Finish ideas for an aquarium stand...

[Ryan Sparreboom]

I am currently building an aquarium stand for a large (150 gallon) tank for a friend. The wood is 3/4 oak ply and solid oak trim work.
Looking for some suggestions on a finish to protect against wear and tear and water damage.

I was thinking of using this, I've used it before and it works great.
http://shop2.aol.ca/shop/product--catId_1001247__locale_en__productId_3296898.html

Thoughts, ideas?

[Dennis Peacock]

Ryan,

I've built, finished, and used a few aquarium stands in my days. The finish I finally settled with was a Marine Spar Varnish. The only other finish I found that would work any better than the MSV? A commercial Epoxy paint. Due to cost and more complicated application, I stuck with the MSV.

150 gallon tank..!! Wow!!! Just think of the filter cost for that baby as well as the weekly water change out.....10% change out per week, that's changing out 15 gallons every week...and I thought changing out water in my 55 gallon was bad enough. ;)

[Joe Chritz]

Any decent finish will do fine for an aquarium stand. The stand itself should get no more water than kitchen cabs or other kitchen woodwork. If the stand is wet all the time you have bigger problems.

I would most likely go with Target USL or a wipe on varnish like waterlox.

I would use whatever you normally would use and it should be fine.

Make sure it is properly braced for load and lateral forces. A 150 gallon will weigh in at a lot. Almost 1250 pound just for the water the tank will add a bit more.

Joe

[Ryan Sparreboom]

Thanks guys. I'll check out the MSV but may stick with that oudoor poly I've used before. An aquarium stand will almost definitely get more water on it than kitchen cabinets. It doesn't have a counter top on it, so water will go directly on it at water changes and with fish splashing etc. The stand will be build more than well enough to hold the 2000 lbs the full tank will weigh. (1250 would be just water, the glass alone weighs about 300lbs, not to mention, gravel, rocks, and other decor). VERY heavy.

The top of the stand will be supported by 4 octoganal pillars in the corners and a wider, elongated octagonal cupboard in the middle. Probably even overkill. These is no way in hell it will possibly move laterally.

Dennis, 10% water change a week is nothing. I also have a 55gallon and I take out 15 gallons every week AT LEAST. in a 150 gallon, he should be replacing about 50 gallons every week. So there will be some spillage. I will also be running a silicone bead on all the joints after it's finished so nothing can get between the ply's.

[Steve Schoene]

I'd use a good oil based varnish, but not a marine spar varnish. The special properties of marine spar are that it is quite flexible (consequently relatively soft), and in particular that it has good resistance to UV light. It is not more waterproof.

I'd use something like Behlen Rockhard. The short oil tung/phenolic resin will be excellent at resisting water. Waterlox Gloss or Satin would also be a good choice, also tung/phenolic varnishes.

[Ryan Sparreboom]

O.K thanks.
The oak I'm using has some really nice grain pattern and ray fleck. I don't want to loose that. The owner wants it stained a dark reddish/brown color.
What finishing schedule would you suggest? I don't have the equip. to spray, so wipe on or brush on ideas that will hold up to water please.
I was thinking some BLO, then stain, then poly? I'm pretty amatuer at finishing so bare with me.
Thanks alot.

[Steve Schoene]

Getting it a dark color will be well neigh impossible without starting with a dye. Stains with pigment or dye and pigment will greatly emphasize the grain in oak, but not make the wood in between very dark at all, unless you sand it fairly coarse--say 120 grit--so the pigment has something to lodge into. But, that starts to get cloudy. You can't make a stain darker by just not wiping off the excess thoroughly, that leaves a very weak "paint" that isn't a good base for top coats over it.

I'd suggest you start with a water soluble dye powder that you mix to a shade a hair lighter than you want the over all look. Then lightly seal this with dewaxed shellac. Then apply your dark pigmented stain. It should be darker than the background dye colors so that it brings out the grain and flake. After giving this plenty of time to cure, you can apply varnish as your top coat. The Behlen Rockhard or Waterlox varnishes I mentioned above would be excellent choices.