# Best wood for DIY stands?



## Ryan_R (Aug 20, 2014)

Hi All,

Gearing up to build a stand for a 125g and a 40g breeder using the below as a guide.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_stand.php

What sort of wood should I be using? This will be my first time building stands. I've been a little sketched out by Lowe's offerings in the past, so I may scout out the semi-local lumber yard. The goal is to reinforce the build above with some diagonals.

Any tips or hints would be appreciated!

Thanks!

-Ryan


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

The first problem I see with that design is that the weight is carried by the fasteners. Unless, the drawing is missing a few pieces, it doesn't show verticals directly under the top frame.


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## joescaper1 (Feb 14, 2013)

What I have determined when building my own stands.

Pine 2X4s are fine.

You didn't mention if your tanks were glass or acrylic. If acrylic, there needs to be a solid top added, 3/4" plywood is sufficient and the framework is fine.

If glass, all the weight is supported by the trim which rests completely on the outer framework of the stand. In this case I add vertical 2X4s between the top and bottom outer framework every place there is an upright. No solid top is needed.

If you are going to complete the stand with full front and end facings, diagonals are unnecessary. Just make sure the facings are securely attached to the framework (don't use glue only).

Joe


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## Ryan_R (Aug 20, 2014)

Thanks, Bill!

Indeed, I'm not digging that the weight is being carried by the fasteners in "shear". I figured since the design was posted here, it had been vetted by the community. Thanks for confirming some of my worries!

I'm thinking of building a "frame within a frame" for the top and bottom, with the verticals sandwiched in between the "frames" then using a screw and nut to hold the verticals in place. Shouldn't cost much more, and that leaves room for a little more slop in the build.

Thanks!

-Ryan


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## Ryan_R (Aug 20, 2014)

Thanks, Joe!

Glass tanks here. Any need to put foam underneath?

-Ryan


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## joescaper1 (Feb 14, 2013)

Where you have unevenness in the frame foam will allow the edges to remain straight. The foam over any high points on the frame will compress more, low spots will compress less. This keeps the forces exerted on the bottom frame relatively equal and prevent the tank from twisting. It will not level your tank, so make sure the stand is level before placing the foam and setting your tank.

Joe


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Assuming that design, dumped by the originators, has been vetted and is safe to use is like assuming you can jump in front of a train because you saw Larry, Curley, and Moe do it.

In creating the calculation program, which allowed you to plug your own dimensions in and come up with a materials list and cuts for all the boards, the stand somehow got incompletely turned on its side.

Wood is a terrible material to suspend by screws. It works much better stacked. The verticals should be on top of the base and the shelf should be on top of the verticals.

To avoid this, and to avoid the bowing and twisting common to pine lumber, GARF has a stand design now that uses 3/4 inch plywood laminated together under pressure to create "two by's". Don't use pressboard. It will swell sooner or later.

Foam can keep unseen gravel bits from causing pressure points. It will compress more on some corners to alleviate stress when the tank and stand are not both flat. But it does not cure that stress completely. I use a bit of foam in the corners, but only after first leveling the stand and making sure there is no rocking or unsupported corners on the tank and stand first. You can sand or plane high spots before the tank is varnished.


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## Ryan_R (Aug 20, 2014)

Mcdaphnia said:


> Assuming that design, dumped by the originators, has been vetted and is safe to use is like assuming you can jump in front of a train because you saw Larry, Curley, and Moe do it.
> 
> In creating the calculation program, which allowed you to plug your own dimensions in and come up with a materials list and cuts for all the boards, the stand somehow got incompletely turned on its side.
> 
> ...


Thanks! Pine lumber around here is a bit iffy.

I'm going to look into this. The GARF site is pretty neat (http://www.garf.org/calculators/BuildLargeStand_2.asp). Doesn't look like the cut list is matching the way the stand is going together.

The rub is finding good plywood in SE Ohio.

-Ryan


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Before trusting one of these calculators, I would double check its approximation of reality. either by drawing it all out to scale, sketching it on graph paper, or making a foam board model.

I'm surprised it's hard to find good plywood in SE Ohio.  All those trees... Maybe ask the cooks at the OU campus cafeterias. If I remember right, some of the food seemed to be made from plywood, or was it cardboard?


