Hey all....so i planned on making a bigger cage with a wood frame....i was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on what kind of wood to use and also a list of wood that is dangerous. Thanks!
I would suggest white pine. However, if you are planning on using wood please make sure you coat it the proper way.
If you are only making a frame of wood, best size would be to go with the 1X2.
Cut all your wood pieces down to the size you will need to build the frame.
Sand it VERY WELL with 220grit sandpaper. Make sure you get ALL pieces, including the endcaps.
Remove all dust from wood and surrounding area.
Get some Poly-Urethane High Gloss and coat entire pieces that will be used. Make sure there are no runs. Remember to also coat the endcaps.
Allow to dry for a FULL 24 HOURS.
After first coat has dried, sand lightly with 1500 grit sandpaper, remove all dust and debri.
Apply another coat of poly to all parts of wood. Allow to dry for 24 hours.
Repeat process until 5 coats have been applied.
After coating is complete, put frame together. Attach Wire Mesh.
As for what kind of wood not to use, I highly recommend not to use any type of Cedar. Any other wood, if coated properly will not be harmful for the framing of a cage.
Wood. Yikes! I had a wood cage and it was a disaster. It grew mold and rotted under the urine and food droppings. Yes it was coated with Poly-Urethane but after awhile it just broke down. This was my experience. I would suggest that if you use wood be sure and coat ALL surfaces where there is wood. Leave not section untouched. The person who made mine left the bottom underside undone because they thought it would never get soiled. Guess again. So if you use wood, coat ALL areas even if you think it won't get soiled.
I recommend against using wood frames for cages or wood toys. My experience has been no matter what it is coated with the gliders urine and feces will absorb into it. Also gliders have a tendancy to chew wood. I would just recommend against it.
Re: Wood frame for cage
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#54031 08/16/0508:43 AM08/16/0508:43 AM
I have a wood cage right now...only until I have the money to buy more wire to rebuild it though! It started out as an open frame cabinet for my hammie cages, but my hubby converted it for me when I got the gliders. I can't clean it properly.. we did not coat it with anything because I hadn't found this site yet and everyone else said they didn't know of anything safe for use with gliders. It's pretty horrid. I recommend against wood.
Re: Wood frame for cage
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#54032 08/16/0509:13 AM08/16/0509:13 AM
I have wood cages my husband and I built. We have had them for five years with no problems. We did put QUITE A FEW coats of sealer. Good luck! Picture attached.
Re: Wood frame for cage
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#54033 08/16/0509:29 AM08/16/0509:29 AM
I totally LOVED my wood cage – the size, the door size, but I too built it prior to finding GC and did not coat it at all, we also did not build a decent slide out tray for the bottom, so cleaning was a problem and the wood completely absorbed the urine to the point that the entire room just always smelled – that cage last about 6 months – it went to the street last weekend – and I got a new metal cage…. Best of luck with yours – if I was to do ita again I would definitely coat it as recommended by Peggy above.
ouch, i sure hope i didn't waste my time buying all of the stuff to make the wood cage i saw on here, i've been coating it with both shallack and gloss, but i plan on making a huge door, made out of plexie glass for the door, so that the dropppings don't go anywhere near the wood, and as for the cage wiring i'm putting that before the wood so they cannot get to the wood to chew on it or have access to it, i guess trail and error is the only way to find out for sure! i won't throw the other cages out now that i know this just n case i have problems, hopefully i won't thanks much! i know this is an old post but definately a helpfull one!