i need help from those who have done diy backgrounds.

[is300soon]

ok here is my project

3 layers of foam, this isn't going on the back of the tank but on the bottom.

2 layers of quickrete mason mix

now i've tried everything to get this stuff to come out smooth like real river rocks or a rock bed that has been in water for thousands of years, but no matter what the mason mix dried rough.

So what can I add to the top of it to make it look smooth? I hope not another layer of cement as I will lose all lines in the design if I add anything thick. Im going to be painting this after it soaks, so is there a brush on apoxy or anything thin that will build up but not as much as cement?

Please let me know, tomorrow is my only day off, and Id like to see this get moving faster.

Also I saw a thread with quickrete vinyl repair cement, looks smooth but no stores around here carry it.

David

 

[stixx]

check this site out, www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_list.php , they have quite a few articles on diy backgrounds and there forums are full of questions and answer on the subject. Foam diy background are the norm in this site.

 

[danz]

I just did some rocks for my bearded dragon tank and your issue is the material your working with. I coated my foam with 2 coats of standard cement and you can see how ruff it was and then I coated it with tile grout. I used those cheap pain brushs and once the grout started to dry I cleaned out the brush with water then removed as much water as I could so it was damp then lightly went over the surface to smooth it out.

 

[Pharaoh]

Nice job on the rock. Looks really natural.