Aquariums, Zoos and Themed Environments How‑To's

Aquariums, Zoos and Themed Environments
Smooth-On rubber, plastic and foam for amazing aquarium, zoo and themed environment displays. Our tutorials will show you step-by-step how to make sea anemones, coral, rock scapes, terrain effects, how to coat carved foam and more. These materials allow you to make custom shapes, sizes and colored display pieces that are hyper-realistic, aquarium safe, zoo friendly and durable. There are no limits to what you can create!
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Painting A Fluorescent Underwater Mural Using Maker Pro™ Fluorescent Paints

Painting A Fluorescent Underwater Mural Using Maker Pro™ Fluorescent Paints

Discover the magic of Maker Pro Fluorescent Paints and how they create captivating colors.

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Painting Latex Rubber Using Maker Pro Paint

Painting Latex Rubber Using Maker Pro Paint

Learn the process of painting a latex rubber mask using Maker Pro Paint in this video

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How To Create Realistic Artificial Vines Using The Ultimate Vine Kit

How To Create Realistic Artificial Vines Using The Ultimate Vine Kit

Learn how to use the Ultimate Vine Making Kit to make "animal tough" vines for zoo habitat exhibits.

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Building the World's Largest Underwater Christmas Tree

Building the World's Largest Underwater Christmas Tree

How Vegas Props fabricated the world's largest underwater Christmas tree

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How To Make a Rockscape and Tree Themed Display with Buddy Rhodes Vertical Mix™

How To Make a Rockscape and Tree Themed Display with Buddy Rhodes Vertical Mix™

Watch Steve and Jordan Millard create an amazing rockscape using Buddy Rhodes Vertical Mix

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How To Make a Bouldering Wall with Buddy Rhodes Vertical Mix™

How To Make a Bouldering Wall with Buddy Rhodes Vertical Mix™

Übergrippen Climbing Crag recently added a 100 foot long bouldering wall in their backyard

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How To Make a Museum Quality Totem Pole Using Epoxy Putty

How To Make a Museum Quality Totem Pole Using Epoxy Putty

How epoxy putty is applied to carved foam to create a totem pole for a museum

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How To Make a Museum Quality Animal Reproduction

How To Make a Museum Quality Animal Reproduction

Learn how a sculpted reproduction of a rhinoceros torso was made

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How To Make a Museum Quality Themed Prop Base for a Rhino Display

How To Make a Museum Quality Themed Prop Base for a Rhino Display

Free Form™ Habitat™ Fire Safe epoxy putty is used to create a realistic African grassland base for a Rhino Display

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How To Make an Aquarium Sandfall Using Habitat™

How To Make an Aquarium Sandfall Using Habitat™

Learn how to make a unique underwater sandfall using Habitat™ epoxy

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How To Make a Flame Rated Casting with Habitat Cast N Coat™ Epoxy

How To Make a Flame Rated Casting with Habitat Cast N Coat™ Epoxy

A Tiki Mask for a Tiki-themed bar is cast out of flame-rated Habitat Cast N Coat epoxy.

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How To Use Habitat Cast N Coat™ to Coat Carved EPS Foam

How To Use Habitat Cast N Coat™ to Coat Carved EPS Foam

In this project, EPS foam board is used to carve a theater mask design. The display is then hard-coated using Habitat Cast N Coat.

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How to Mix Free Form™ Habitat™ and Folding Powder

How to Mix Free Form™ Habitat™ and Folding Powder

This video how-to demonstration shows how to properly combine Folding Powder into Free Form™ Habitat™ Epoxy.

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How To Create an Artificial Tree Limb for Theming Applications

How To Create an Artificial Tree Limb for Theming Applications

This video shows how Habitat® Flex FR is used to make a realistic tree branch for theming or zoo applications.

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StyroCoat™ Spray Plastic Used at Give Kids The World Village

StyroCoat™ Spray Plastic Used at Give Kids The World Village

Give Kids The World Village is a resort in Florida that creates magical memories for children with life-threatening illnesses.

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How To Make a Display Using Habitat™ Epoxy Putty

How To Make a Display Using Habitat™ Epoxy Putty

This video shows the creation of a fabricated tree for a themed environment for an interactive customer experience.

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How To Make an Indestructible Prop Using UreCoat™

How To Make an Indestructible Prop Using UreCoat™

This video tutorial shows how to make a fake foam prop rock using carved soft foam and UreCoat® urethane coating.

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How To Make a Floral Arrangement Using Encapso® K

How To Make a Floral Arrangement Using Encapso® K

This video demonstrates using Smooth-On's Encapso® K to create a realistic floral display.

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How To Reproduce a Native American Gravestone

How To Reproduce a Native American Gravestone

Read how a reproduction of this historic headstone for display at a local museum is made using brush-on urethane rubber.

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How To Make Custom Foam Hollow Rocks for Outdoor Speakers

How To Make Custom Foam Hollow Rocks for Outdoor Speakers

E-Z Spray® Expandable Foam Is Used To Create 'Hollow Rocks' to House Outdoor Speakers.

