diy stand
- Thread starter regius34
- Start date
Some screws are supposed to be rust resistant and are used for making decks and such.
I'd prefer screws in a tank stand personally.
You can always paint the stand with a marine paint (water resistant) and/or put silicone over the screw heads to help avoid rust.
HTH
I'd prefer screws in a tank stand personally.
You can always paint the stand with a marine paint (water resistant) and/or put silicone over the screw heads to help avoid rust.
HTH
I just got done doing the same thing. I just finished my 5th diy stand and ever since the first one I have been using decking screws. I have ended up with a little bit of rust, but I found that if you just buy a plug kit from your local home improvement center you can hide the screws all together and then who cares if they rust. Plus I don't think that once they are completly enclosed in wood that the saltwater can get to them and cause the rusting. Not only does this get rid of the rust problem but it looks a lot better. Don't forget to glue every joint. Pine 2x4s don't have a very tight grain and the screws can slip out over time with the vibrations of the pumps and everything else. I have never had this happen on a stand but I have seen it before.
Coming from a construction/carpentry point of view here's my $.02:
- Deck screws are best, stainless steel also good.... avoid sheetrock screws though! You could also use bolts but this is overkill.
- To seal the screws, you could also plug the holes with silicone
- When getting yor 2x4's or 2x6's buy the straightest ones possible. There's also a higher grade of 2x4 you can buy that is straighter, has less knots, and has sharper corners. This is preferred for stand construction.
- Before you wrap your frame with plywood, seal it with a polyurathane or equavalent. This will protect it from the constant humidity..
- For glue, Liquid Nails works good. But, Gorilla Glue is better (Home Depot, Lowes carries it). This stuff is wicked strong. Make sure you glue your joints.
Kevin
- Deck screws are best, stainless steel also good.... avoid sheetrock screws though! You could also use bolts but this is overkill.
- To seal the screws, you could also plug the holes with silicone
- When getting yor 2x4's or 2x6's buy the straightest ones possible. There's also a higher grade of 2x4 you can buy that is straighter, has less knots, and has sharper corners. This is preferred for stand construction.
- Before you wrap your frame with plywood, seal it with a polyurathane or equavalent. This will protect it from the constant humidity..
- For glue, Liquid Nails works good. But, Gorilla Glue is better (Home Depot, Lowes carries it). This stuff is wicked strong. Make sure you glue your joints.
Kevin
If your joints are tight and you glue them it will make little difference if you use nails or screws. Your glue joint will be carrying your weight.
However, you will find it significantly easier to tighten up your joints if you use screws.
If you don't glue your joints your nails or screws are directly carrying any weight that must be transferred through the joint. Nails will work in some stand designs. However, I would not recommend them since screws have significantly greater holding power and are available in more corrosion resistant versions. Drywall screws are not designed to take much force. They will fail. Failure will likely mean tank water (sand, fish, etc) on the floor. I would rather not talk about how I know this
. Deck or construction screws are much better than drywall screws. They will rust even if coated it is just a question of how long it will take. The best coated screw will last as long as Stainless Steel. Stainless steel screws are the strongest and most resistant to rusting. Most are made from 404 Stainless Steel (it is easier to form), which is less rust resistant than say 304 stainless. Stainless also become brittle with long-term salt exposure. In a stand this is likely to be because of salt creep on the head of the screw or in an ill-fitted joint. Painting over the screws (or in some other way of sealing the screws) is the best way to minimize the rusting(and enbrittlement) of the screws.
However, you will find it significantly easier to tighten up your joints if you use screws.
If you don't glue your joints your nails or screws are directly carrying any weight that must be transferred through the joint. Nails will work in some stand designs. However, I would not recommend them since screws have significantly greater holding power and are available in more corrosion resistant versions. Drywall screws are not designed to take much force. They will fail. Failure will likely mean tank water (sand, fish, etc) on the floor. I would rather not talk about how I know this
. Deck or construction screws are much better than drywall screws. They will rust even if coated it is just a question of how long it will take. The best coated screw will last as long as Stainless Steel. Stainless steel screws are the strongest and most resistant to rusting. Most are made from 404 Stainless Steel (it is easier to form), which is less rust resistant than say 304 stainless. Stainless also become brittle with long-term salt exposure. In a stand this is likely to be because of salt creep on the head of the screw or in an ill-fitted joint. Painting over the screws (or in some other way of sealing the screws) is the best way to minimize the rusting(and enbrittlement) of the screws.I agree with the last comment regarding the importance of glue. All the joints should be glued. I typically use the heavy/all weather version of liquid nails.
I also typically use sheetrock screws. Although they are not as strong as deck screws, their main function is to tightly clamp the joint together until the glue drys. Countersink the screws and fill with joint compound.
Once the stand is finished, I seal the inside with a good waterproof primer, then paint it with an oil-based paint to protect it from water damage. I also use silicone to seal the every interior joint in the lower part of the stand to prevent water from creeping into the joint.
I also typically use sheetrock screws. Although they are not as strong as deck screws, their main function is to tightly clamp the joint together until the glue drys. Countersink the screws and fill with joint compound.
Once the stand is finished, I seal the inside with a good waterproof primer, then paint it with an oil-based paint to protect it from water damage. I also use silicone to seal the every interior joint in the lower part of the stand to prevent water from creeping into the joint.
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