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DIY plywood aquarium stand for 55g

10K views 15 replies 7 participants last post by  Streetwise 
#1 · (Edited)
Here's the plywood aquarium stand that I'm building for my 55g. The design is my own, based on several other stands that I had seen. I've built some cabinets before when I used to work for a local carpentry company. Originally I picked up a rabbeting bit to frame it with rabbeted edges, but I decided to just do butt joints with 16g finish nails and glue, and some extra plywood to support the corners. There are a few pocket joined corners as well, you'll see in the pictures. Next cabinet I make I'll try out the rabbeting bit.

The entire stand is made 3/4" of maple veneer plywood, except for the doors which will use some 1/4" for the middle paneling. It took about 1.5 4'x8' sheets. I've finished the stand, but haven't made the doors yet.

Total price was about $50 per 3/4" sheet at Lowes, $25 for the 1/4" sheet, and then another $25 for the cabinet hinges, plus glue, nails, pocket screws, and finish.

Tools used were a skil saw, table saw, miter saw, finish nailer, clamps, orbital sander, drill, and a pocket screw jig.

Enough writing, here are some pictures! I'll snap a few more as it looks now, I just need to clean it up. These are from a month ago. I still need to make the doors, and I think I'd like to make a matching hood as well when I have the time.




 
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#7 ·
It's still unfinished, that's just the maple unstained maple veneer the plywood has. I usually prefer finishes that leave most of the natural color of the wood. I've used tung oil and linseed oil on projects in the past and like the results of both. I'm going to try testing a few spots on some of the scraps I have and see what I like better. I'll post more pictures once it's finished.

Looks great! Are we seeing the front or the back? I assume thats the back, and you're not going with any doors on front to use that void for storage?
All shots are from the front, and you are seeing the back panel from the inside.

From the "king of overbuilding".. me..
Personally, I'd add 2x2" in each inside corner to transfer pressure to the bottom ledger..

I'm pretty sure its strong enough as is but the 2 things "I" worry about is downward force on the top cross piece and any flex.
Doesn't need to break to flex enough to strain the tank glass..

No idea on how much flex is in the plywood front cross piece and it's glue and the 2 pocket screws though so there is that..

Full spanplywood sides/back aren't an issue..


Besides adding the 2x2's gives more room for hinges ect,,
Of course I'd probably also do a center column..

My 55 stand is a lot like that design except for more of a supporting face frame on the front..
That's how the manuf made it.. Won't tell you what I did to make it up to my.. err.. "standards"
It actually folds up ..or did. ;)
The above pics are before I added the face frame, I did add a face frame that does support the top sheet of plywood, as well as adding additional strips of plywood on the inside for additional support. See the pictures below. I would have been worried about the span as well. While I think the face frame was a good idea, the additional inside plywood strips probably weren't necessary, but I tend to overbuild as well.

I'm kinda on jeff's train today. The span of plywood across the front is my only concern. Certainly does look better than my 2x4 stand I made for my 55g! Excited to see the doors. Staining or painting? I love a good stained stand.
I'm excited to see the doors as well! Hopefully I'll have time come the beginning of January to finish and install them. I'm going to stain, I wouldn't have bothered to get such nice looking (and expensive!) plywood if I was just going to paint it :grin2: I also prefer the all wood look to painted, generally.
 
#3 ·
Looks great! Are we seeing the front or the back? I assume thats the back, and you're not going with any doors on front to use that void for storage?
 
#4 ·
From the "king of overbuilding".. me..
Personally, I'd add 2x2" in each inside corner to transfer pressure to the bottom ledger..

I'm pretty sure its strong enough as is but the 2 things "I" worry about is downward force on the top cross piece and any flex.
Doesn't need to break to flex enough to strain the tank glass..

No idea on how much flex is in the plywood front cross piece and it's glue and the 2 pocket screws though so there is that..

Full spanplywood sides/back aren't an issue..


Besides adding the 2x2's gives more room for hinges ect,,
Of course I'd probably also do a center column..

My 55 stand is a lot like that design except for more of a supporting face frame on the front..
That's how the manuf made it.. Won't tell you what I did to make it up to my.. err.. "standards"
It actually folds up ..or did. ;)
 
#6 · (Edited)
It's been years since I really looked at the 55 stand and most of my "mods"were to prevent racking..


Anyways point is the back uses about the same "style" w/ 3" 3/4 plywood spanner.
Only difference is the piece is slotted into the side panels w/ pockets..so still no shear forces on the attachment of the piece, just downward pressure on the side panels..


Example of how complicated the question is:
https://www.boatdesign.net/threads/bending-strength-of-edge-loaded-plywood.54809/

 
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#9 ·
Ah my mistake, I thought you had added finish off camera so to speak.

I would want a waterproof finish you don't need to touch up years down the road. My concern being long-term contact with moisture causing delamination. You might seriously consider either poly or paint.
 
#11 ·
In my experience, a sufficient number of coats of 100% tung oil holds up well to occasional light to moderate water contact, though sometimes I may need to recoat it. I like the way tung oil looks on wood better than poly, so for the outside I'll probably go with tung oil, with poly on the inside and other areas that have a higher chance of water contact and/or are less visible. I've never tried it on an aquarium stand before though, so we'll see how it goes!

Coating the interior with appliance epoxy may prove to be worth while! I did that personally and enjoyed it quite a bit. Not sure if it would have help up any better than an exterior stain, but it held up to a lot of moisture while I had it.
Interesting idea! I may have to try that at some point in the future.
 
#13 ·
This stand has taken a life of it's own. It looks professionally done. I hope you get to use it in 2020. Let's get her done!
 
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#16 ·
Any way to get on the water is good! I do sailboat racing, and Streetwise is the name of my boat, a Viper 640: https://www.viper640.org

I just did a little web math and figured out that my boat weighs the about the same as a 90 gallon aquarium.

Anyway, back on topic, that stand looks really nice!

Cheers
 
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