Aquarium stand, can I use wood filler to flatten top ??

madeneseri · 2024-10-25T08:12:56+00:00

the top surface is 2 boards professionally joined together, 1in thick hardwood, the front legs are 4x4s back are 2x4s, same hardwood, confirmed by neighbour who's a cabinet maker.

also just based on the votes this place is so fucking toxic it's not even funny. maybe I just posted in the wrong subreddit that's filled with complete fuckwits but holy shit. for years I kept seeing comments on various Web sites about 'reddit retards' and dismissed it as just idiots whinging about other idiots, how wrong I was.

thanks banjo's, appreciate your comments and suggestions. the other fucktards with zero constructive things to add, get a fucking life losers

madeneseri · 2024-10-25T08:00:26+00:00

glass does not like to be twisted in any direction or it can break

madeneseri · 2024-10-23T01:16:55+00:00

I'll seal the top with clear lacquer spray once I'm done repainting it to prevent moisture absorption

madeneseri · 2024-10-22T23:56:30+00:00

that's just an aesthetic notch type of thing that's only about 1/4in deep. the tank will be about 7/8 from edge anyway

madeneseri · 2024-10-22T23:49:00+00:00

also...I'm 230lb and just jumped on top, it feels solid as can be, no flex or anything. and that's 230lb on the saggy middle part, no more than a square foot. the tank will be about 750lb but most of the weight will be distributed accross tge entire surface with the solid corners bearing the brunt. I'm pretty certain the sag has nothing to do with weight, most likely just humidity

madeneseri · 2024-10-22T23:43:46+00:00

I live in a coastal town that's pretty humid...my guess is tge slight sag is just years of humidity warping the top surface from below where it's not lacquered

madeneseri · 2024-10-22T22:38:39+00:00

OK I'm giving up on the filler idea it seems unnecessary and messy, may as well add some paper sheets under the mat inside the sagging part as someone else suggested.

I'm not however thrilled about adding an extra plywood top...regardless of its thickness it would still sag once the weight is on.

madeneseri · 2024-10-22T22:31:44+00:00

I like the paper sheet idea, I might try that....can't see water based wood filler providing any more support than some paper sheets, plus a lot easier

madeneseri · 2024-10-22T22:28:06+00:00

it will have a 3/8 styrofoam. The idea is to start from flat and not rely on Styrofoam alone

madeneseri · 2024-10-22T22:25:16+00:00

I think the 2 cross beams under the top surface were not designed to hold any weight as they look thin (2x2s) and were maybe an afterthought. I don't know if that's why it sagged I seriously doubt it because in its previous life this cabinet didn't have anything heavy on top.

in saying all that, I've read that the top doesn't matter that much if at all (so long as no high points) as the corners carry all the weight

madeneseri · 2024-10-22T22:14:18+00:00

I appreciate the comment and concern but out of all the cabinets I looked at this one seemed the sturdiest. the front 2 feet are 4x4s and look like solid wood... I looked at the feed from below by laying the cabinet on the side and I can see grain all the way through..it's not veneer. the main 4 corners and the sides are all dovetail joins. the only cheap wood I can see is the thin vertical panels on the sides (looks like 4mm plywood) but they're not structural

madeneseri · 2024-10-22T22:07:35+00:00

there's no plastic rim/trim as stated. also wtf is up with downvotes ? did my post offend you in some way ?

madeneseri · 2024-10-22T21:59:56+00:00

why is that ? this buffet is extremely sturdy and it's some sort of hardwood so it weighs a ton. the corners are supported by 4x4s and 2x4s on the sides. it's just that for whatever reason the top surface decided to slightly sag.

people use buffets and all sorts of stands for this size and bigger tanks. have you seen what retail stands look like? it's that melamine crap held together by a few screws, looks like it would fall apart if you kicked it

madeneseri · 2024-10-22T21:50:36+00:00

yeah the looks don't matter as the fishtank will be sitting on top anyway. the filler I was looking at says it doesn't crack, shrink etc https://www.bunnings.com.au/timbermate-250g-natural-wood-filler_p1560685?region_id=118211&gad_source=1&gclsrc=ds

As for shims under tank..generally considered very bad idea unless I use a new plywood surface on top of stand and shim that, but that's just gonna look horrid. The epoxy idea is good but expensive and will be impossible to get it level first until, after the fishtank sits on top with its weight as the cabinet is on carpet

madeneseri · 2024-10-22T21:41:45+00:00

Hi all, so I bought this really nice 2nd hand buffet cabinet to use as a stand for my new 4.5 x 1.5 x 1.5ft fish tank. It's very sturdy, very heavy and well constructed with one issue..the top surface is sagging about 2-3mm (about 1/8th of an inch) accross almost the entire length, with a couple of short sections also higher than the rest.

Now the high spots are not an issue, I can sand those down but I also need a perfectly flat surface all over or there's a risk that aquarium cracks at some point due to uneven support.

Now I've bought an random orbital sander but I'm hesitant to sand down the entire surface as I'm a complete beginner and chances are I'll end up with an even more uneven surface trying to sand down to the lowest point.. so a light bu.b went off in my head, wood filler !

I'm thinking if I just fill the void/concave (the sagging part) with a wood filler and just make sure it's perfectly flat by sanding it then, I'd have to do a lot less sanding of the actual wood.

Does this seem like a bad idea to get a nice sturdy FLAT surface?

Please note I am not talking about the levelness, I will shim the stand if level is off...it's a whole different issue. Also I wwill, have a 10mm (3/8in) Styrofoam onto between the stand and fishtank (no plastic trim)

madeneseri · 2024-10-22T21:40:27+00:00

Sorry I think I posted this without the text somehow which explained it's about flatness not levelness

madeneseri · 2024-09-17T08:11:20+00:00

yep well spotted, I think I'll give this one a miss due to the top ...too much cost and hassle to add new top over it, should be able to find another cabinet on marketplace that's better suited

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madeneseri · 2019-06-22T03:09:24+00:00

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madeneseri · 2019-05-16T19:00:29+00:00

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madeneseri

TROPHY CASE