just wanted to add: i would definitely use solid wood lumber as opposed to the plywood for reinforcement, especially if youre going to be applying pressure from the jack stand.
How to support the weight of a 180 gallon aquarium
- Thread starter Rbarr
- Start date
1/2-3/4 plywood is good to help distribute the weight. It’s not going to hurt anything.
yes but those i joists have plywood webs. i have worked with both engineered lumber and conventional lumber. you're not likely to run into any failures unless you're exerting a lot of pressure, but its better to jack up solid wood vs the engineered wood in my experience. again since you're not gonna be actually jacking up the floor, it probably won't be a problem. im just not a fan of engineered lumber for many reasons.
but hey if you got yourself a fancy structural engineer what you asking around a fish forum for.
Thanks to all for your information and advice. I am concerned that the heavy concentrated weight from the aquarium on the first floor and the pressure from the jack posts in the basement might be too much for the Engineered I-joists.
I am thinking that a (3/4" X 16" X 7') piece of plywood on each side of the I-joist laying flat directly under the aquarium, a (4" X 4" X 7') lumber laying flat under the plywood on each side of the I-joist, being supported by 4 jack posts (2 on each sides of the I-joist), will support the weight of the aquarium without putting excess weight on the I-joist. The key will be to exert the proper amount of pressure from the Jack posts.
Should I use 6X6 in place of 4X4?
I am thinking that a (3/4" X 16" X 7') piece of plywood on each side of the I-joist laying flat directly under the aquarium, a (4" X 4" X 7') lumber laying flat under the plywood on each side of the I-joist, being supported by 4 jack posts (2 on each sides of the I-joist), will support the weight of the aquarium without putting excess weight on the I-joist. The key will be to exert the proper amount of pressure from the Jack posts.
Should I use 6X6 in place of 4X4?
