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DBell
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Posted: Thu Jul 25th, 2002 02:09 am |
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BCI suggests black stain, on scored or grooved wood inner surfaces, and alternatively, a plastic mesh screen, tacked on.
I was wondering how a stucco-like inner surface would be accepted? If color were important, it's easy to add. I have used a sand/mortar mix added to latex paint, to give a nice, stone or stucco appearance, for set and Halloween prop building, and got to thinking it might be a good bathouse surface, as well. Any thoughts, history, suggestions?
Dave
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Joe Spencer
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| Joined: | Mon Feb 11th, 2002 |
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Posted: Thu Jul 25th, 2002 04:20 am |
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Dave I have been using plastic mesh screen for a few years and although the bats readily accept it, guano can and usually does get trapped behind it between the plastic and the wood partition creating a dirty environment. I am discontinuing its use and Kent Borcherding (honorary bat house researcher) suggests the same. You are on the right track with stucco. I believe that as long as it doesn't have any pointed areas that remain after it hardens that it is preferable to use. It just has to be wearproof/durable. Yes using black paint or as a base or tinter for the stucco or mix is probably the right approach to keep interiors dark. Good luck and check out Kent's post in this forum about using plastic mesh and its inherent problems here:
http://www.batnic.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=35&highlight=mesh 
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Mark Kiser
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| Location: | Austin, Texas USA |
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Posted: Thu Aug 1st, 2002 06:29 pm |
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See Marvin Maberry's stucco houses at http://www.maberrybat.com
The exteriors and interiors are coated with a commercial-grade stucco.
The bats seem to like it.
Cheers,
Mark
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Ray Ramirez
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| Joined: | Thu Oct 10th, 2002 |
| Location: | Maroa, IL |
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Posted: Thu Oct 10th, 2002 03:18 pm |
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Hello all,
I was putting in new tile into my bathroom, when I thought: why not use the 1/2 inch and 1/4 inch cement based tile backer boards as bat house materials? It would maybe hold the high temperatures better (I am in an area where warm temperateures are important in Maroa, IL), and be less susceptible to damage from prolonged water exposure.
I was going to use a plan from an old bat builder handgook with the 4x4 foot designs that allow 2 houses 17" x 30 inch. I am curious now about Ken's house design he mentioned with the 12 inch deep by 24 inch wide and 7 inch deep.
Could someone point me to a web site with this design? If it is not available, I would be happy to scan and post the design on my aol web site.
This is great, thanks for this great forum for us researchers to discuss topics interactively. I think this can exponentially increase the chance of discovering bat house ideal makups.
For example, the shorter but wider and deeper house makes some sense, as caves don't necessarily have different places to move around up and down. Just interesting.  ??:
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Joe Spencer
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Posted: Sat Oct 12th, 2002 08:30 pm |
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| Hey Ray Welcome! and yes I think the backer/cement based stuff would be great for a bat house. The only concern is the weight it would be. But if you can get it up I think it is the way to go. What I am doing in my designs is to use rocks put in after erection to absorb heat and ease mounting weight of bat house! And good point about the height of the bat house. BCI/BHF member Kent Borcherding reports that quite possibly anything over 2 feet tall may infact be overkill in bat house design. I wish to try to confirm this myself someday with some side by side testing.
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