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Upper Levels A query regarding loft stability...

Heady

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SO...I have now completed the majority of my cage. Still need to tape and waterproof one section, and this time 'round the piggies will have a loft.

I use zip ties...not connectors (they infuriate me). Before I redid the cage (this time), I had a row of grids on top of each end of the cage...zip tied together. These are what the foam core "roof" rested on.

The Great Fat One sleeps on top of a large floor pillow I put on top of the foam core. The pillow probably weighs about 5-8 pounds, The Great Fat One is reaching 12. Here's the thing...because of the stability of the grids, I'm going to assume that I won't need any stabilization starting at the floor of the cage, holding the loft up.

Is that right?

**Cage is now a strange..."L" shape kind of. Like..an unripe "L". Main area is 2X5, but at the furthest end of the cage, there is a 1x1x1 bump out....in case that makes sense and helps with the answer at all.
 

Triggs

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I'm sorry. That's a lot of dimensions and things to picture and imagine and weights to calculate all by discription. You may have to show a photo?
 

Heady

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I'm sorry. That's a lot of dimensions and things to picture and imagine and weights to calculate all by discription. You may have to show a photo?

Ah, yes! I'm a rambler when trying to describe something! After your post, I managed to take a picture. After that, I managed to forget I asked the question! Here:



Please excuse everything in the picture but the cage. My posts aren't the only things that are a wreck! :p

Now, what I'm thinking (and what I've built, so far, but hasn't been attached yet) is to have the loft run the entire length of the back of the cage. And on the right side of the picture where the "bump out" is, that's where the rest of the loft will be, so that whole area will be covered, but then the 1-grid-deep front of the cage will be open.

I'm guessing that I won't need any stability under the loft since it's running the length of the cage, but because it's running the length of the cage, now I'm wondering if it will be too heavy to not be supported.
 

bpatters

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Looks great! I have two thoughts:

1) If the loft covers the bump-out, how are you going to clean the bottom level of that 1 x 1 square? You'll have to be a contortionist, or else have very long arms, to reach back into the far corner of that.

2) To support the top level, you can run a closet rod, or something similar, longways down the middle of the cage at the very top, and ziptie it to the grids. The top section can then rest on the back of the cage and the rod, and be supported down its whole length. There's a picture in the gallery of some that do that, but I can't find them at the moment (not enough coffee yet...)
 

Heady

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Looks great! I have two thoughts:

1) If the loft covers the bump-out, how are you going to clean the bottom level of that 1 x 1 square? You'll have to be a contortionist, or else have very long arms, to reach back into the far corner of that.

2) To support the top level, you can run a closet rod, or something similar, longways down the middle of the cage at the very top, and ziptie it to the grids. The top section can then rest on the back of the cage and the rod, and be supported down its whole length. There's a picture in the gallery of some that do that, but I can't find them at the moment (not enough coffee yet...)


Thanks!

1) I, indeed, have very long arms...seriously and unfortunately :melodrama. The design of the cage prior to this one had 2 bump-outs on either side, both covered with grids running the depth of the cage. I was able to reach under and around without any problem, so I figured it would work the same with a loft.

2) I love that idea!! I don't have any closet or curtain rods long enough, but I do have legs from an old easel that would work! I am working on my coffee :)
 

bpatters

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At your local home supply store, you can get a length of 2x2 lumber, which is actually 1.5x1.5 inches (I know, it doesn't make any sense to me either, but that's the way it is). I don't have a cube cage, but I think that will fit through one of the holes in the cubes. If not, a little whittling should make it fit, and that would be easy because it's usually made of pine. Just don't get the treated stuff -- dangerous for you and the pigs.
 
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