I have made several DIY stands so I am familiar with the process.
There seems to be an on-going debate as to whether 2x4 or 4x4 posts make the better corners. I have always used 2x4's and believe that two 2x4's laminated with 1/2" ply in between will give the utmost support.
Being open-minded, I decided to try building my latest stand using 4x4 posts. I managed to source untreated 4x4 pine posts in my area and purchased them. I refuse to pay the price for cedar posts and using pressure treated posts in the house is equivalent to running my lawn mower in my livingroom.
As I was unable to start construction immediately, I stored the posts (flat on a solid surface) in my heated garage.
Yesterday when I went to measure the posts for my cuts I could not believe what I saw. The posts were horribly twisted (warped), split in several places and...worst of all....covered in black mold.
I should have taken pics so you could see the degree of "damage" but, frankly, I needed to get them to the burning pit before I stirred up the mold spores in my garage.
So much for the theory that 4x4's will not warp and/or split. Thank God I had not used them for my DIY.
I believe that even a 50 gallon tank would have come crashing to the floor.
From now on, it's laminated 2x4's or bust......no pun intended.
There seems to be an on-going debate as to whether 2x4 or 4x4 posts make the better corners. I have always used 2x4's and believe that two 2x4's laminated with 1/2" ply in between will give the utmost support.
Being open-minded, I decided to try building my latest stand using 4x4 posts. I managed to source untreated 4x4 pine posts in my area and purchased them. I refuse to pay the price for cedar posts and using pressure treated posts in the house is equivalent to running my lawn mower in my livingroom.
As I was unable to start construction immediately, I stored the posts (flat on a solid surface) in my heated garage.
Yesterday when I went to measure the posts for my cuts I could not believe what I saw. The posts were horribly twisted (warped), split in several places and...worst of all....covered in black mold.
I should have taken pics so you could see the degree of "damage" but, frankly, I needed to get them to the burning pit before I stirred up the mold spores in my garage.
So much for the theory that 4x4's will not warp and/or split. Thank God I had not used them for my DIY.
I believe that even a 50 gallon tank would have come crashing to the floor.
From now on, it's laminated 2x4's or bust......no pun intended.
