Will this hold a 55g tank?

[SeamusHarper]

Hi everyone,

I have a 1974 Lane Staccato Brutalist dresser that I'd like to put a 55g tank on. The large slabs are made of walnut and the dressers weighs over 100lbs. A friend and I stood on it and jumped up and down and it held our weight. I'm going to reinforce each corner with a bracket just to be safe.

Do I have anything to worry about?

 

[JumboShrimp]

I'm not there to see it in person, obviously, but the fact that you two couldn't get it to budge is pretty impressive. I guess that water-weight (without rock or sand) would be about 440 pounds; plus the weight of the tank itself. I would think you are good.

These Innovative Marine mats (cut to size) are really good to easy any surface imperfections.

 

[UncommonSense]

I don’t like how the short edges of the top are supported, the front long span supports are meh… I don’t know what’s going on with rear long span support…

The piece circled in red is splitting, and is very thin/held in with only screws…

I’m also surprised it held two people’s weight without shifting!

 

[SeamusHarper]

I don’t like how the short edges of the top are supported, the front long span supports are meh… I don’t know what’s going on with rear long span support…

The piece circled in red is splitting, and is very thin/held in with only screws…

I’m also surprised it held two people’s weight without shifting!

Is there a way to properly reinforce this?

 

[UncommonSense]

Is there a way to properly reinforce this?

There are several! I think of using thicker lumber/lag bolts! Or, if lumber will be too bulky and interfere with drawers closing; metal (probably steel) L brackets on the sides, maybe some kind of upright center support in the center rear if nothing’s holding it up there…

Is the tank rimmed, or rimless?

— rimmed tanks need support under the bottom plastic frame only, whereas rimless tanks need the entire bottom pane equally supported!

 

[SeamusHarper]

There are several! I think of using thicker lumber/lag bolts! Or, if lumber will be too bulky and interfere with drawers closing; metal (probably steel) L brackets on the sides, maybe some kind of upright center support in the center rear if nothing’s holding it up there…

Is the tank rimmed, or rimless?

— rimmed tanks need support under the bottom plastic frame only, whereas rimless tanks need the entire bottom pane equally supported!

It is a rimmed tank so that hopefully makes things easier.

I think lumber will be too bulky so I'll have to go with the steel L brackets on all sides. I already have galvanized steel corner brackets on the way which I'll used to reinforce the back and sides and they're rated for several hundreds pounds, for whatever that's worth.

I'll look into options for an upright center support for the rear.

Thanks for the ideas!

 

[UncommonSense]

It is a rimmed tank so that hopefully makes things easier.

I think lumber will be too bulky so I'll have to go with the steel L brackets on all sides. I already have galvanized steel corner brackets on the way which I'll used to reinforce the back and sides and they're rated for several hundreds pounds, for whatever that's worth.

I'll look into options for an upright center support for the rear.

Thanks for the ideas!

Lumber is very strong in compression along its grains, so it doesn’t need to be extremely thick as a post, as long as it’s fastened to something to prevent it from bending

Screws are very weak in “shear” load, they snap easily when bent, essentially… best bet here is nails or lag bolts for your steel L brackets!

The tank will primarily need support along the short sides, and center… as long as nothing can bow, you’re set!

 

[SeamusHarper]

Lumber is very strong in compression along its grains, so it doesn’t need to be extremely thick as a post, as long as it’s fastened to something to prevent it from bending

Screws are very weak in “shear” load, they snap easily when bent, essentially… best bet here is nails or lag bolts for your steel L brackets!

The tank will primarily need support along the short sides, and center… as long as nothing can bow, you’re set!

The brackets I bought recommend lag bolts so I can definitely use those.

Securing the top and sides is what is concerning me the most so hopefully the brackets will suffice and I'll think of how to introduce a center support.

This is proving to be far more difficult than I anticipated!

 

[UncommonSense]

The brackets I bought recommend lag bolts so I can definitely use those.

Securing the top and sides is what is concerning me the most so hopefully the brackets will suffice and I'll think of how to introduce a center support.

This is proving to be far more difficult than I anticipated!

It should go together smoothly! The back center of the stand only needs attention if there isn’t already some form of vertical “post” there, or a thicker piece of lumber on edge!

 

[SeamusHarper]

It should go together smoothly! The back center of the stand only needs attention if there isn’t already some form of vertical “post” there, or a thicker piece of lumber on edge!

You have more faith in me than I do I'll need to reinforce the back as well because the lumber on the back edge is definitely not thick. So I'll need to introduce a vertical post down the center as well as the back to be safe. The post needs to be 1" x 23", no clue where I can find that.

Corner brackets came in today but the lug screws are a tad bit too long and will drill through the wood. I need something a little shorter but that means I have to bump down to #8 nails/screws and I'm assuming there is a compromise in strength as a result.

 

[UncommonSense]

You have more faith in me than I do I'll need to reinforce the back as well because the lumber on the back edge is definitely not thick. So I'll need to introduce a vertical post down the center as well as the back to be safe. The post needs to be 1" x 23", no clue where I can find that.

Corner brackets came in today but the lug screws are a tad bit too long and will drill through the wood. I need something a little shorter but that means I have to bump down to #8 nails/screws and I'm assuming there is a compromise in strength as a result.

Many hardware stores which sell lumber will cut it to dimension for you for free, or a minimal charge! — a vertical post can just be nailed or screwed in; the lumber itself is bearing the load, not the fasteners in it! (You should really only need a rear center reinforcing post, just make sure it’s a fairly precise fit!)

As far as lags go; how much will they protrude? If you place a lag screw in position in a bracket, hold it up to the edge of the wood in question, and see where you’re at with the bracket’s added thickness; you may just be able to add a washer to each lag to effectively make them a bit shorter!