# Question on stand made from Ikea Furniture



## dZilla (Dec 30, 2010)

I'm looking to use this (2) side by side as a stand for a 75g or bigger (obviously depending on width and length of the tank), anyone have any opinions on this? As you can see on the pictures the load would go down on the flat piece of wood....I live on the ground floor of an apt and there are laminate floors. Any opinions suggestions would be great.


----------



## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

i would say no dont think this is built for 750lbs or more


----------



## dZilla (Dec 30, 2010)

Well of course it wasn't built for an aquarium to be on it.... But well I've seen some strange things used for stands thats all (computer desks, chest of drawers etc...) thought something that is 'square' and secure might work is all.... 

(Also, looking to get a 75g tank only standard footprint if that makes sense for 100$? fair?)


----------



## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

amount u would pay for two of those u could get would and make a stand for ur 75 i did for mine and is verry easy 
4 x 2/6
2x4 for the frame and plywood for the top for the tank to sit on 

prob no more then 60 bucks for all


----------



## dZilla (Dec 30, 2010)

I agree, I just have a wife that I need to aesthetically please is all lol.


----------



## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

i here u there i had to spend extra for a nice pine stand then a metal one . but u lay some black paint on it will look ok or just look for a stand . noodles on here has some used stuff . might have a 75g stand


----------



## alym (Apr 21, 2010)

dZilla said:


> I'm looking to use this (2) side by side as a stand for a 75g or bigger (obviously depending on width and length of the tank), anyone have any opinions on this? As you can see on the pictures the load would go down on the flat piece of wood....I live on the ground floor of an apt and there are laminate floors. Any opinions suggestions would be great.


http://www.ikeafans.com/forums/living-room/40353-expedit-weight-limit.html

Seems it is not built for this amount of weight.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## target (Apr 21, 2010)

I would definitely say no, don't do it. That piece of furniture is particle board with cardboard in between. It looks thick, but is mostly hollow inside and not designed for weights like a 75 g aquarium. You can easily make a 2x4 stand aesthetically pleasing.


----------



## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

target said:


> I would definitely say no, don't do it. That piece of furniture is particle board with cardboard in between. It looks thick, but is mostly hollow inside and not designed for weights like a 75 g aquarium. You can easily make a 2x4 stand aesthetically pleasing.


Totally agreed.... I wouldn't trust a tank on anything from Ikea, very cheaply made and just a matter of time before something bad would happen.


----------



## FatKid (Jun 25, 2010)

the ikea stands are good for a 10 gal at best. I built two of my own stands for less than 30 bucks. The home depot free bin has some great stuff in it sometimes! ;-)


----------



## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

I wouldn't even attempt a tank that size on Ikea stuff. A few 10g's...sure. Even then, a full 10g tank is like 80lbs filled. When my friends moved and had to get their stuff trucked across the country....they were laughing that many of the contracts had ikea furniture clauses in there. ie. we don't guarantee that ikea furniture will survive the trip.


----------



## dZilla (Dec 30, 2010)

Oh no I agree (ours had the same clause as well in regards to 'particle board furniture').... I guess I WAS HOPING that it would be alright... I guess I will build my own then


----------



## hondas3000 (Apr 22, 2010)

Ikea really for the look not for the structure. If they build to last then no one will come back to buy new furniture. This is why they have summer and winter sale .


----------



## dZilla (Dec 30, 2010)

The wife has already moved said pieces to other places then "fish tank" places so....  I'm in the clear to make my own


----------



## bettagirl (Apr 21, 2010)

you could buy some paint on discount (mistints) and paint it to look nice. I don't know what you wife is into decor wise but I don't mind the unstained look (mainly because I don't want to do the painting of it).


----------



## big_bubba_B (Apr 25, 2010)

goota watch some of the stain it will melt ur plastic i would go black hides the mistakes and goes with anything .


----------



## SnailPuffer (Jun 19, 2010)

Hi

I was looking for doing the same thing... using that for my 72g tank... but since the footprint of my tank is just slightly larger than the size of that shelf... I didn't choose to use it... as you will need to worry about swaying problems as well... for a 72g tank... you really need some good bracing... I've also calculated the total weight of the tank plus water... it's about 900lbs (including a safety factor of 1.5)... I also thought of building a stand myself too... would cost about $100... and finally I've found my stand from a listing off cragslist/bca... my stand came out to be $60 (colour pine)... so I added a little paint.. and it looks great now  for the paint... you can probably go to some paint store and see if they have any unwanted paint... as paint is not cheap too... sometimes they would have mixed a wrong colour for their customer and so they would write it off... you can ask if they will give you some  See below pic for my stand for $60 only  I also remember that some bca members before were willing out to part out a nice oak stand for $100... so I would think might as well just buy one off bca members or cragslist 

Before Paint:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos...55647053_100000906184707_377999_3940319_n.jpg

After Paint:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos...58980376_100000906184707_378000_5289662_n.jpg


----------



## MTSmatt (Oct 1, 2010)

Well the funny thing is that I am using one of those ikea shelfs for my 20g and I have had no problems. Mine however is the same version as your pic, but 4 openings wide instead of two. I would recommend up to 30 gal with no problems, but nothing bigger


----------



## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

Why not give below an offer. The asking price is may be 25% of the cost for materials.

oak fish tank cabinet


----------



## dZilla (Dec 30, 2010)

It looks nice, and a possibility I just think it might be to wide for the location I want it.... I don't think I can accommodate a stand that's much more bigger width wise then the tank itself.... But I do appreciate the link.


----------



## koodevil (Jul 13, 2010)

Can two be ok for a 40 gal breeder tank?
Since I have one already and I need a stand asap


----------



## mdwflyer (Jan 11, 2011)

I worked in Sweden a few years ago, this is their description:
IKEA is Swedish for kindling....


----------



## Homahfan (Apr 22, 2010)

I would not reccommend it... I have a number of those shelves... and they really are not load bearing... The large pieces are hollow, and if any water gets under the thin laminate layer, the compressed wood will swell, and seriously undermine the integrity...


----------



## Mferko (Jun 8, 2010)

silly me didnt notice this was an old thread that got resurrected


----------

