DIY Advice Needed!

Kiki_3173 · 05-17-2016, 02:13 AM

Need some DIY advice!! Found this on Craigslist for pretty cheap. I love that it would have storage space for supplies and would house both hamsters in one piece. It's about the same size as what Butters has now & would give Ari more room. Of course the doors would come off, I'd split the top half to make 2 living areas, IKEA LED lights, a back (with ventilation) would go on, & plexi doors added (with a substrate barrier inside). Love the drawers at the bottom & would put low baskets (for supplies) from Target in the space above the drawers. The problem? It's perfect for what I want & it's an easy DIY, but hubby wants it to match our other cherry colored furniture. Any ideas?

Pebbles82 · 05-17-2016, 02:18 AM

How wide is it Kiki? It's hard to tell. I looked at a few pieces of furniture on ebay with ideas of converting them and then realised that some types of wood aren't suitable, so it would be good to know what it's made of as well

Other than that I'm useless on diy cages so I'll let someone else make suggestions lol!

Kiki_3173 · 05-17-2016, 02:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

How wide is it Kiki? It's hard to tell. I looked at a few pieces of furniture on ebay with ideas of converting them and then realised that some types of wood aren't suitable, so it would be good to know what it's made of as well

Other than that I'm useless on diy cages so I'll let someone else make suggestions lol!

It measures 36.5" x 18", which is about 92.7 cm x 45.7 cm. A furniture piece would be much easier for me than a DIY from scratch & this piece has what I need. I have a small house, so this is about as big as I could go. It's made of Birchwood, bamboo, and MDF board.

Pebbles82 · 05-17-2016, 02:56 AM

Sounds good! Looking at your pics the centre shelf looks good. I guess it would need a hole cutting at one corner for an access ladder or tube. The front doors look interesting. It looks like you could knock the centre thinner piece of door out, keeping the frame and hinges, and maybe fit mesh into the door frames. Then a kind of "upstand" of perspex stuck on at the front of each shelf to keep bedding in.

I'm not sure how you would get it cherry wood coloured outside without stripping it and using stains and that could be too strong smelling for a hammy and linger or soak in. You could just paint the outside with pet-safe paint

A colour to blend in with the current furniture - or cream always looks nice.

CMB · 05-17-2016, 06:55 AM

That could work out. Each hamster will have its own cage Serendipity7000 so no tube required.

Pebbles82 · 05-17-2016, 08:23 AM

Oh right I missed that bit. That makes it easier. Just had a thought - you would need to be able to keep them in their levels so they couldn't squeeze down between the edge of the shelf and the mesh in the door to the level below. So maybe it would be better to take the doors off and fit sliding doors on the front of each shelf/level, and take the back off and mesh that. You'd still need an "upstand" on the shelf to keep substrate in. This video might give some tips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDx3EHIgNto

Kiki_3173 · 05-17-2016, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

Oh right I missed that bit. That makes it easier. Just had a thought - you would need to be able to keep them in their levels so they couldn't squeeze down between the edge of the shelf and the mesh in the door to the level below. So maybe it would be better to take the doors off and fit sliding doors on the front of each shelf/level, and take the back off and mesh that. You'd still need an "upstand" on the shelf to keep substrate in. This video might give some tips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDx3EHIgNto

Thanks for the advice Serendipity. I think I'd probably go more for sliding plexi doors (more like a terrarium). I have those now on my Lack DIY and I really like them! For the back, I am planning on a solid piece of wood that has mesh cut outs towards the top of each enclosure.

I did think about shortening/cutting down the doors so that they only covered the area where the drawers and the baskets would be!!

kelza · 05-17-2016, 07:09 PM

That's a great find! I think it's very doable and like the idea of the sliding plexi doors for the front. I would suggest a little more ventilation though, maybe add in mesh windows or vents high up on each side of both enclosures in addition to the back. You might also think about some inexpensive vinyl flooring for the bottoms of each enclosure. This would make it easier to wipe clean and keep the pee from the wood.

As for matching the cherry finish...It looks like the frame is made from MDF, am I correct? If so, I don't think it can be sanded down and stained to match. You could try to find a matching wood veneer, though that could get really pricey. I think it would be better not to try and make it match, it might turn this easy project into a nightmare if you do. Good luck, and pictures when your done please!

Kiki_3173 · 05-18-2016, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelza

That's a great find! I think it's very doable and like the idea of the sliding plexi doors for the front. I would suggest a little more ventilation though, maybe add in mesh windows or vents high up on each side of both enclosures in addition to the back. You might also think about some inexpensive vinyl flooring for the bottoms of each enclosure. This would make it easier to wipe clean and keep the pee from the wood.

As for matching the cherry finish...It looks like the frame is made from MDF, am I correct? If so, I don't think it can be sanded down and stained to match. You could try to find a matching wood veneer, though that could get really pricey. I think it would be better not to try and make it match, it might turn this easy project into a nightmare if you do. Good luck, and pictures when your done please!

Thanks Kelza!!! I really think this is going to be MUCH easier than a DIY from scratch. That's why I love the piece so much. I've got it planned little by little each month until the summer. I'm a teacher so time right now (at the end of the school year) is very limited.

As for the advice on the matching...I agree. I didn't want this easy DIY to turn into a major nightmare.

oddlyoblivious · 05-18-2016, 05:19 PM

If you go sliding doors keep in mind that unless you drill holes they won't factor into your calculations for ventilation. Polycarbonate is stronger and lighter than most acrylic acrylic is stronger and lighter than glass but both are plastics, so if you leave a space where a ham might be able to nose in and chew that can cause issues. You defiantly want to get aquarium grade sealant, usually 100 % silicone to seal any mdf edges as it will swell and crumble if it gets wet. You might want to look at some of the steel vents they use for decorative grates too. Gorgeous cabinet though. Can't wait to see what you do with it.