Category: Photos

A while ago we picked up a “mini-pond” that we could easily host within our screened-in patio. We used it to replace the kiddie pool that we were using to give our turtles (red-eared sliders Zippy and Arthur) a “summer home” during the great long summer we have here.

You can see the black polyethylene (or similar) pool in the first picture below. It’s not super attractive to look at, so we built a frame for it and one of our friends offered to paint a long, attractive beachy scene on some canvas which we would then affix to the framework and then have a bright-looking enclosure.

Unfortunately, the canvas thing fell through and it took a little while to get up the momentum again but below I chronicle the update of the enclosure from a spartan frame to a painted beadboard accent piece.
1270
Here is the enclosure inverted so I can measure the beadboard and install the feet on it. I had to add some 2×4’s to raise it up a bit as Authur figured out how to get himself out of the pond and enclosure when it was at its original height.

1273
Here is the beadboard, I had them cut it at Home Depot so that all I needed to worry about was length, they were all the same width.

1275
After cutting the beadboard to size, painting it with KILZ, attaching the 2×4 feet and then the adjustable felt feet.

1277
Another angle of the above, also waiting for the application of wood putty to make up for a gap caused by the original frame and my complete inability to compensate for it when measuring and cutting the side panels. I tried twice and got the exact same gap both times, even though I could SWEAR I took extra special precautions the second time. Ah well, I suppose that’s why I spend most of my time working with computers rather than with wood…

1281
Now with the paint applied and drying on it. Michelle did this part. She’s much more skilled than I at painting so she did the two finishing coats.

1283
Arthur enjoying his new enclosure. I can see now that he can no longer see over the top of the enclosure. I need to get some nice, flat fieldstones to build up his sunning area so that he can see outside but can’t use them to “bridge” his way out of the enclosure on his own.