Peed-on Wooden Cage?

[JLPrairie]

I'm heading to Ikea to pick up the Bitrade shelving unit maybe tomorrow if my dad has time (yay!!!, finally). I plan to turn it on its side and build a lid with hinges for the shelving unit to convert it into a hamster cage. However, I do have one question. If my hamster pees (she usually pees in the sand bath, but if) on the bedding, and it travels past the 2 inches of DIY paper bedding (unlikely), 3 inches of Kaytee Clean and Cozy (even more unlikely), and 1 inch of non-clumping paper-based cat litter (my friend's cat just died, so she gave me the cat litter), will it permanently damage the wood on the bottom? How should I make sure the wood is waterproof? Will the pee travel past the wood? Or am I just overreacting to a little problem?

[cypher]

I wouldn't leave wood untreated, you never know if it will get peed on & once it does you can't get it out, if you were ever unlucky enough to have an something like a mite problem you'd never get rid of them, it's just not worth leaving wood untreated for various reasons really.
I think you can get Plastikote from amazon in the US so you could paint it with that, not sure if there are any other safe paints available there.

[JLPrairie]

Will this work?
https://www.amazon.com/PlastiKote-T-...lastikote&th=1

And is Valspar ok?
I'm trying to save money here, I've never splurged so much money on...anything, really. I don't have much money, and if I spent all of it if there was an emergency vet visit I wouldn't be able to pay for it.
Also, do I need to paint it with a primer before spraying? I've never done anything like this, sorry.

[AmityvilleHams]

Valspar is definitely not ok Neither is the plastikote you linked.

With melamine(which the Bitrade is),you don't need to do any sort of coating.All you need to do is seal the edges with aquarium sealant,nothing else.

[JLPrairie]

Oh, ok! That makes things easier. I'm sorry, I've never done anything like this before. I've only made a bin cage before, and a too small one at that.
Is this ok?
Access Denied

[cypher]

You want water based enamel, this is the right kind, not sure how many colours they do or if they do the clear one but it will be in a pot like this with a plastic, not metal, lid.
It won't be cheap, you need at least two coats (no primer needed) but if you don't paint it you might end up with a cage you can't use at some point.

[AmityvilleHams]

That should be fine

The Bitrade is melamine as mentioned so no painting is needed.That only applies to unfinished wood,not melamine,so the paint part is not applicable and wouldn't work either.

[cypher]

So is it not wood then?

[AmityvilleHams]

There's a difference between wood and melamine Melamine is already coated,wood wouldn't be.The only thing to worry about is sealing the edges as mentioned,as you would do with any sort of melamine cage.Improperly sealed cages are going to have problems with urine absorbing into the melamine,but with proper sealing it isn't an issue.

The only wood involved would be with a lid,and if a hamster somehow urinates on a lid there's something seriously wrong with that hamster who just might be possessed or something!

[cypher]

Sorry I somehow missed the bit where you said it was melamine! I think my brain went to sleep for a bit there.