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How To Make Flexible Foam Prop Cinder Blocks

How To Make Flexible Foam Prop Cinder Blocks

The scene in Spider Man 3 called for the heroine, Mary Jane, to again be in peril...

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Aquarium Decoration Tutorial - How To Make a Silicone Coral Stamp

Aquarium Decoration Tutorial - How To Make a Silicone Coral Stamp

This video shows how to create a silicone stamp from a piece of coral that can then be used to create detail.

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How To Paint Habitat™ Epoxy Using Smooth-Cast™ 327

How To Paint Habitat™ Epoxy Using Smooth-Cast™ 327

This video shows the process of using Smooth Cast™ 327 urethane resin to paint an aquarium background.

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How To Make a Custom Overflow Cover Using Habitat™ Epoxy Putty

How To Make a Custom Overflow Cover Using Habitat™ Epoxy Putty

This video shows how to use Habitat™ Epoxy Putty to create a sculpted overflow cover for an aquarium.

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How To Caste a Prop Engine Block Using FlexFoam® iT! 17

How To Caste a Prop Engine Block Using FlexFoam® iT! 17

The surface finish of the cured Flex Foam-iT! 17 foam approaches that of a urethane elastomer.

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How To Create Your Own Cast Live Rock Using Smooth Cast™ 321

How To Create Your Own Cast Live Rock Using Smooth Cast™ 321

Making your own live rock offers an infinite variety of design / color possibilities.

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How To Reproduce a Sea Sponge using Liquid Plastic

How To Reproduce a Sea Sponge using Liquid Plastic

You can create perfect copies of any original sea sponge model using mold rubber and liquid plastic.

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How To Make a 3-D Aquarium Background Using Foam-iT!® 5

How To Make a 3-D Aquarium Background Using Foam-iT!® 5

An easy way to add realism and beauty to your aquarium is to make a custom background.

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How To Use Equinox™ Putty to Replicate a Sea Fan

How To Use Equinox™ Putty to Replicate a Sea Fan

A unique molding method that will let you capture all of the intricate detail of a sea fan using Equinox® Mold Putty

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How To Make Finger Corals Using Smooth Cast™ Plastic

How To Make Finger Corals Using Smooth Cast™ Plastic

You can create perfect copies of any piece of original coral using mold rubber and liquid plastic.

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How To Make a Sea Anemone Using Smooth-On Silicone

How To Make a Sea Anemone Using Smooth-On Silicone

In this step-by-step gallery you will learn how to make a silicone sea anemone indistinguishable from the real thing

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How To Coat CNC Carved Foam Using Epsilon™ PRO Epoxy Coating

How To Coat CNC Carved Foam Using Epsilon™ PRO Epoxy Coating

Epsilon™ PRO produces a semi-rigid impact resistant surface on carved foam

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How To Make a Custom Foam Seat Using Pourable Urethane Foam

How To Make a Custom Foam Seat Using Pourable Urethane Foam

Pourable polyurethane foam materials are used to create a unique piece of custom furniture.

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How To Make a Custom Cold Cast Aquarium Stand Using Urethane Resin

How To Make a Custom Cold Cast Aquarium Stand Using Urethane Resin

Use Smooth-Cast™ 325 resin and Bronze powder to make a nautical looking aquarium stand.

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How To Gold Leaf a Resin Casting

How To Gold Leaf a Resin Casting

Learn how to apply real gold leaf to a resin casting

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How To Repair a Latex Animatronic Prop Using UreCoat™

How To Repair a Latex Animatronic Prop Using UreCoat™

Watch how a haunted attraction completely repaired a damaged latex animatronic prop

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Using a Vacuum Former to Create Lightweight Wall Panel Artwork

Using a Vacuum Former to Create Lightweight Wall Panel Artwork

How to to make beautiful decorative wall panels using a TASK 18 vacuum forming tool.

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Making a Mold of a Complex Anatomical Model

Making a Mold of a Complex Anatomical Model

Join Milo as he makes a mold of a complicated skull model.

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Cold Casting a Bear Skull Using Urethane Resin and Nickel Silver Powder

Cold Casting a Bear Skull Using Urethane Resin and Nickel Silver Powder

Using Smooth-Cast 57D Milo demonstrates two techniques for casting his bear skull mold.

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How To Make a Metal Cold Casting Using Matrix Dryve™ Polymer Gypsum

How To Make a Metal Cold Casting Using Matrix Dryve™ Polymer Gypsum

Learn how you can cold cast Matrix Dryve™ polymer gypsum

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Painting a Flexible Foam Casting Using Maker Pro Paint™

Painting a Flexible Foam Casting Using Maker Pro Paint™

Painting a Flexible Foam Casting Using Maker Pro Paint™

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Painting a Flexible Foam Casting Using Fluorescent Maker Pro Paints™

Painting a Flexible Foam Casting Using Fluorescent Maker Pro Paints™

Painting a Flexible Foam Casting Using Fluorescent Maker Pro Paints™

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