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few questions on putting stand on uneven floor

art13

art13

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I'll be building a stand for the tank, making it a bit shorter front to back so that i can then put it against the wall and finish it off for the in wall build. My question is when working with an uneven floor, in this case front to back it peaks in the middle of where the stand will sit so it will be like a seesaw, what would be the best way to go about it? I was planning on cutting some of the 2x4's into shims of different sizes, but is there anything else you would recommend? Lengthwise it is pretty close, i may have to shim the left side a bit, but my bigger concern would be the front to back, i'd say i would be looking at 1/4-1/2" shim.
 
jgraz

jgraz

I'm reaching here but can you trace the contour of the floor to match the bottom of the stand? Then just cut the bottom boards along that line. Everything would then sit level. It would require you to build the stand completely level to itself then move to location. Level with a few shims then with a scribe trace the outline of the floor to the bottom board. Then simply cut it out.
My initial thought is just to shim the whole stand but it sounds like your floor is a good bit off.
 
art13

art13

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I should also add, i was thinking about doing the contour deal or just lifting the braces up a bit but i'm also dealing with a floor that even if it was flat it is still not level. The other option was to build the legs first and cut each one to size and then build around them, which is possible but a lot more of a pain.
 
H

horseplay

NJRC Member
Build the stand then place the stand on pieces of 2x4's at the four corners. So effectively the stand in elevated. Much easier to shim that way.
 
jgraz

jgraz

art13 said:
I should also add, i was thinking about doing the contour deal or just lifting the braces up a bit but i'm also dealing with a floor that even if it was flat it is still not level. The other option was to build the legs first and cut each one to size and then build around them, which is possible but a lot more of a epain.
Click to expand...

This is why I mentioned the contour. You would want to make sure the stand itself is level. Then the scribing would not only follow the contour of the floor but because the stand is secured level then it would also transfer that as well. Once the cut is made then the stand will sit level on the floor.

I myself went with the composite shims and in a few spots there is as much as 1/3" off the floor. So shims would be just fine as long as you shim the entire base. Not just a few places. You need to fill all areas.
 
kschweer

kschweer

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I would say yes. Most steel stands use them. I would put them in all 4 corners and 1 centered on each of the long spans.
 
redfishbluefish

redfishbluefish

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First off, I like the comments about scribing the base and then remove that wood....similar to fitting the sides of cabinets against uneven walls. I typically use planes and belt sanders to do this. But, bottom line, overkill for the base of the stand. No need for a "tight" fit of the base to the floor the entire length.

Here's what I'd do: I'd cut 3 1/2 squares of scrape wood of various thickness and use four of these in each corner of the stand. By the way, four "feet" in each corner is all you need to support dimensional stands. It does not need to be supported, shimmed, etc, the entire length of the stand.
 
redfishbluefish

redfishbluefish

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Something hit me! Here's another thought. If I'm not mistaken, this is an "in wall" build. That being the case, I would not build a free standing stand, as per the conventional dimensional stand we've all seen.

Here's what I'd do: Build the top frame....and I think I'd build the room-facing side as a header (doubled up with 1/2 inch ply). Now for the existing wall, I'd screw a straight edge that was level, to the existing studs to cut the cripple studs (using a circular saw). Now add king and trimmer studs as needed. Take the top frame and place it on the cripple studs. Using clamps and lengths of 2x4's, support the back side of the top frame. Now level out the top frame using the clamped support boards. Once level, custom cut each of the back corners with the three boards that are needed. Note that there is no bottom frame (so now nothing going over the uneven floor). The two back legs are sitting directly on the floor. With this design, you will need to add bracing of the legs to keep them from racking. No shimming needed....a custom level job!

I hope this explanation is understandable.
 
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art13

art13

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redfishbluefish said:
Something hit me! Here's another thought. If I'm not mistaken, this is an "in wall" build. That being the case, I would not build a free standing stand, as per the conventional dimensional stand we've all seen.

Here's what I'd do: Build the top frame....and I think I'd build the room-facing side as a header (doubled up with 1/2 inch ply). Now for the existing wall, I'd screw a straight edge that was level, to the existing studs to cut the cripple studs (using a circular saw). Now add king and trimmer studs as needed. Take the top frame and place it on the cripple studs. Using clamps and lengths of 2x4's, support the back side of the top frame. Now level out the top frame using the clamped support boards. Once level, custom cut each of the back corners with the three boards that are needed. Note that there is no bottom frame (so now nothing going over the uneven floor). The two back legs are sitting directly on the floor. With this design, you will need to add bracing of the legs to keep them from racking. No shimming needed....a custom level job!

I hope this explanation is understandable.
Click to expand...

Very understandable, lol. I was debating on this and originally was going to do it this way for a while. The thing that changed my mind, i don' have a portable saw to take down to where it needs to go, so thats a lot of back and forth, and i also need a level board on the bottom for the sump to sit on. The more i debated on it, the more i came to the conclusion that there is a lot less i can screw up by building it separate and then putting it against the wall and building onto the wall and putting in shims where needed.
 
art13

art13

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Don't take it as me trying to put down what you were talking about as well paul, i appreciate all the helps and tips on here a lot, and you've been around a lot longer than me, i trust what you say here. The other reason i'm trying to construct everything first and toss it on, my wife gave me a 2 day window between there being a hole in the wall and there being a nice framed out tank in the wall. If everything is already built and is just plug and play, i'll have a much easier time with that window. With the stand built for the most part, i can just mark my cuts off in the wall and have the hole cut out and framed in an hour or two with the stand in place, all that would be left is to lift the tank up on it. The quicker that part gets done, the happier my wife will be.
 
dan_k

dan_k

Art in right in Blackwood home all weekend long any tools you need let me know I'm sure I have something that you can use down in your basement
 
art13

art13

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Thanks Dan, appreciate it. I'll probably be working on it during my lunch breaks (work from home) on weekdays. Weekends are usually a bit more time strapped, I don't get many off and I only get half hour lunches on weekends. If I can think of anything I'll be sure to ask, I've got the screws, wood and drill so I'm good for now. I'm gonna need help lifting it onto the stand at some point though.
 
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