MrWestCoast Posted July 25 Share Posted July 25 Anyone know if 1/2" thick Polypropylene board is fine to use between a wood stand and acrylic tank? I got a 40gal acrylic tank that I'm looking to setup and will be making a wood stand for it. I don't like using plywood on my stands as I always have a hard time finding a completely flat plywood. I have used HDPE marine board before in the same situation and it worked beautifully. However, the HDPE boards were for smaller tanks and it gets pricey in the dimensions I need. I found Polypropylene board in the size I need for much cheaper. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with it. Just from a quick google search, it's supposed to be nearly as strong as the HDPE marine board. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmark285 Posted July 25 Share Posted July 25 How well will the stand support the Polypropylene board? Will the stand have a solid top? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWestCoast Posted July 26 Author Share Posted July 26 I'm trying to figure out if I can use the Polypropylene as the top. There will be 1 or 2 braces along the length (48") of the stand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 No the polypropylene board cannot support any substantial amount of weight if you were using it to prevent scoring or scratches on your acrylic that is fine but it needs to be supported by something 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrWestCoast Posted July 26 Author Share Posted July 26 (edited) People have used HDPE boards for stand tops. polypropylene is close in density and tensile strength to HDPE. Am I wrong here? There will be braces in the middle of the stand, and the board would be supported by the 2x4 frame. "High tensile strength: Polypropylene has a high tensile strength, which means it can carry about 27 MPa or 4,000 pounds per square inch, making it an excellent material for large loads." Edited July 26 by MrWestCoast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 Tensile strength specifically refers to stress caused by being pulled or stretched while the force of the tank is largely bending the board… Although I suppose if it’s supported enough by wood beams and a frame it’d probably be fine. Just the board as support, no. I would not trust it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasaltemelosguy Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 On 7/25/2023 at 5:41 PM, MrWestCoast said: I'm trying to figure out if I can use the Polypropylene as the top. There will be 1 or 2 braces along the length (48") of the stand. Hi @MrWestCoast, these 3 calculators may be of some help in deciding on a material. The first one is for glass, the second is for plastics (and it allows you to enter bracing into the calculations), and the third calculator is for glass, plastics and metals. You can select any material to see the relative weight capacities: Glass Weight Load Calculator - Fab Glass and Mirror Plastic Sheet Weight Calculator | SIRIUS PLASTICS Weight Calculator for Metal and Plastics Shapes (matweb.com) 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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