Custom Epoxy Sealed Stand And More.

I have found that there are many uses for epoxy sealers or related products in this hobby. Whether it be for sanitary reasons, water proofing, or even decorative, the applications are endless. I work for a flooring company that specializes in using polyaspartic sealers to create some of the most bulletproof flooring systems money can buy. In my 5 years working for this company I have learned alot not only about concrete, but epoxies, polyaspartics, polyureas, polyurethanes and many other products. In doing so I have realized these sealers can be a very useful tool to just about any reefer.



My Custom Epoxy Sealed Biocube Stand

I wanted something completely waterproof and sanitary. My stand design is fairly common and can be easily adjusted to meet your tank dimensions and weight. This is a 3D model of the design I used.





I sealed all of the 2x4's with an oil based primer and then followed with 2 coats of Rustoleum oil based gloss black paint. To make the top of the stand I used 5/8 inch thick plywood. Before coating the face up side of the plywood I sealed the underside just in case it were to somehow get wet . I painted it with Sherwin Williams brand Direct To Metal paint. I would not use this paint if it wasn’t sitting in my garage already. It is a very high quality paint, but it is very expensive.


Epoxy Coating

There are many types of coatings that could be used on plywood successfully. I decided to go with a full broadcast flake system. This means a base coat in which to broadcast the flakes into, and a top coat. Below are the materials needed and the application directions.

Materials Needed

-Sandpaper
-Vacuum
-Paint Brushes
-Mixing Containers
-Paint Stick
-Scraping Blade
-Paint Chips (Available in many different colors and sizes.)
-Epoxy Sealer

The choice of sealer is ultimately up to you. For this project I used a polyurea product made by Crown Polymers. (Here is the data sheet for this product. http://www.crownpolymers.com/navigation/uploads/332.pdf ) Rustoleum epoxies would also do the job just fine and are available in many different colors to use for base coats. These epoxy kits can be bought at Home Depot.



This is not an incredibly hard process, but there are many techniques to get it just right.

The Coating Process

Step 1. Lightly sand the plywood top. If you havent already, screw it in place. Try your best to make sure the screw heads are flush to ensure that they will cover best with the flakes.


Step 2. Vacuum the plywood top very well. Any dust is a bond breaker and can prevent the sealer from correctly bonding with the wood.


Step 3. Mix your base coat according to the directions on box. If you choose to make your base coat a colored coat mix it extra to ensure the pigment is completely stirred in. The box will state how many square feet a gallon covers. With some simple calculations you can figure out exactly how much you will need to cover your top. I would recommend mixing a couple ounces extra. This allows for more of a base coat to hold the flakes. Plywood also tends to be more porous than most concrete and will absorb some of the sealer.


Step 4. Pour out the mixed epoxy and work it around with the brush. Make sure the wood is coated evenly. This is crucial when the flakes come into play.






Step 5. Now that the wood is evenly coated with epoxy it is time to start broadcasting flakes into the base coat. Broadcasting is simply the process of seeding the basecoat with chips. To have an even distribution of chips take a handful and gently shake them out over the coating. The best way to ensure a completely even coat of chips is to broadcast to rejection. This means broadcast chips until the base coat wont hold them anymore. You can tell the base coat is rejecting the chips when they appear dry.



Cover the entire surface with chips in this fashion and let the epoxy cure. After this process your surface should look like this.



Step 6. After the product has completely cured scrape the excess chips off. This brings the profile down a bit, making it less coarse and easier to cover in the next coat. Moving the blade in a diagonal manner allows the scraper to do a better job.



Step 7. Vacuum off the excess chips. If there are areas where chips did not adhere another broadcast coat can be easily added. For time and money's sake lets hope it is not needed.

Step 8. Now time for the top coat. Mix your top coat in accordance to coverage data on the box. You will need more than your first coat to cover all the chips. Pour the sealer out and work it around evenly with a brush. Even coverage is essential in getting uniform texture. Let the coating cure completely. It should sit for at least a day or two before substantial weight is it put on it.







The Finished Product


I am not finished with this build yet, but here is what it looks like with the biocube. Next to it will be a five gallon bucket DIY ATO. There will also be a 20 gallon sump/refugium housed inside the stand.





My basement which houses multiple tanks has about 95 percent of its concrete sealed. This has made it much much easier to sanitize as well as being non-slip when wet. To clean all I have to do is take a few passes with a steam cleaner. Absolutely no chemicals come into contact with the rooms my aquariums are in. Besides being sanitary, they are also decorative as well. When my basement is a bit cleaner I will post pictures. :

Thanks for reading!

 

Thats Sharp!!!! Great write-up!

 

Thanks Curt!

 

Yea that is pretty awesome! I would have never thought of this! I may have to test this out on my next tank build!! consider me subscribed!

 

You are close enough that I would come help you out with it buddy. With certain sealers it could be done in a couple hours. What I did here was a pretty basic version. I was contemplating using a diamond wheel to cut in grout lines and making it look like tile. I think Ill do that for my next project. Thanks for the positive feedback!

 

That's pretty cool. Nicely done write up also. Thanks for the share!