Mdf Wood As A Base For Cabinet

[idlefingers]

I've just bought a big piece of 12mm MDF wood to place beneath the cabinet of the new tank I'll be getting soon to spread the weight a bit. The bloke at the DIY shop said that this is the strongest wood they had (other than planks of timber, but they weren't the right size) and is better than plywood for this use.. is this right?

Do I need to coat it in something to protect it or will it be fine as-is?

Thanks for any help

 

[dylema]

MDF is like a sponge and will quickly soak up water and swell. So it is important to give it a good coating of a water proof/resistant paint or varnish. I left a small piece outside and it doubled in size and went quite soft.

 

[idlefingers]

Thanks for that.. I've returned the wood to the DIY shop and got a refund as, after a long discussion with the owner of my lfs, he convinced me it's not necessary and would be easier to go without. The idea I had behind it wasn't so much to spread the weight because the floor can't handle it but because I'm hyper paranoid after my last tank cracked and leaked.

 

[SkiFletch]

If this is for your Marine tank, I'd get some foam padding of some type to go underneath the tank. Most tanks in the UK have standard glass bottoms (not tempered). Unfortunately standard window glass does not stand up very well to point-stresses of rocks sitting on it. A pad helps spread these point stresses out to prevent cracking. A good idea in a tank with lots of Live Rock

 

[Neo8223]

Although you have returned the wood, a good source of reference is the link in my signature. I made the stand from mdf and veneer oak.

 

[Lateral Line]

There have been several threads here in DIY on MDF and it's use around aquariums. Many, me included, believe that MDF is simply the wrong material to choose for any job where the possibility of getting wet exists. Even the "waterproof" MDF is at best splash proof and warps in moisture laden environs.

I loved CFC's term, which I've quoted a few times since, "MDF has the strength of a dunked digestive biscuit when it gets wet".

 

[idlefingers]

Thanks for the advice guys.. Im glad I took the wood back rather than watch it turn into a dunked biscuit under my tank!

If this is for your Marine tank, I'd get some foam padding of some type to go underneath the tank. Most tanks in the UK have standard glass bottoms (not tempered). Unfortunately standard window glass does not stand up very well to point-stresses of rocks sitting on it. A pad helps spread these point stresses out to prevent cracking. A good idea in a tank with lots of Live Rock

The tank (a jewel one) mentions a couple of times that you shouldn't put any padding beneath the tank, though I'm not sure why. The bottom has a plastic rim and a bar going down the center and would be a bit of a challenge to cut padding to fit in there. Not sure what to do but I worry about going against what the tank instructions advise..