Here are 11 easy steps to build a fish tank out of wood at home. These stands are durable and look good with the fish tank.
How to Build a Fish Tank Stand Out of Wood? You can make your own DIY wooden fish tank stand by selecting appropriate material and proper construction. Making it on your own reduces the cost, and you can make it according to your desired style and design. It takes around 2 to 3 days to build a fish tank stand out of wood at home.
It provides support to the tank and raises the tank in terms of both height and aesthetic.
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How to Build a Fish Tank Stand Out of Wood?
These aquarium stands are an integral part of the aquarium setup, and you can not avoid them if you want an appropriate placement and safety of your fish tank.
It is preferable to place a fish tank on top of something instead of putting it on the floor. A stand can be in various shapes, sizes, and materials, and you can make your stand that suits the dimension and aesthetic of an aquarium.
Finding the right stand that complements the aquarium and has the appropriate size is often difficult. Building an aquarium stand yourself does not cost much, and you can design it as per your choice and need.
Type of wood for a fish tank stand
There is a variety of wood available in the market but choose the most suitable and reliable one for your aquarium.
The wood you are choosing should be hard and strong enough to hold the fish tank. Also, look for the best quality wood as you can not change the tank stand often. The most common types of wood for the aquarium stand are:
MDF or particleboard
It is the cheapest wood in the market, and you can make your stand out of this wood. It can not hold a saltwater tank because of high humidity due to the sump and results in the wrapping of material; it is also susceptible to water damage.
You can build a wooden stand for a freshwater aquarium using this wood, but you must know the proper painting and sealing. It is reasonable and looks good when you paint it correctly. It is used for both saltwater fish tanks and freshwater aquariums.
Plywood
Plywood is the best and standard wood for making a stand as it is the best quality wood. You can make your DIY stand out of this wood without worrying about its reliability. Plywood is strong and hardwood and is relatively resistant to water damage.
Plywood is more suitable due to its durability and sustainability, but it is usually a little more costly than MDF. You can also color it by staining and sealing and giving finishing of your choice. It helps to place a fish tank at home.
Solid wood
You can make your top-of-the-range tank cabinets using solid wood as it is stunning in look. You can stain and give the finishing of pine or oak to the solid wood. Solid wood is strong wood and is reliable but very expensive. The advantage of this wood is that it lasts long and comes in a wide variety.
Steps to build a wooden fish tank stand
Determine the dimensions of the stand
Ideally, the stand should be 3 feet in length so you can easily make shelves or cabinets inside. The dimensions of the top surface should correspond to your fish tank dimensions. Add an extra space of 1.3 cm to the width and length of the top surface of it.
Gather tools and equipment
To make a tank stand, you need to gathers tools like
- Drill
- circular saw
- screwdrivers
- Household iron
- pencil
- paintbrush
- sandpaper
- hammer
- safety glasses
- Wood glue
Plan and design
Before starting construction, you have to plan and make a design on a paper sheet, the exact style you want to make.
A simple and sleek design is much better than an over-enhanced and protruding one. Keeping in mind the tank dimension and the correct location for the stand, make a rough sketch of your tank stand.
Cut the wood pieces
Next, cut the large wood into sheets and pieces of the size you want with a circular saw. Be very careful while using such tools; do not harm yourself.
Make frame
After cutting the sheets and pieces, attach them with wood glue, and make a frame by drilling and adding screws. Carefully construct it according to the dimension you want and fix it properly to hold the aquarium weight. You can make a cement fish tank at home.
Add wood sheets
After constructing the frame, add a sheet to all the sides including, the top and bottom of the frame, and fix them with nails or screws; be careful while using a hammer. Also, add a sheet on the front side if you do not want to use it as a storage unit.
Drawers and cabinets
If you want to make storage space in your stand, make separate drawers and cabinet sections of the corresponding size. It comes out as dual-purpose-furniture, and you can store so many things in it including, fish food.
Add trims
It is not always necessary to add trims, but it helps make the furniture smooth and hides rough edges. Measure and cut it in pieces and fit these pieces to the corners, now attach around the corners of the stand with wood glue.
Sand all the areas and surface
Sanding is necessary to remove all the blemishes and roughness from it. Also, it makes the finish look good and helps in staining. Take fine-grit sandpaper and rub it on all the surfaces, corners, or edges.
Stain and paint
Use a good wood stain, and apply it to every bit of the stand with a brush; Better apply two coats and allow to dry completely. Stain the cabinet doors and drawers as well using the same stain and let it dry. After staining, apply at least one coat of desired color paint on it.
Add doors and drawers
The last step is to attach all the drawers and cabinet doors to the stand with hinges, and the tank stand is ready to place on the aquarium.
How to make a wooden fish tank stand last longer?
Once you build the stand, remember to take proper care to make it last longer.
Care for MDF and plywood
As the fish tank stand has shelves inside so wipe them every day to get rid of dirt and dust. Use a cloth and dip it in water; now clean every side and corner. After that, take a dry cloth and remove all the moisture from it to protect it from water damage.
Polish the outer sides after dusting and cleaning to add shine to the furniture. You can spray the polish on a clean cloth and wipe the entire surface; do not spray directly onto the stand.
Care for Solid wood stand
Remove all dirt and dust from a cloth and wipe out any water splash to prevent staining. You can not just wipe out the dust as you have to treat and varnish the stand every two weeks. It will protect the wood from drying out and makes it look good.
Do you really need a wooden fish tank stand?
Creates a focal point
When you place a fish tank on a stand that coordinates well with it, it creates a focal point and looks like a statement piece. The tank looks more attractive and visible due to the height, and the overall space brightens up.
Safety of aquarium
When you establish an aquarium with so much effort and expense, you want to keep it safe as much as possible. A wooden stand secures your aquarium by providing a separate surface to put it on. You do not have to worry about hit or knock while moving around.
Storage space
When you build a stand with storage cabinets and shelves, you can store all the cords, wires, fish food, and other maintenance supplies in it. It looks super organized and well-managed, and you can get rid of all mess.
Enables access for maintenance
It increases the access for maintenance to the tank as you can monitor the animals inside easily and notice any disturbance inside. You can also clearly see all the contamination and residues and better take care of the fish and plant health.
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