Tank on warped plywood?

Variant · Feb 11, 2019

I have a metal stand and got a piece of plywood to place between my tank and the metal stand. The plywood is warped front to back with a slight 'U' shape. I placed my empty tank on top of the plywood and it helped to push the plywood down but not enough.

Is this safe? I would think that the plywood would flatted out once I start adding in water to the tank and the weight on the plywood increases.

nereefpat · Feb 11, 2019

Is the tank rimmed or rimless?

Coralmaniac21 · Feb 11, 2019

What kind of tank... glass acrylic.. rimmed glass or rimless

Variant · Feb 11, 2019

Tank is glass, rimless with thin 1/8" reinforced bottom pannel

Coralmaniac21 · Feb 11, 2019

I get a flat layered peice of plywood from lowes and have them cut it for you... make sure its layered... its a bit pricey but layered is very flat

Musovski · Feb 11, 2019

Coralmaniac21 said:
I get a flat layered peice of plywood from lowes and have them cut it for you... make sure its layered... its a bit pricey but layered is very flat

that has nothing to do with it..... wood warps from anything. take it from me, i work for home depot. we left plywood outside in the cold and it began to warp.

Coralmaniac21 · Feb 11, 2019

Working at lowes or home depot means nothing lols... lol there are quality plywoods out there.... the cheap crap thats just shredded or nugget multched wood chips glued together warps easily... soooooo easily it can be in the store and just warp... its the cheap crap rhey use for walls and subfloors on houses...

layered plywood is high quality stuff.. and resists warping alot better... i garuntee if i walked in your store i could take that cheap crap and a layered leice side by side and find the layered is flush its also alot stronger...

Variant · Feb 11, 2019

I got my plywood from Lowes and got the most premium piece that money could buy when it comes to plywood there.

Now back to the question of whether warped wood is okay to use a buffer between the level metal stand and the tank... I would think that the warped wood is okay since the metal stand is level, the plywood doesn't have any noticeable issued with the surface itself and the wood may settle once the tank add on weight with water?

dugthefish · Feb 11, 2019

If the weight of the water flattens it out, go with it

Bucky14 · Feb 11, 2019

Don't take a chance it's not worth it!

A sea K · Feb 11, 2019

Coralmaniac21 said:
I get a flat layered peice of plywood from lowes and have them cut it for you... make sure its layered... its a bit pricey but layered is very flat

OK, what exactly is "layered" plywood? I've worked in the building trade most of my life and have never heard this term before. Spend a fair amount of time in both Lowes and HD and don't recall ever seeing it either, possibly a regional thing?

haanstang · Feb 12, 2019

Coralmaniac21 said:
I get a flat layered peice of plywood from lowes and have them cut it for you... make sure its layered... its a bit pricey but layered is very flat

All plywood has layers. That’s what “ply” means
The other kind is OSB “particle board” not plywood.

Chuk · Feb 12, 2019

He might be talking about OSB rather than plywood. MDF will actually be the straightest sheet you can actually get since its not really wood but a wood product.
Personally, I think you'll be fine with a cupped sheet . I would put the U upside down so as the tank sits down on the board it flattens and makes even contact. If you put the U right side up there's a chance the tank wont sit evenly on the board.

lapin · Feb 12, 2019

Variant said:
I have a metal stand and got a piece of plywood to place between my tank and the metal stand. The plywood is warped front to back with a slight 'U' shape. I placed my empty tank on top of the plywood and it helped to push the plywood down but not enough.
Is this safe? I would think that the plywood would flatted out once I start adding in water to the tank and the weight on the plywood increases.

Will it be safe? Maybe and maybe not. First of all a sight warp is a matter of opinion. Since we really dont know how bad it is, we will give opinions that will be guesses. If you are good with us guessing, then let the guesses begin.

Variant said:
Tank is glass, rimless with thin 1/8" reinforced bottom pannel

Since the weight of the tank did not flatten it out completely, I would not chance it unless I could afford a new tank and the the water would not damage anything like my floor. You are asking the glass to bear the weight while hoping the ply flattens out. A piece of thick finish grade ply like for cabinets should be flat with out the weight of the tank.

HB AL · Feb 12, 2019

You could wet the plywood, put something heavy on it evenly, let it dry and it will come out pretty darn flat. Unless the wood is the shape of a U(extremely warped) I wouldn’t sweat it, the tank will level it out, you will be fine and the tank.