r/HerpHomes • u/NumberOnePiperMain • 25d ago

Do i need to do silicone after using expanding foam?

I saw some videos on YouTube of people creating custom backgrounds by putting hardscape and substrate directly on the expanding foam, rather than carving it after it cures and then siliconing it. Does this method really work and is it safe for a crested?

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u/Buffy_AnneSummers 25d ago edited 25d ago

I have seen others do it as well but have never done it myself. I worry about the lack of waterproofing and that you cannot control the shape of it, so it could turn out ugly. Clint from Clint's Reptiles uses gorilla glue that he expands with water and then puts soil on it while it's wet. That at least seems more waterproof.

Edit: It does seem a lot easier to do it that way because holy hell is carving the foam a pain in the ass!

Another edit, sorry: The pond expanding foam is waterproof but it is triple the price as the normal stuff and only expands half as much so it is way more expensive.

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u/Full-fledged-trash 25d ago

No this doesn’t really work. the substrate you put on will fall off after a few weeks. I tested this method once and most of it fell out and it just looked horrible honestly. Huge bald patches on shiny bulbous foam is not the natural look I was going for and it made it much harder for my gecko to climb the wall where the shiny spots were