Building into a wall

[iced98lx]

Tank size: 6 foot x 2 foot x 2 foot glass


I have a non-load bearing wall I'd like to build my tank into. I'm not worried about cutting the hole and putting in the header, I've done that and am confident it will be fine.

My concern is how to construct the stand with the wall being the front portion of the stand?

My current thoughts are: frame it up like a window with a header, but then instead of the normal sill plate put a set of 2x4's on edge as the lower sill.

From there, it's just figuring out how to tie the rest of the stand in to the wall. I'd like to end up with 4x4 "corner" posts (even if they're not on the corners, but rather a foot into the stand) and avoid a fully boxed stand (for ease of use under the stand) since I have the horizontal stability of the wall to keep it from Zing.

Any thoughts?

 

[sleepydoc]

You can look at rocket engineer's plan for some framing ideas. Your idea should work fine. 4x4s are overkill for the corners; a 2x4 is more than adequate. What kind of front access were you planning on having, if any? if you do 2 2x4s on edge, the back one really won't do anything, since the frame of the tank will only rest on the front one.

You need to have solid vertical support under the corners of the stand. (couldn't tell from your description if that's what you planned or not.) Upload a pic of what you're thinking about; it'll be easier for people to see & understand

 

[iced98lx]

You can look at rocket engineer's plan for some framing ideas. Your idea should work fine. 4x4s are overkill for the corners; a 2x4 is more than adequate. What kind of front access were you planning on having, if any? if you do 2 2x4s on edge, the back one really won't do anything, since the frame of the tank will only rest on the front one.

You need to have solid vertical support under the corners of the stand. (couldn't tell from your description if that's what you planned or not.) Upload a pic of what you're thinking about; it'll be easier for people to see & understand

No front access for this build, sadly.

My main issue is that the side of the stand that is NOT the wall- I don't want to have a horizontal 2x4 laying on the ground- I'd like a set of posts to bear the weight instead. (it's on high pressure concrete, so point weight isn't a problem)

I'll do a few sketches and see what I come up with. I've reviewed (and built) a stand based on rocketengineers plans, but tying into the wall (not setting a stand next to it) seems to be giving me nightmares.

 

[fishgate]

I recently did a 125 in-wall build and made the stand totally stand-alone. It just butts up against the framed opening. From the front it looks integrated. Makes it a lot easier.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2263061&highlight=inwall

 

[SGT_York]

Construct it just like a window then place horizontal 2x4's (the 2x4's should be laid vertical 3" high) for the base of the aquarium. I'd use a 2x6 joist with 2x4's for support to hold up the horizontal 2x4's.

Use diagonal bracing to attach it to the wall and to keep your vertical columns from shifting.

4x4's are more expensive, twist more, and can't support the same weight as two butted 2x4's. There is no reason to use a 4x4 unless it's a visual asthetic thing.

 

[RocketEngineer]

If you want to use the wall as the front of the stand, then have the back relatively open there are several options.

The first part is to build a top frame of the stand and set it into the wall so it is sitting on the studs. A jack stud at the ends under the top frame and a king stud outside the stand to screw the sheetrock to would make it look a lot like a window.

Since it isn't a load bearing wall you really don't need to directly support the header over the opening but I recommend it. This would result in the "leg" at the end of the stand having two additional studs outside the stand, one supporting the "header" and another going all the way to the top plate.

The stand template is designed so that it is impossible for the legs to get knocked from under the top frame. Based on your description, you want to eliminate at least the long board on the back so the opening is at floor level. You could possibly get away with just running two short horizontal boards. Instead I would recommend placing the back legs (a pair of 2X4s in an L configuration) onto a fiberglass foot. Most box stores have these plastic pieces that are designed to keep the wood and concrete from touching. If you used one of these at each leg and anchored it into the concrete so it wouldn't move, I don't see an issue. You just need to guarantee that the bottom of the leg can't get knocked out from under the top frame.

Does all this make sense?

RocketEngineer

 

[iced98lx]

If you want to use the wall as the front of the stand, then have the back relatively open there are several options.

The first part is to build a top frame of the stand and set it into the wall so it is sitting on the studs. A jack stud at the ends under the top frame and a king stud outside the stand to screw the sheetrock to would make it look a lot like a window.

Since it isn't a load bearing wall you really don't need to directly support the header over the opening but I recommend it. This would result in the "leg" at the end of the stand having two additional studs outside the stand, one supporting the "header" and another going all the way to the top plate.

The stand template is designed so that it is impossible for the legs to get knocked from under the top frame. Based on your description, you want to eliminate at least the long board on the back so the opening is at floor level. You could possibly get away with just running two short horizontal boards. Instead I would recommend placing the back legs (a pair of 2X4s in an L configuration) onto a fiberglass foot. Most box stores have these plastic pieces that are designed to keep the wood and concrete from touching. If you used one of these at each leg and anchored it into the concrete so it wouldn't move, I don't see an issue. You just need to guarantee that the bottom of the leg can't get knocked out from under the top frame.

Does all this make sense?

RocketEngineer

Yes it does and you seem to understand exactly what I was about to build, so that's a plus! I can't imagine the force that would be required to knock a leg out with that much weight on it, but I appreciate the effects, to be sure.

 

[scottwhitson]

It would take a considerable amount of force but not something I would want to risk.