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## Ryan_R (Aug 20, 2014)

Mcdaphnia said:


> Before trusting one of these calculators, I would double check its approximation of reality. either by drawing it all out to scale, sketching it on graph paper, or making a foam board model.
> 
> I'm surprised it's hard to find good plywood in SE Ohio.  All those trees... Maybe ask the cooks at the OU campus cafeterias. If I remember right, some of the food seemed to be made from plywood, or was it cardboard?


Indeed! Definitely plan to cross my 'T's' and dot the 'I's' before doing this. We've got a lumber yard in Nelsonville, I bet I can get them to even cut some plywood. Lowe's is pretty frightening with their offerings.

OU dining hall food is smelling pretty good when I walk around on campus ,lately! Universities are being marketed like vacation resorts these days! 

Thanks again!

-Ryan


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## Zzzz (Aug 26, 2013)

I used this thread and built the same setup for a 75g (currently holding a 90g):
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1169964

I used pine 2x4's (not pressure treated), and 1/4" oak plywood for the skin. It was tough finding good 2x4's (shopping at Lowes and Home Depot). I spent a lot of time laying each 2x4 on all four sides, checking how straight it was compared to the floor (no guarantee the floor in HD and Lowes was flat). Then once I found enough acceptable pieces, I went home and spend a lot of time again, laying each one on the tank frame to check for maximum contact. It's a time consuming ordeal, but I like how my stand turned out.

Also in case you don't know yet, a 2x4 is really 1.5"x3.5".


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## atreis (Jan 15, 2013)

Pine untreated lumber is fine. I used a combination of 1/4" and 1/2" oak for the skin, and bought pre-made cabinet doors from Ikea.

In terms of the design, I'd put the 2x4 verticals between the top and bottom frames, not attached to them through the sides. It does appear the weight would be carried by them, and not necessarily the fasteners (as the verticals are full height) assuming they lined up with the top and bottom of the frames perfectly (ugh). There are pressure points where those verticals hit whatever is put on top between the aquarium and them and the floor underneath. By cutting them shorter and putting them between the frames (use galvanized steel straps to hold them in position) the full frame becomes load-bearing, and helps to distribute the weight better.

Really jealous that you're close enough to Nelsonville to get good wood directly! (I bought mine at Lowe's.) I also love Hocking County. Have fun!


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## Ryan_R (Aug 20, 2014)

Thanks all!

Alas, I may just be buying a stand after all. It pains me a bit (as I'm an avid DIY'er with old Volvo's), but the timing (I've been swamped with work lately and the Paretroplus are growing!) and costs for tools (I have mechanical tools up the wazoo, but zero carpentry tools) may negate the cost savings. Our LFS has scary good prices, and gets me pretty sweet deals on top of it, so the cost to buy is reasonable.

That said, I'm itching to build a stand since researching this, so the great info in this thread will not go to waste. My wife has green lighted some future tanks, so I'll get a chance to experiment with some smaller stuff this spring once some time opens up.

Thanks again!
-Ryan


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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

BillD said:


> The first problem I see with that design is that the weight is carried by the fasteners. Unless, the drawing is missing a few pieces, it doesn't show verticals directly under the top frame.


To me it looks like the weight is not actually carried by the fasteners; but rather by the 3/4" plywood skin.

The strength of plywood on edge is pretty darn good, but I don't know if I would be entirely comfortable with it on a tank that size. A 55g, sure. A 125g? Not so much.

I'd probably do as has already been suggested and insure that 2x4 verticals were added in the corners and center (on both front & back).


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Are you incorporating the 40g into the stand?
I used plywood for my 75g+2x10g stand.


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## dsiple3 (Mar 4, 2014)

Ryan_R said:


> Alas, I may just be buying a stand after all. It pains me a bit (as I'm an avid DIY'er with old Volvo's), but the timing (I've been swamped with work lately and the Paretroplus are growing!) and costs for tools (I have mechanical tools up the wazoo, but zero carpentry tools) may negate the cost savings. Our LFS has scary good prices, and gets me pretty sweet deals on top of it, so the cost to buy is reasonable.


I was sort of in the same boat. No proper tools to build my stand. You can look at the thread in my signature to see my build. I ended up having to buy a jigsaw (because I wanted to), a drill bit, and cheap mitre box and saw. I had hammers and drill with bits. HD did the long cuts on the 3/4" plywood and all the 2x4s and 2x8s for the actual frame. Cost for me on the stand alone was right around 300-400. The canopy and molding started to skyrocket my dollar costs. In the end, I looked at equivalent stands in the area and I spent about 1/5 or more of the cost I would have paid already built.


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