swelling depending on humidity in the room and how humid you keep the tubs. Tubs with lids will cure that problem. If your doing a lid-less tub rack then melamine is best to keep the tolerances tight but since it will be for adults then you can use uncoated wood and leave enough space for expansion with out fear of escape.

 

[BodaciousFunkatron]

Good to know. The hatchlings will definitely need melamine though. I still think im gonna go with melamine though, just because I want as little expansion as possible. Thanks for the info though!

 

[Shaggy]

bear in mind, the uncoated end(s) of melamine is just as absorbent as particle board - and will swell and weaken likewise. So, whatever you do, make sure it's completed!
Locally, melamine is not much more expensive than similar dimensioned plywood, so it may be a good call for you too.

 

[Blue Apple Herps]

Yes you can use wood no problem. But make sure you seal any part that is in contact with the open tub (eg the bottom of a shelf that is the top of the tub below it). If you do that you shouldn't have any problem.

I've also considered using contact paper to seal the wood on a rack, but haven't actually experimented to see if it would be viable.

 

[backafter30]

I think contact paper durability would depend on how tight the tubs fit. I used a thin hard-board with the one white-coated side, like they use for dry-erase marker boards, but my tubs fit fairly tight, and after less than a year, there were places "rubbed raw" of the white coating by the tubs. I live near Denver, so humidity is pretty low, and it hasn't been an issue yet, but I'm looking for a fix. (I'm thinking of using a vinyl peel-n-stick floor tile to toughen up the rub spots, or maybe cover the entire "ceiling".

I see this new product at the big-box hardware stores called "Never Wet". It looks promising, but I have no idea about fumes/toxicity/durability. I'll let someone else try it first.

 

[Blue Apple Herps]

I think contact paper durability would depend on how tight the tubs fit. I used a thin hard-board with the one white-coated side, like they use for dry-erase marker boards, but my tubs fit fairly tight, and after less than a year, there were places "rubbed raw" of the white coating by the tubs. I live near Denver, so humidity is pretty low, and it hasn't been an issue yet, but I'm looking for a fix. (I'm thinking of using a vinyl peel-n-stick floor tile to toughen up the rub spots, or maybe cover the entire "ceiling".

I see this new product at the big-box hardware stores called "Never Wet". It looks promising, but I have no idea about fumes/toxicity/durability. I'll let someone else try it first.

That's a good point about rubbing. Seems the shelves would also have to be removable to replace the contact paper. I may build up a 2 or 3 tub small unit just to test the concept out one of these days.