DIY aquarium stand

The underwater world leaves no one indifferent. Its inhabitants, unusual plants and beauty attract attention. In order to create a cozy atmosphere at home, people buy aquariums. A great idea would be to place it in the place where you spend most of your time. When purchasing an aquarium, you need to prepare a place and furniture for it. How to create a special cabinet for an aquarium with your own hands?

Why do you need a special cabinet for an aquarium?

Watching fish relaxes and teaches concentration. If you have a desire to purchase an aquarium, then you should not doubt the correctness of this decision. You just need to take into account one detail - the size of the container. Focus on a volume of 50 liters. An aquarium smaller than this value can be placed anywhere. If you choose a container of equal or greater volume, then you should either purchase a suitable bedside table (they are quite difficult to find) or build it yourself.

ATTENTION! Do not place a large aquarium on a table or other surface that is not designed to hold heavy objects. It must be remembered that water and additional accessories for fish make the glass container even heavier.

Furniture project

First you need to make a drawing. It is necessary to take into account absolutely every detail. Next, you should follow all the steps of the step-by-step instructions:

1. Take measurements of your aquarium: length, width and height. They need to be written down on a separate sheet.
2. Look around the house and think about where you would like to place the desired furniture. If this has already been done, then sit where you can clearly see the aquarium.
3. Now you need to calculate the exact height of the cabinet. Imagine the location that is most comfortable for your eyes and start measuring from that point. Don’t forget about furniture legs, take them into account (height ranges from 50 mm to 100 mm maximum).
4. The tabletop should be slightly larger than or equal to the size of the bottom of the aquarium. This will give you complete confidence that nothing will fall. You only need to increase the width by a couple of millimeters.
5. The depth should also be calculated based on the aquarium values. Make it a few millimeters larger - as if making the same container, but a little larger.
6. Now you should turn your attention to the number of partitions inside the cabinet. You need them to additionally support the surface of the cabinet. Sheet material made of wood (chipboard) should be adjusted to the size of the cabinet. Place them every thirty centimeters. Take sheets at least 16 mm thick. About 20mm is ideal.
7. Doors and horizontal shelves can be made in any way.
8. The back wall should be made exclusively of particle board and no thinner than 22 millimeters. Thus, the cabinet will be able to hold any weight. It must be installed between the side walls of the furniture to prevent structural damage.
9. Make legs for each vertical partition.

Selecting materials

When purchasing the necessary materials, you must remember that the furniture will in any case come into contact with water. For exterior finishing, laminated chipboard or MDF (fine fraction) are well suited. The frame should be made of metal or durable wood. The tabletop must be fully suitable in all respects. Its thickness is chosen so that the surface does not sag under weight over time (the more, the better). Pay attention to the material of the legs. They can be made of steel or wood for long-term durability. Decoration depends on individual taste preferences.

The process of making a stand for an aquarium with your own hands

Having dealt with the materials and the drawing, all that remains is to prepare the tools in advance so that they are nearby during the work: a screwdriver, Euro screws, a pencil, a ruler, suitable drills. Now you are completely ready to assemble:

1. The first step is to cut the chipboard. You can also make it to order. The second method will greatly facilitate your work and save time. You can also ask for the edges to be attached for a fee, or do it yourself. It is enough to tear the tape so long that it hangs a little at the ends. Then press firmly with your hand and move the iron well. Take a cloth and wipe the edge area with some hand pressure for better adhesion. Then simply remove the excess edge from the sides of the cut.
2. Let's start building the frame. Here you should be very careful that there are no slopes anywhere and everything is perfectly level. Parts must be connected to each other conscientiously. Do not deviate from the drawing and do everything exactly according to it, otherwise the furniture will become deformed and create huge problems.
3. Attach the side and back walls to the base, and then the partitions. Prepare euroscrews (confirmants), you need to make holes for them in advance.Before you start sewing the armholes, make sure they are level. Take a drill and drill out the components. When choosing a drill bit for a drill, you need to focus on the size of the confirmants - the drill should be one millimeter smaller.
4. Let's start attaching the table top. First, place it on top and set it to the desired level so that there are no deviations in any direction. Use a pencil to mark and create appropriate holes.
5. Let's start installing the hinged doors. They are screwed with special furniture canopies. In order for them to open and close smoothly, it is necessary to secure the closers.
6. The last step is to attach the legs with heel pads, thanks to which you can avoid scratching the floor surface when moving easily. Place the side of the cabinet on the floor. Secure them along the edges and under vertical partitions. This will ensure your build is strong for a long time.

Now all that remains is to place the structure in a pre-selected place. There should be sockets there to connect additional devices for the aquarium. First you should install the cabinet itself, and then the aquarium on it - it will be difficult to move them together. Everything is done very simply. Set yourself up for a positive wave and be confident in your actions. Only then will you achieve success!