How do you protect the floor under your stand?

[smeesh726]

I am a contractor and have seen/repaired many problem floors. My advice is not to put anything between your floor and stand. All you are asking for is discolored flooring or mold. Almost any protective covering will become welded to the floor over time and it will end up looking worse than having nothing at all if you decide to move things. Seen it happen so many times under heavy furniture, etc. Best thing is to contain the water INSIDE your stand. Any water spills outside your tank...just mop it up with a towel. Also, if possible, provide something in your design to allow airflow under your stand even the smallest amount will greatly preserve things.

Thanks for the advice. Do you think if I put down that liner everyone is talking about inside the stand, under the board where the sump will sit, and drill holes in the back of the stand along the bottom 2x4 that would help at all? I'm putting the tank in front of a base board heating unit. Would there be anything bad about that that I may not be thinking of?

 

[Sk8r]

If you have the option for a basement sump, that's the best of all protections. Water accidents usually surround the sump, not the DT.

 

[smeesh726]

If you have the option for a basement sump, that's the best of all protections. Water accidents usually surround the sump, not the DT.

No basement, that would be ideal!

 

[Ron Reefman]

smeesh726, I used pipe insulation that is split along one side as a way to 'soften' the upper edge of the wall that the shower pan liner is folded over. It makes leaning into the sump and working under the tank much more comfortable and it even looks more 'finished'.