Plywood tank Question

marinelife

marinelife

Active member
What is the best kind of wood to use. I found locally a Oak Cabinet Grade, Birtch Cabinet Grade, Blondewood Hardwood Ply, and BC Pine ULX Exterior sanded on one side plywood.

Eric
 
Hey, Thanks for the reply. I do like the ok but it is more of a hard wood while the pine is not. Am I going to see any problems using the Oak? Would epoxy stick to it ok. The oak is sanded on both sides.
 
kgeorge I have been posting there but have not received a reply back.
I have sent messages to some on here that have built tank and a few have replied.

virginiadiver69- I do not think marine grade it the only way to go, can you give a reason you feel this way?
 
Any of those would work really, but I would suggest the birch. It's structurally sound but is softer than oak making it easier to drill into and work with. Also, if you make a mistake you won't ruin as expensive of a piece of wood. You don't need marine grade plywood, but it's nice if you can afford it. As long as you seal the plywood properly (no matter what type you use) it should last for a very long time
 
There is no NEED for marine grade ply...you could use it, but definitely not NESSECARY.

All that differentiates marine grade from standard is the glue that holds it all together....and if the tank is not sealed well enough to keep the wood dry...well, not even marine grade will help :D
 
Are there any good links that show how to make a Plywood tank?

I'd like to try this someday but have no Idea where to start.

Thank you!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12743377#post12743377 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by marinelife
virginiadiver69- I do not think marine grade it the only way to go, can you give a reason you feel this way?
Click to expand...
Then use whatever the hell you want. You asked "What is the best kind of wood to use" and I gave you my opinion. If you would have asked "is marine grade plywood the only possible choice" I would have said "no, but I think it's the better choice. :rolleye1:
 
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norskfisk, Your build log and instructional is about the best I've seen. Thank you for taking the time to break it down step by step. :thumbsup:
 
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what do you guys think about BC Pine ULX Exterior sanded on one side plywood with a fiberglass coating.
I am finding alot of information about the other wood that says exterior is glued together with a safer glue.
 
the glue that holds the plys together is not important...like I said earlier...If water gets through the fiberglass and epoxy the last thing you'll be worrying about is if the plywood will swell (and it will...marine, external, or interior grade!):D

IMO, BC is not a good choice...only because they typically allow for more internal voids in the lower grades of plywood. THe exterior of the ply is the smallest thing to worry about...make sure that you are getting a good solid core. When I build my woodie, I'll be using 13ply Baltic Birch....GREAT material for high strength aplications, although pricey (luckily, my dad stocks it in his shop and buys by the semiload :D)
 
I wouldn't worry too much about the quality of the plywood if you use fiberglass. The combination of fiberglass/epoxy should be more than strong enough to compensate for the minor internal voids. So I think you'll be fine.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12762512#post12762512 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JCTewks
the glue that holds the plys together is not important...like I said earlier...If water gets through the fiberglass and epoxy the last thing you'll be worrying about is if the plywood will swell (and it will...marine, external, or interior grade!):D

IMO, BC is not a good choice...only because they typically allow for more internal voids in the lower grades of plywood. THe exterior of the ply is the smallest thing to worry about...make sure that you are getting a good solid core. When I build my woodie, I'll be using 13ply Baltic Birch....GREAT material for high strength aplications, although pricey (luckily, my dad stocks it in his shop and buys by the semiload :D)
Click to expand...

So where do I come to get some?
 
I have found an AC grade fir
I also found a place that stocks marine grade. The problem is it is $80 a sheet.

I was going to go with two 3/4 sheets back to back to support but wonder if I could just do one sheet with a few layers of fiberglass. The tank is 70" tall with the water being 62"
Could I do only one sheet thick?
 
Well the length and width of the tank matter as much as the height. Guess you know what you want but it seems like a very tall tank.

IMO I'd overbuilt it a little, besides adding more fiberglass is more trouble then making the wood thicker.. I would also not worry with marine grade ply. Worry more with the strength of the wood vs if its water resistant.. You are sealing it with Epoxy after all. I would probably go with the Birch.. Its a good strong wood at a decent price.. I would not use BC pine.. Pine is soft and weak.. It also has huge voids in it. It might not matter that much. But why take chances with what sounds like 500+ gallons.. That's enough to destroy..I mean DESTROY your house if it lets go lol. Do it right and don't cut corners.. Or have a tank build by a pro. GL sounds like a beast of a tank
 
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