DIY canopy help

[Euge]

hey everybody,

need a little help here. I'm in the process of building a canopy for my tank. I'm terrible at DIY but i'm giving it a shot. i always have problems with my joints sitting flush with each other. anyways. I've completed the frame of the tank. All i need to do is get some plywood for some of the openings. My question is I'm going to eventually want to paint this black. But i dont know what i have to do. Do I need to paint it then varnish it? Or just paint it? If i need varnish is there such thing as waterproof varnish? And how about paint? waterproof paint? Any suggestions?

THANKS

 

[dr_sudz]

I would think for the inside portion of the hood your going to want to seal it with something for sure. I am also asking about sealing a whole plywood tank. I personally would say go and seal it totally so that you have not issues with wood rot. Anyone suggest a good epoxy to use?

 

[Guinness]

Sweetwater epoxy. Type it into yahoo and a place called aquatic eco something will come up.
Guinness

 

[WyldFya]

for a canopy, I would just paint it with a normal oil base paint, and a polyurethane. DO NOT USE WATER BASES! Just let them cure for 48 hours, I let mine sit for a week to be safe, but once cured they are completely nontoxic.

 

[toper777]

for a canopy, I would just paint it with a normal oil base paint, and a polyurethane. DO NOT USE WATER BASES! Just let them cure for 48 hours, I let mine sit for a week to be safe, but once cured they are completely nontoxic.

What about latex exterior paint?