# How would you make this underwater room? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 30, 2012, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-make-this-underwater-room/626776 "2012-06-30T04:28:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-make-this-underwater-room/626776/1 "2012-06-30T04:28:05Z")
Does anyone know what material would be used for the clear parts? Plexiglass? Especially given that this is sort of deep in open waters. And given the materials, what would be used for the joints? [http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advisor/maldives-rangali-islands-resorts-underwater-hotel-room/story-fn6yjmti-1225915838895](http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advisor/maldives-rangali-islands-resorts-underwater-hotel-room/story-fn6yjmti-1225915838895) I’m thinking the the floor and knee walls would be a poured cement. But how would you get a water tight seal between the material for the base and the clear material overhead? (Can you provide links to products that could make this connection) Any suggestions or help would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-make-this-underwater-room/626776/2 "2012-06-30T04:34:02Z")
Very heavy polycarbonate. It looks like the arches that were custom made for the underwater tunnel at SeaWorld and other attractions. Very, thick, heavy and expensive. Between the arch sections and where they meet the floor or wall there have to be compression joints or thick, cured in place sealing materials. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-make-this-underwater-room/626776/3 "2012-06-30T04:52:31Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Very heavy polycarbonate. It looks like the arches that were custom made for the underwater tunnel at SeaWorld and other attractions. Very, thick, heavy and expensive. Between the arch sections and where they meet the floor or wall there have to be compression joints or thick, cured in place sealing materials. “6 inches. We carry stuff that big in stock.” Or transparent aluminum. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-make-this-underwater-room/626776/4 "2012-06-30T06:01:44Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > “6 inches. We carry stuff that big in stock.” > > Or transparent aluminum. That was plate. Reasonable material for a whale tank. Not so much for underwater rooms. Also, Scotty forgot to hit Save when he was done. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-make-this-underwater-room/626776/5 "2012-06-30T06:08:14Z")
I wonder if you can ask them to chum the water. :eek: > [@TriPolar](#): > > That was plate. Reasonable material for a whale tank. Not so much for underwater rooms. Also, Scotty forgot to hit Save when he was done. I always wondered why they needed that to be transparent. I guess they couldn’t have had that scene if they just go to the junkyard and end up with a load of 2nd hand metal plate. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-make-this-underwater-room/626776/6 "2012-06-30T14:22:34Z")
I think Melbourne Aquarium uses acrylic, not PC. PS: does anyone know how much a night in that room costs? PPS: that room’s not that deep down (I think \<10 meters) so the pressure isn’t that great. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-make-this-underwater-room/626776/7 "2012-06-30T15:35:25Z")
It doesn’t look that deep, you could probably swim over the room end get an eyeful. Or give them an eyeful.