Habitat - Indoor :: plexiglass...

[bubblestheturtle]

...is very expensive!

at least it is at home depot...

need a piece thats about 9" X 48" for the above tank basking area i will be making in the near future. any way to get it cheaper? should i go with glass instead?

[Raphulk]

how much are we talking about?!

i was able to get a good size piece for about 15 bucks and i was able to get it custom cut at lowes for free?

how much was that size of a piece?

[Fuzzy Hamster]

Likely the stuff you saw at Home Depot is construction grade, maybe window quality, and probably has requirements for safety certifications, etc. Have you tried looking at a hobby store, such as Michaels? I have seen more manageable sizes there and they weren't that expensive from what I recall.

I've been considering glass too, but cutting it (or rather breaking it) can be a pain.

[RaytheonLiszt]

haha those are the exact dimensions I need plexiglass for too for my new tank. (9x48).

a hobby store is a good idea. haven't thought of that.

urm, I'd be nervous with glass above my turt's habitat, but that's just me :-/

[Raphulk]

its plexiglass, not actual glass.

hm a simple description of plexiglass would be like plastic glass hahah if that makes ANY sense.

its not heavy at all, well depending on the thickness

[bubblestheturtle]

expensive as in 55-75 $$ and not to mention not the right sizes. not long enough and too wide...however, i just found exactly what im looking for i think. heres the link:

it has the exact size so no cutting for me!


http://www.estreetplastics.com/Clear_Acrylic_Plexiglass_Sheets_1_8_Thick_s/27.htm

[Raphulk]

haha you MUST have been looking in the SUPER fancy plexiglass section haha.

[bubblestheturtle]

i know i was like omg its just plastic!!!

[Fuzzy Hamster]

You might want to look at thicker than 1/8" though, especially at a length of 48", it will bend quite a bit unless you are planning to support it with something else.

[mat012]

You might want to look at thicker than 1/8" though, especially at a length of 48", it will bend quite a bit unless you are planning to support it with something else.

Yeah I would go with 1/4". It is much sturdier. The prices for this stuff have skyrocketed. Negotiate with them. You might be able to get two pieces that will fit the top of your tank rather than one large piece. The shop might be able to use left over pieces from other jobs and cut you a break. Its worth a shot. My local shop wanted $65 just to make custom cuts in plexi I already had on hand. Yikes - gougers.

[untsmurf]

I just got a 12'' x 24'' piece for like $12 from home depot. You should ask one of the workers to show you plexiglass. I don't think you were looking in the right section.

[Krzyspam]

I just got a small piece of plexi for my basking area ramp (about 8" by 16") at Lowe's. I was lucky that they had a spare piece that was the right size...it was a scrap from someone else's project. The guy who worked there charged me 50 cents. He said if I got the same size cut to order, it would have been upwards of $40. Go to Lowe's and ask about scraps...some were big. You can always do a few pieces and glue together. Also, if they don't have what you are looking for, try again in a week. They'll have a whole new supply of scraps.

[mat012]

I just got a small piece of plexi for my basking area ramp (about 8" by 16") at Lowe's. I was lucky that they had a spare piece that was the right size...it was a scrap from someone else's project. The guy who worked there charged me 50 cents. He said if I got the same size cut to order, it would have been upwards of $40. Go to Lowe's and ask about scraps...some were big. You can always do a few pieces and glue together. Also, if they don't have what you are looking for, try again in a week. They'll have a whole new supply of scraps.

Excellent - gotta love a bargain!

[Kool]

Can I use plexiglass for a basking spot?[size=20]

[Daniel3507]

alot of people here use acrylic for basking spots. you can heat them up with a heat gun and bend them to fit. then you can put something on it for traction