In addition to what jjohnwm said, if you are still concerned at all about plywood then you may want to look at fiberglass composite panels. Something like Coosa Nautical 15 would be the cheapest (but it's NOT cheap stuff!!) alternative and it would behave just like whatever fiberglass & epoxy you put over it. Then you're building more of a 100% fiberglass tank with some wood framing... which is also an extremely time-tested method across many industries and hobbies.
Diy plywood tank. Sealing ideas and physics
- Thread starter Jon_DK
- Start date
This post confuses me. One, I am a professional membrane applicator. If the epoxy you are using becomes hard and brittle with age, you should have got the good stuff. there is nothing wrong with a standard ply tank, given good joints and appropriate bracing. You might want to check your film thickness to, I bet you it is inadequate.
I'm not the OP, but thank you both for these two posts. These two products sound extremely interesting, although not necessarily used in conjunction, for my low-tech tank construction style; definitely going to look further into both of them.
M M1A1 , your post in particular really piques my interest. You state that these panels "behave just like whatever fiberglass & epoxy you put over it". Why would you need to use either fibreglass or epoxy with them? It sounds as though the panels could be just built into a box just like plywood...glued/screwed together?...and then the inside seams sealed with a bead of silicone? I'm talking about medium-sized tanks up to 24 inches tall, which can be simple plywood boxes that are then sealed/waterproofed internally by various methods...but these panels would not require that sealing other than at the internal joints, correct? Does this material accept screws the way that wood does? Is there a particular adhesive that would be used in place of the simple carpenter's glue that a plywood tank would require? Drilling and cutting would be similar?
The creative juices are beginning to flow just reading about this stuff...
The composite panels still need a layer of waterproof & fish-safe paint, or whatever sealant you want, just like with normal fiberglass and resin. So there's no great savings or shortcut versus plywood except that the fiberglass composite panels are much more dimensionally stable. And no risk of rot or strength loss if there's a leak.
Personally, I'll always glass the edges & corners as a roll of 2" fiberglass cloth is like $20 and the epoxy to cover it is half that at worst. Real cheap insurance to reinforce the areas that are always the source of leaks. Also underneath any overhangs, those never seem to get good coverage.
Yep, box it up as normal. Use epoxy resin instead of wood glue but no need to mix up batches manually just use some of the cartridge based stuff like Thixo 2:1 or West Systems 610.
Pre-drill the composite panels but coarse deck or drywall screws work excellent just like plywood. Cutting is a bit more expensive as carbide tooling is recommended.
Personally, I'll always glass the edges & corners as a roll of 2" fiberglass cloth is like $20 and the epoxy to cover it is half that at worst. Real cheap insurance to reinforce the areas that are always the source of leaks. Also underneath any overhangs, those never seem to get good coverage.
It sounds as though the panels could be just built into a box just like plywood...glued/screwed together?...and then the inside seams sealed with a bead of silicone? I'm talking about medium-sized tanks up to 24 inches tall, which can be simple plywood boxes that are then sealed/waterproofed internally by various methods...but these panels would not require that sealing other than at the internal joints, correct? Does this material accept screws the way that wood does? Is there a particular adhesive that would be used in place of the simple carpenter's glue that a plywood tank would require? Drilling and cutting would be similar?
The creative juices are beginning to flow just reading about this stuff...
Yep, box it up as normal. Use epoxy resin instead of wood glue but no need to mix up batches manually just use some of the cartridge based stuff like Thixo 2:1 or West Systems 610.
Pre-drill the composite panels but coarse deck or drywall screws work excellent just like plywood. Cutting is a bit more expensive as carbide tooling is recommended.
If I was considering building a plywood tank, I would seal it with polyurea. I don't know if there is a DIY product, or if you have to hire a company to spray it on. It has been long used for sealing potable water tanks and other water proofing applications. There are now some companies that seal tanks and ponds with polyurea.
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