Frame freak out

[AMBER NICHOLS]

Friends-

I may be freaking out unnecessarily.

Currently we are finishing our basement. We asked our contractor to frame out the stand and canopy when he was framing the basement walls. We had the tank and I gave him lots of information on exactly how it should be.

We are nearly done with the rest of the basement. We left the stand and tank for last so no random bits of dust would be a bother.

We are going to finish out the tank stand ourselves. I went last night to start and my contractor has built it a 1/2 inch short on all sides and top. I questioned him on why or if it was just a mistake. He said he thought we would put 1/2 sheathing around the frame and canopy. I got upset because I don't think that will be able to bear the weight or distribute it properly.

Before I go toe to toe with a guy who builds houses for a living. Does anyone know if this is okay? Eeek.


Amber

 

[miyags]

Are any of the glass side directly over the frame,if you split the difference?How many gallons?

 

[AMBER NICHOLS]

Are any of the glass side directly over the frame.

If you center the tank a tiny bit of the glass will be on the frame.

 

[AMBER NICHOLS]

Do you think if the top sheathing piece extended over the 1/2 inch needed on the sides it would distribute the load properly?

Currently he has it cut so the side sheathing would come all the way up to the top piece and the top piece is 1/2 inch short all around.

 

[miyags]

Ya know what,If he glues and screws 1/2 on sides and front it should be more than adequate.

 

[AMBER NICHOLS]

Ya know what,If he glues and screws 1/2 on sides and front it should be more than adequate.

Thanks so much!

 

[cracker]

If the tank doesn't way too much,I think a oversize of 3/4 would work ok. Wouldn't be very much work to lengthen the horizontal boards .

 

[miyags]

Do you think if the top sheathing piece extended over the 1/2 inch needed on the sides it would distribute the load properly?

Currently he has it cut so the side sheathing would come all the way up to the top piece and the top piece is 1/2 inch short all around.

Yes,that will help. All and all its a well built stand.

 

[cjd]

Do you think if the top sheathing piece extended over the 1/2 inch needed on the sides it would distribute the load properly?

Currently he has it cut so the side sheathing would come all the way up to the top piece and the top piece is 1/2 inch short all around.

Personally I think the top piece needs to overlap the sides.

 

[AMBER NICHOLS]

If the tank doesn't way too much,I think a oversize of 3/4 would work ok. Wouldn't be very much work to lengthen the horizontal boards .

It's a bigger 150g

 

[Rjramos]

It has to be sheathed regardless to cover those gusset plates at the joints. The 1/2” side sheathing should end up flush with the top of the frame. So the edge of the aquarium should end up completely supported by frame and sheathing together. A top piece of sheathing can be placed between tank and stand with holes drilled for bulkheads. The top of the stand can then be framed over the sheathing,with a 3-4” chair rail molding sticking up the thickness of the black aquarium frame in order to hide it and also secure the edges of the tank all around.

 

[AMBER NICHOLS]

It has to be sheathed regardless to cover those gusset plates at the joints. The 1/2” side sheathing should end up flush with the top of the frame. So the edge of the aquarium should end up completely supported by frame and sheathing together. A top piece of sheathing can be placed between tank and stand with holes drilled for bulkheads. The top of the stand can then be framed over the sheathing,with a 3-4” chair rail molding sticking up the thickness of the black aquarium frame in order to hide it and also secure the edges of the tank all around.

Thank you!

 

[siggy]

Thats what I see too, 1/2" on the sides then cap with the top plate and that will add 1"+ . but He will have to remove the existing top or leave it and have a dual ply of ply ....Hey I know a guy thats a cabnet worker here @jsker

 

[jsker]

It has to be sheathed regardless to cover those gusset plates at the joints. The 1/2” side sheathing should end up flush with the top of the frame. So the edge of the aquarium should end up completely supported by frame and sheathing together. A top piece of sheathing can be placed between tank and stand with holes drilled for bulkheads. The top of the stand can then be framed over the sheathing,with a 3-4” chair rail molding sticking up the thickness of the black aquarium frame in order to hide it and also secure the edges of the tank all around.

+1

The contractor did right and that is going to be one sturdy stand with the 4x4 corner posts.

 

[Deiblerj]

+1

The contractor did right and that is going to be one sturdy stand with the 4x4 corner posts.

Yeah that stand is going to be plenty sturdy. 4x4 post and looks like 2x8 boards. That thing can hold some serious weight

 

[Deiblerj]

Yeah that stand is going to be plenty sturdy. 4x4 post and looks like 2x8 boards. That thing can hold some serious weight

2x6

 

[vetteguy53081]

Looks like it will be ok. Place a sheet of 3/4" styro foam cut to size under the tank. It will become a leveling mat and absorb any gaps/spaces under tank over the stand.

 

[davocean]

I'm a contractor/carpenter myself.
The way he's built it kind of requires the ply, this will stitch it all together to keep from racking and if he uses wood glue and screws it will add a great deal of strength, so you'll be good to go.
Just make sure he does sides first, ply top on top of edges so it has full vertical support at lip of tank going down to floor, and make sure it's very level on top/coplanar.

 

[AMBER NICHOLS]

Thanks everyone. So glad I posted here!