Now that the weather is nice, I want to build an outdoor pen for my tortoises. Am I better off going to Lowes/HD or a lumberyard for the wood? It will probably be around 6x10x2 and I prefer to have the wood cut to size as I dont own a saw ( except for a manual one ). If a lumberyard is a better choice, can anyone recommend one on my area ( Stony Brook ) ?
HD, Lowes vs. Lumberyard
- Thread starter jejton
- Start date
Killerdrgn
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- Location
- Park Ridge, NJ
Home Depot will cut the lumber for you too, you just need to find someone that isn't lazy to cut it for you. But are you sure about leaving your tortoises outside? Wouldn't things like raccons attempt to eat them? or did you already plan on putting in fencing above the pen?
I agree with the HD vs. Lowes and try to avoid HD whenever possible but would a local lumberyard be cheaper?
Killer - There will be a lid with hardware cloth or chicken wire on top and also hardware cloth on the bottom with a foot of soil on top to prevent things from burrowing in/out and if I will be away for a nit e they will come back inside.
Killer - There will be a lid with hardware cloth or chicken wire on top and also hardware cloth on the bottom with a foot of soil on top to prevent things from burrowing in/out and if I will be away for a nit e they will come back inside.
Killerdrgn
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- Location
- Park Ridge, NJ
Cool would like to see pictures of this when you're done. And a lumberyard might not necesarily be cheaper but you'll have more choice of what you really want and should use.
lumberyard supplies more variety in terms of the type of wood you want + sizes of the wood. they wont usually cut it for you. i took a furniture design course in city college and got my poplar wood from a lumber yard. HD is no help when it comes to lumber
If you want a better quality of wood, I would say go to a lumber yard first. There are a few. Riverhead Building Supply has a good selection but not sure if they will cut for you and is a hike from SB. There is also a lumber yard on 347 Rocky Point, Thurber Lumber, not sure if they cut either.
Second I would say go to Lowe's. Their lumber is a bit better quality than Home Depot... but you still will have to sift through some crappy warped pieces to find some in good condition. They will cut it for you though no problems.
Home Depot, personally I wouldn't even bother.
Second I would say go to Lowe's. Their lumber is a bit better quality than Home Depot... but you still will have to sift through some crappy warped pieces to find some in good condition. They will cut it for you though no problems.
Home Depot, personally I wouldn't even bother.
Well basically I'm making a square or rectangle that has to be at about 2" high and will probably be 6x10'. The wood doesnt have to be perfect quality, just rot resistant ( but not chemically treated ) and straight enough that I can join it without having large gaps between the ends or the walls and the lid that will go on top. One of the plans I saw used 2x12"'s cut to length to make the walls. It had two stacked and held in place with a corner post fro each wall. Does that make sense?
- Location
- Montclair, NJ
Cool idea. I used to have outdoor pens for box turtles. If you need any help let me know. My father lives in Medford and has any tool you can imagine. So if you need to get the lumber at a yard and they won't cut it, we can cut the wood at my father's place. I'm in Medford almost all Sundays during the summer.
What kind of tortoises do you have? Are they susceptible to getting ill from outside drafts?
BTW, I'd go to Lowes over HD. They will cut it for you. I think they have buzzers to page someone where they cut the wood unlike HD when you have to go on a manhunt to get help.
What kind of tortoises do you have? Are they susceptible to getting ill from outside drafts?
BTW, I'd go to Lowes over HD. They will cut it for you. I think they have buzzers to page someone where they cut the wood unlike HD when you have to go on a manhunt to get help.
Hey Domboski - I tried PM'ing you on the turtles but your inbox is full. I have a 3-toed Eastern Box turtle, Russian tortoise and Red-Footed tortoise. All CL rescues and have been temporarily living in a rubbermaid tote until I could build the pen for them. They should be fine until it gets cold and the box turtle can stay out all winter as long as I leave a deep enough area for it to dig into for hibernating. If I need wood cut, I'll let you know. I actually want to try building a turtle table and simple stand or two ( for my bearded dragon before it outgrows its 20g tank ). If you're up for that one Sunday, let me know as its been 10 years since woodshop.
I had some errands to do and stopped by HD since it was next to the other stores. The guy recommended poplar. It was pretty cheap, like $3.50 for 2x12, I think 10 feet. He said it would do the trick but being that its HD I thought to check here. Would untreated Poplar hold up for a few years outdoors ( I dont plan on being here more than 3 more years )?
I had some errands to do and stopped by HD since it was next to the other stores. The guy recommended poplar. It was pretty cheap, like $3.50 for 2x12, I think 10 feet. He said it would do the trick but being that its HD I thought to check here. Would untreated Poplar hold up for a few years outdoors ( I dont plan on being here more than 3 more years )?
- Location
- NY
Since you're going to be burying a short length of the plywood, my recommendation is to use a marine grade plywood. Anything that is direct contact with the ground should be marine grade. Just make sure it isn't infused with CCA (Copper Chromium Arsenate). You won't find marine grade at HD or Lowe's. You'll need to go to your local lumber yard.
If you weren't burying any of the plywood, I would just use an exterior grade plywood.
For the framing, I'd use marine grade for anything in contact with the ground. Once again, make sure it doesn't contain any CCA. For a natural wood product that is rot resistant (NOT rot proof) use cedar.
Russ
If you weren't burying any of the plywood, I would just use an exterior grade plywood.
For the framing, I'd use marine grade for anything in contact with the ground. Once again, make sure it doesn't contain any CCA. For a natural wood product that is rot resistant (NOT rot proof) use cedar.
Russ
Rus - thanks for the advice. Like I posted earlier, it only has to last three or four years. Can poplar or another non-plywood do the trick if its in contact with the ground? The base will just be buried chicken wire that is bent up to overlap with the wooden boards. I am trying to design it so that most of the boards are above ground, with maybe six inches buried on both sides.
If you are going to be using plywood, I would suggest making the pen 8x8 this way you can use two full sheets of plywood.
If you can trek to the city one night I may be able to give you a bunch of 3x10 pine boards that will definitely last a long time.
Steven
If you can trek to the city one night I may be able to give you a bunch of 3x10 pine boards that will definitely last a long time.
Steven
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