Just built a stand for my new 40g breeder and I’m now staring at it like… how do I make this look less like I panic-assembled it?
For context, my woodworking skill level is “motivated beginner with aquarium tunnel vision.” I rushed this thing purely because I wanted to set up the tank, which I enjoy significantly more than measuring twice.
I’d love to enclose the bottom for storage, partly for equipment, mostly to stop my kids from claiming it as their new fort. Rustic is the goal, but also conveniently matches my current skill ceiling.
Open to ideas before I accidentally make it worse.
Posted by Hot_Sandwich_4454
13 Comments
Maybe post this in r/woodworking and see if they can give you some advice.
I did a very similar build for my 40. What I did was I made front/side panels out of cabinet grade plywood, stained and finished them, and mounted them to my stand by using construction adhesive to flush-mount magnets into the stand, and construction staples to mount some thin gauge steel plates to the panels themselves. No visible hardware, easily removed to access everything under the stand.
look up some sanding and some staining videos. personally I would add some shelves in using blocks of wood running from back to front, to hold it up. Add a door and call it a day
Paint
Put a plank in front and paint it
More shiba inu!
I made a similar work table that is quite presentable thanks to spackle, sanding, painting and sealing.
LOTS is spackle and sanding. More sanding that you think is possible. But it looks good 🙂
When I built mine for my 55gal I basically made an inner frame like that and then enclosed it in poplar. I feel like it was pretty easy but not sure how confident you are in your woodworking skills. [https://www.reddit.com/r/woodworking/comments/ivw4jb/built_my_first_real_piece_of_furniture_a_stand/](https://www.reddit.com/r/woodworking/comments/ivw4jb/built_my_first_real_piece_of_furniture_a_stand/)
Fill the gaps and the screw holes, sand it, paint it
hmm… sand and paint it? RN it looks just unfinished… because, well… it’s unfinished…
My woodworking skills are also very middling. I made this “rustic” style plant stand out of 2 x 4. If this anesthetic is something you like to do, I’d be happy to explain the “process” (it’s super easy).
https://preview.redd.it/y2v94p7zewhg1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b056b91b659be5405460532f073bdaee461c59f3
Edit: i should note this does require a sawzall
I bought a black curtain and wrapped it around my tank stand. You can probably find something similar. Just make sure to have a plastic cover on top, helps prevent water from getting into the cloth.
The table or the dog??
For the table stain it.
For the dog a collar?