How to waterproof a Plywood - Acrylic Aquarium?
Question:
For waterproofing a 1″thick plywood aquarium 8′long x 3′wide x 2′deep with the front viewing pannel being plexi, What do I need to make a Black waterproof liner? I figured 76 square feet of inside surface.
Answer:
- The first thing you would do is prepare the substrate. Make sure the substrate is clean, dry, free of any previous applied product, and foreign matter.
- Prime the Plywood with 1 coat of PermaFlex (240 sq ft per gal). Prime the acrylic with 1 coat of 2-part epoxy primer. The prime coat of PermaFlex will penetrate into the plywood then cure tough as a truck tire inside the plywood to achieve permanent adhesion. The 2-part epoxy primer is used to better adhere to the acrylic.
- Patch and profile any plywood joints, seams, cracks, holes, etc… using LRB/TAV mixture at a ¾” bead. This mixture is 2 parts LRB to 1 part TAV. LRB/TAV mixture will molecularly weld to the prime coat of PermaFlex and permanently adhere to the epoxy primer.
- Apply a coat of LRB (Liquid Rubber Base) to the interior of the tank to create a thick impervious membrane (80 sq ft per gal) 20 mils thickness. LRB will cure at any thickness. The LRB membrane will overwhelm any imperfections within the plywood, guarantee an absolute seal, allow ultimate flexibility, and durability. This membrane will molecularly weld to the previous applications. LRB can also be thickened to any viscosity by mixing it with TAV. This will give you thicker vertical cling if the tank can not be flipped onto its side.
- Topcoat using 1 coat of PermaFlex (240 sq ft per gal) which will molecularly weld to the LRB membrane.
If VHO lighting or any other intense UV lighting will be used or would like a special color, apply 1 coat of a good 2 part epoxy paint. This paint will give you the color desired and extreme UV resistance. This coat will not aid or inhibit the waterproofing/sealing of the aquarium. Wash the Sani-Tred surfaces before filling the tank with water.
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