# quickcrete or drylok?



## brandon O (Oct 23, 2010)

which do you use for DIY backgrounds?


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

I use Drylok, much easier, no where near as messy, and it preserves the details you worked so hard on better IMO.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Quikrete with colorant added.


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

Drylok


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## brandon O (Oct 23, 2010)

is there anything you have to do to the Styrofoam before covering it?


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

No- just carve and cover it.


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## Dart032 (Dec 9, 2011)

I have been happy so far with the drylok. you should check out my background im not done yet so you can kinda see all the questions i had and these people helped me out [/url]


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## brandon O (Oct 23, 2010)

what kind of foam d you use the white stuff that they use for packing stuff or house insulation?


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## brandon O (Oct 23, 2010)

*Dart032*
i don't know how to find your forum


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## Dart032 (Dec 9, 2011)

I can't figure out how to paste a link... Go to the diy projects under discussions and it's at the top Darts 55 gallon diy background.


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## Dart032 (Dec 9, 2011)

I used both. The blue and pink is def stronger but the white is easy carving and if you use electronic packaging it offers good random shapes[/url]


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## brandon O (Oct 23, 2010)

this is what i want it to look like


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## theoryguru (Oct 11, 2011)

Use Drylok + Quikrete colour - very easy to work with and cleanup is a breeze


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## brandon O (Oct 23, 2010)

cool. where do yuo buy it. and this is for a terrarium for lizards


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

brandon O said:


> cool. where do yuo buy it. and this is for a terrarium for lizards


Any home improvement store such as Lowes' or Home depot will have it. A gallon of Drylock costs about $26-$30 depending on where you get it.


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## brandon O (Oct 23, 2010)

what tools do you use to make cool textures


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

brandon O said:


> what tools do you use to make cool textures


Really almost anything that works for you is the best answer to that question. Myself...I used a metal screen style scraper found at any hardware store, then some sandpaper wrapped around a 1" round wooden dowel rod to help add some grooves and texture to mine. But I've seen people use knifes, electric carving knives, heat guns, hacksaw blades & files...pretty much anything that you have on hand that looks like it will work works :thumb:


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## chadleegaston (Jan 18, 2012)

I would definitely go for drylok. Thats what i used on my bg. And it even gives it a rock like texture.


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## bragging_rights (Feb 1, 2012)

Okay so I went to all 4 hardware stores in my area and nobody had drylok, but they did have Quikrete. But after seeing the different types of Quikrete I'm not sure what to use. They had gallon buckets (like paint) in white, concrete grey and "tintable". They also had Quikrete color that you add to any concrete.

So when you're saying Quikrete, do you mean the kind in the gallon bucket or the dry stuff in the bag with color added?

I'm also going to look for Drylok next time I head over the hill and we can stop at a Home Depot or something big like that.

And while I'm asking, how does the drylok come? Is it in a gallon bucket too?

Thanks for the help :roll:


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

Drylok comes in a 1gal bucket. (You can also find it in 5gal bucket, but you won't need that much.) 
Most use the Quikrete Cement Color in 10oz bottles. -It's a liquid color additive for cement.


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## cichlid85 (Feb 20, 2005)

bragging_rights said:


> Okay so I went to all 4 hardware stores in my area and nobody had drylok, but they did have Quikrete. But after seeing the different types of Quikrete I'm not sure what to use. They had gallon buckets (like paint) in white, concrete grey and "tintable". They also had Quikrete color that you add to any concrete.
> 
> So when you're saying Quikrete, do you mean the kind in the gallon bucket or the dry stuff in the bag with color added?
> 
> ...


If u are still working on this project, I will tell you. Go to Lowes. Go to the paint isle. They carry it. I was given all
kinds of wrong information from employees that just didnt know what i wanted. They said they didnt have drylok or the cement coloring on 2 different trips. On my 3rd trip back, while getting a new paintbrush, i found both! The concrete color was in masonary (they told me i would have to go to shirwin williams!) The drylok was in paint isle.

Seems the employees dont have a way to look up what products they carry. Most of them i asked had never heatd of drylok.


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## cichlid85 (Feb 20, 2005)

bragging_rights said:


> Okay so I went to all 4 hardware stores in my area and nobody had drylok, but they did have Quikrete. But after seeing the different types of Quikrete I'm not sure what to use. They had gallon buckets (like paint) in white, concrete grey and "tintable". They also had Quikrete color that you add to any concrete.
> 
> So when you're saying Quikrete, do you mean the kind in the gallon bucket or the dry stuff in the bag with color added?
> 
> ...


If u are still working on this project, I will tell you. Go to Lowes. Go to the paint isle. They carry it. I was given all
kinds of wrong information from employees that just didnt know what i wanted. They said they didnt have drylok or the cement coloring on 2 different trips. On my 3rd trip back, while getting a new paintbrush, i found both! The concrete color was in masonary (they told me i would have to go to shirwin williams!) The drylok was in paint isle.

Seems the employees dont have a way to look up what products they carry. Most of them i asked had never heatd of drylok.


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## theoryguru (Oct 11, 2011)

I couldn't find Drylok at any of the big box stores (in Canada) either, luckily the smaller hardware did carriy it. Btw, the Quikrete colour additive goes a long way, use sparingly and run a few test spots until you achieve a colour you like.


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