Should I waterproof the top of my diy wood stand somehow?

CincyReefer07

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Hey guys I’m nearing the finish of my diy 310 gallon reef ready aquarium wood stand. My question is should I do some sort of waterproofing for the top of the stand that my 310g rimmed planet aquarium will be sitting on? What would you guys recommend or is it good as is?

I will be adding decorative trim work around the entire perimeter top and bottom and side edges of the stand as well as doors on the front. The top trim I planned on having raised slightly to somewhat hide the bottom black rim of my tank.

Formica laminate? Paint? Stain? Varnish? Sealant? Caulk? Is it good as is? Let me know your thoughts or what you did and has worked and held up through the years. Pics of my stand build below and some up close shots of the top

0629EAAF-E82D-451A-8B23-F620933F26A3.jpeg 08BEA1EF-0AC3-4F77-893C-B65011711DEA.jpeg 830BE203-6B86-4E70-AF3A-529A82F67C0B.jpeg 9C65898C-0352-46C6-B68E-C4DF36304861.jpeg BF540D55-CB09-4799-A741-FF8445ECDC1E.jpeg 2455F8E5-AD9A-41E7-8357-7D29AAACF1C9.jpeg 69DC1716-8594-4637-BFD2-74764F30E698.jpeg 37B331C8-10DB-4695-A0A5-CC30B0238492.jpeg CD1BC484-EF56-4862-B572-1C4E21F4FF05.jpeg
 

JGT

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Definitely. It’s not like it’s going to be sitting in bc water but there will be spills and drips. You want to seal the bare wood.
I like SPAR urethane. Made for marine apps. 2 coats gloss, sand between coats and youre good.
 

AltitudeAquarium

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Yes most certainly. You can stain and then apply multiple layers of polyurethane to make it waterproof. That's what I did for mine. It makes it easier to keep it clean from dust, occasionally spills and salt creep.
 

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Zach B

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Good advice above. A good primer and exterior paint will work as well
 
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CincyReefer07

CincyReefer07

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I really appreciate the fast responses guys! I wasn’t sure if just some polyurethaning or what not would be enough or if I would need to look into going the extra mile with like a laminate top or something. On my exterior pieces I put 3 coats of polyurethane on top of my stain. I may consider just doing that or some type of marine grade.

I’m all for whatever will work best. So please I welcome all your opinions to ensure the longevity of this stand.
If I go the polyurethane route, do I need to add a stain or just sand and polyurethane right on top of the bare plywood?
 

JGT

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I really appreciate the fast responses guys! I wasn’t sure if just some polyurethaning or what not would be enough or if I would need to look into going the extra mile with like a laminate top or something. On my exterior pieces I put 3 coats of polyurethane on top of my stain. I may consider just doing that or some type of marine grade.

I’m all for whatever will work best. So please I welcome all your opinions to ensure the longevity of this stand.
If I go the polyurethane route, do I need to add a stain or just sand and polyurethane right on top of the bare plywood?
Sand, wipe clean, poly, sand, wipe clean, poly - done. You won’t see it. No sense staining.
 
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CincyReefer07

CincyReefer07

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Sand, wipe clean, poly, sand, wipe clean, poly - done. You won’t see it. No sense staining.
That’s what I figured, I’m leaning that route so far. I’ve already got the poly I used on the exterior front and sides. So I could just keep going with that on the top
 

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