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HiYa Folks!
Some of you may have heard that I am in the process of building out Mungi his "Big House"..Tis true and has become a true labor of love in every aspect..lol..the new enclosure is 5ft long by 2ft deep by 27 1/2 inches tall (the height I needed to ensure proper interior lighting distances once all furniture and a 4 inch base of playsand is in place...Washed and Sifted Quikrete Premium PlaySand of course.lol)
Anyhow when dealing with large scale enclosures the selection of interesting premade furniture is limited to say the least and since this will be Mungi's GrownUp Permamnent House I decided to make him something more fit for the Awesome-ness he is.
Below you will find some pictures that I will call The Building of Mt. Mungi I will update them as I go thru the stages to complete it.
This is actually a fun and easy project albeit a little messy but then again gettin messy is something I have enjoyed since I was a kid and its always a good thing to "let the kid out";-)
Supplies are simple,inexpensive and all readily available at places like Lowes and Home Depot.
Basic Supplies:
>1 pack(6 sheets) 3/4" x 14" x 48" Polystyrene- approx $6/pack
>2 tubes Construction Adhesive- There are different ones but I use Liquid Nails
>1 can Great Stuff Expandable Foam (make sure to get the type that hardens)- approx $4/can
>1-2 10lb boxes Polyblend NON-Sanded Grout - approx. $11/box
>Misc Acrylic Paints if you plan to paint or highlight- I use Artist's Acrylic Paints for at any Art Supply Store. They are totally safe, dry fast and dry to hard plastic. Can also be painted over if you dont like the way something turns out
>Acrylic Sealant for finished form.
Basic Tools:
>Knives- to cut and shape forms ( an electric carving knife is a Wonderful thing)
>Gloves-simple cheap dishwashing gloves work great
>Eye protection and mask-This depends on just how messy you get with your creation..lol..however in all seriousness the grout comes in a fine powder form and is Portland Cement. It does create some dust when mixing it and it is not something you want in your lungs or eyes
>Mixing Bowl or small bucket -to mix grout in.
>Cheap Paint Brushes
>Newpaper or dropcloth
> A Well Ventilated Area
and finally as well as most importantly...YOUR IMAGINATION
Your supply list may vary depending on the size and shape of your creation.
Mt. Mungi is approximately 25 1/2 inches long x 18 inches wide x 15 1/2 inches tall at it's highest point.
Here We Go!!
Stage 1 Pics- basic form of Mt. Mungi done by simple stackin and gluing the sheets of Polystyrene pieces to get basic height and levels. The glue was allowed to dry overnight. Then I used the Expandable Foam to add rock formations. Allowed that to dry overnight until hard and then used knives to carve the foam to more resemble boulder formations. The hardest part of this is knowing when to stop carving. You just want the basic forms. tiny details will get lost once you start applying the grout layers.
Stage 2 Pics - After you have your basic form complete it's time to grout! These pics show the form after the first layer of grout is applied.
Note:
>When mixing the first layer grout make it about the consistency of loose pancake batter. Dont make it too thick because you want it to flow into the crevices, nooks and crannies. Applies using your cheapo paint brushes. Also about every 10 minutes re-stir your grout mix.
>When finished allow the grout to completely dry for approximately 24 hours before gong to next step.
>And Dont Forget To Coat The Bottom Of Your Form! (I told you you were gonna get messy..lol..I place the form on top of Red Solo Cups to dry, btw
MORE PICS TO COME TOMORROW AFTER STAGE THREE IS COMPLETE!!
Some of you may have heard that I am in the process of building out Mungi his "Big House"..Tis true and has become a true labor of love in every aspect..lol..the new enclosure is 5ft long by 2ft deep by 27 1/2 inches tall (the height I needed to ensure proper interior lighting distances once all furniture and a 4 inch base of playsand is in place...Washed and Sifted Quikrete Premium PlaySand of course.lol)
Anyhow when dealing with large scale enclosures the selection of interesting premade furniture is limited to say the least and since this will be Mungi's GrownUp Permamnent House I decided to make him something more fit for the Awesome-ness he is.
Below you will find some pictures that I will call The Building of Mt. Mungi I will update them as I go thru the stages to complete it.
This is actually a fun and easy project albeit a little messy but then again gettin messy is something I have enjoyed since I was a kid and its always a good thing to "let the kid out";-)
Supplies are simple,inexpensive and all readily available at places like Lowes and Home Depot.
Basic Supplies:
>1 pack(6 sheets) 3/4" x 14" x 48" Polystyrene- approx $6/pack
>2 tubes Construction Adhesive- There are different ones but I use Liquid Nails
>1 can Great Stuff Expandable Foam (make sure to get the type that hardens)- approx $4/can
>1-2 10lb boxes Polyblend NON-Sanded Grout - approx. $11/box
>Misc Acrylic Paints if you plan to paint or highlight- I use Artist's Acrylic Paints for at any Art Supply Store. They are totally safe, dry fast and dry to hard plastic. Can also be painted over if you dont like the way something turns out
>Acrylic Sealant for finished form.
Basic Tools:
>Knives- to cut and shape forms ( an electric carving knife is a Wonderful thing)
>Gloves-simple cheap dishwashing gloves work great
>Eye protection and mask-This depends on just how messy you get with your creation..lol..however in all seriousness the grout comes in a fine powder form and is Portland Cement. It does create some dust when mixing it and it is not something you want in your lungs or eyes
>Mixing Bowl or small bucket -to mix grout in.
>Cheap Paint Brushes
>Newpaper or dropcloth
> A Well Ventilated Area
and finally as well as most importantly...YOUR IMAGINATION
Your supply list may vary depending on the size and shape of your creation.
Mt. Mungi is approximately 25 1/2 inches long x 18 inches wide x 15 1/2 inches tall at it's highest point.
Here We Go!!
Stage 1 Pics- basic form of Mt. Mungi done by simple stackin and gluing the sheets of Polystyrene pieces to get basic height and levels. The glue was allowed to dry overnight. Then I used the Expandable Foam to add rock formations. Allowed that to dry overnight until hard and then used knives to carve the foam to more resemble boulder formations. The hardest part of this is knowing when to stop carving. You just want the basic forms. tiny details will get lost once you start applying the grout layers.
Stage 2 Pics - After you have your basic form complete it's time to grout! These pics show the form after the first layer of grout is applied.
Note:
>When mixing the first layer grout make it about the consistency of loose pancake batter. Dont make it too thick because you want it to flow into the crevices, nooks and crannies. Applies using your cheapo paint brushes. Also about every 10 minutes re-stir your grout mix.
>When finished allow the grout to completely dry for approximately 24 hours before gong to next step.
>And Dont Forget To Coat The Bottom Of Your Form! (I told you you were gonna get messy..lol..I place the form on top of Red Solo Cups to dry, btw
MORE PICS TO COME TOMORROW AFTER STAGE THREE IS COMPLETE!!