Sub floors & preparing for your new aquarium
- Thread starter Frankie
- Start date
:LOL:
I know some people who think that engineers and architects are a TOTAL waste of money. And they ARE until you need one and then they are Priceless! I see them save home owners the price of their fees MANY times over every week!!
Allen
WOW! You guys really attacked this thread while i was out working!
I see AL gave some great info and Doni some awesome spam. I will need some time to look it all over so I get it all in. I have done some home work myself with the APA (American Plywood Association) and will be bringing in there info also. I will have a lot to say soon and thank all of you for the awesome attention you have given this important topic.
I see AL gave some great info and Doni some awesome spam.
I will need some time to look it all over so I get it all in. I have done some home work myself with the APA (American Plywood Association) and will be bringing in there info also. I will have a lot to say soon and thank all of you for the awesome attention you have given this important topic.
LOL i got scared my thread got kicked. Someone moved it to DIY from off topic (Doni im sure). Well its late and i have a ton of reading to do. Thanks everyone. I see Al is going to be an awesome contributor to this thread considering what he dose for a living.
I am pressed for time tonight and really want to read it all before i start answering questions. I want to answer Doni's first since she asked first. I saw that Stigore solved his troubles by having removable shelve to check on the wood framing over time. Good idea Stilgore. I am sure it will rot out over time from wicking up water from the concrete like Al said, but i have some ways you can fix that from happening also with chemicals. Or at least slow it down a ton. I will get into that in time here also. please be patient and this can be an awesome thread. I am sorry i didn't start it on the weekend when i have more time. It is what it is. Off to read!
I am pressed for time tonight and really want to read it all before i start answering questions. I want to answer Doni's first since she asked first. I saw that Stigore solved his troubles by having removable shelve to check on the wood framing over time. Good idea Stilgore. I am sure it will rot out over time from wicking up water from the concrete like Al said, but i have some ways you can fix that from happening also with chemicals. Or at least slow it down a ton. I will get into that in time here also. please be patient and this can be an awesome thread. I am sorry i didn't start it on the weekend when i have more time. It is what it is. Off to read!
cioutlaw
Well-Known Member
Great topic & perfect timing...I am getting ready to upgrade tanks to a 225gallon & the tank will sit where the current 120G sits which is on a carpeted concrete slab. The plan was to replace the carpeted area where the tank is with ceramic tile that matches our kitchen that is connected but elevated & on a crawlspace. Tile is discontinued & the wife has decided she wants hard wood in this room. Do you guys see a problem with putting a tank this size on hardwood above concrete? Any advise is appreciated. Also I would apreciate any advice on my stand building/hacking job . http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/reef-chronicles/19536-cioutlaws-225-gallon.html
. http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/reef-chronicles/19536-cioutlaws-225-gallon.html
The first thing i would check for is how level the concrete is and make the correct adjustments. If you are planning for wood over concrete I would rule out a floating floor. They need to float and an aquarium will prevent this from happening. Floating floors need to move a lot for contracting and expansion. If you put a tank that large on it, it could cause the floor to buckle.
Now a glue down laminate true wood floor would be great. This is an engineered floor made up of 7 layers just like plywood. The woods used are hard woods. very durable. Manninton makes an awesome glue down floor. The finishes are very strong and resistant to water. You can check out there web site for info.
Now a glue down laminate true wood floor would be great. This is an engineered floor made up of 7 layers just like plywood. The woods used are hard woods. very durable. Manninton makes an awesome glue down floor. The finishes are very strong and resistant to water. You can check out there web site for info.
Excellent suggestions Frankie! The floating floor would be very bad in this instance but I would bet you many "remodelers" would suggest and even install that product here. It seems that anytime someone mentions hardwood and concrete in the same sentence they say "Floating floor". I think this comes from media hype and the Floating Floor commercials on all of the DIY channels. The engineered hardwood is hands down a much superior product in every respect and ESPECIALLY in this one. These floors are very strong and durable and can be refinished several times if need be.
cioutlaw your stand it looking SHARP!! I'm tracking your build closely as I HOPE to be following in your footsteps ONE day!!
Allen
cioutlaw your stand it looking SHARP!! I'm tracking your build closely as I HOPE to be following in your footsteps ONE day!!
Allen
cioutlaw
Well-Known Member
One look at the pad that goes under the Pergo floors & I said no way. What should go between the "engineered hardwood" & concrete? I looked at Lowes the other night & from what I could tell they just put some black sheeting..vapor barrier maybe? Does this stuff just lay or does it need glued?
No under lament with a glue down. You will want to use a good glue for a engineered floor like Bostik's best.Lumber Liquidators: Bostik Best Adhesive
I am having a hard time getting a straight answer or finding someone that can help me figure out how much weight my current floor can support. I also want to know the most cost effective way to make it more then strong enough to support my new monster of a tank soon to be installed.
The floor of the room it is going in uses 2X10's spaced 16 inches apart.
The tank will be 10- feet long. The first two 2x10's are doubled up. Also the last one the tank will rest on is doubled up.
The tank will cross them.
The tank will be dead in the middle of the room and be about 38 inches wide. The span of the 2X10's is 15.5 feet.
I have a filter room built under this that cuts the span down some but it is made with metal 2X4's and I am told that will not help at all.
I am thinking of getting a couple posts with an I beam for under the tank. I dont want to guess at this though.
The new tank full will weight about six thousand pounds
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
Ted
The floor of the room it is going in uses 2X10's spaced 16 inches apart.
The tank will be 10- feet long. The first two 2x10's are doubled up. Also the last one the tank will rest on is doubled up.
The tank will cross them.
The tank will be dead in the middle of the room and be about 38 inches wide. The span of the 2X10's is 15.5 feet.
I have a filter room built under this that cuts the span down some but it is made with metal 2X4's and I am told that will not help at all.
I am thinking of getting a couple posts with an I beam for under the tank. I dont want to guess at this though.
The new tank full will weight about six thousand pounds
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
Ted
Canar, are the 2x10's on hangers or are the sitting on a wall? If on a wall you should be ok with the weight. The big problem i see happening is sagging in the middle of the room. If it was mine i would put the beams in the center of the room below. And is that lower room on a slab or over a basement? 2x10's on 16 center can hold a lot of weight. It really comes down to how there installed and what lies beneath. I would get a structural engineer to come sign off on this one just to be safe. Its hard to tell with out looking at your situation.
The room below the tank is the basement.
The 2X10's are sitting on a wall on one side and on cement foundation on the other.
I think when I figure it out there would be about 750 pounds per 2X10
That is taking the 6k weight and dividing it by the number of 2X10's it sits on.
I thought about just adding an I beam in the middle of the room with a couple posts. Someone told me if I did that I would be putting all 6k pounds on the two posts and could punch holes in the cement.
Ted
The 2X10's are sitting on a wall on one side and on cement foundation on the other.
I think when I figure it out there would be about 750 pounds per 2X10
That is taking the 6k weight and dividing it by the number of 2X10's it sits on.
I thought about just adding an I beam in the middle of the room with a couple posts. Someone told me if I did that I would be putting all 6k pounds on the two posts and could punch holes in the cement.
Ted