What type of paint should I use for my new fish stand? I want to get something that looks professional, furniture grade, but also won’t rot away in 6 months time. I know little of the different types of paints and how to go about applying them.
Any quality latex high gloss will give you a nice furniture grade look. Don’t cheap out on it though. Get something quality.
You might also want to consider something like a good Killz primer which will provide some additional protection from water splashing and dripping.
I think Killz and gloss what was recommended I use last time 3-4 years ago and I didn’t really like the outcome. I really want to get a matte type finish vs anything shiny and I am not sure how that type of pain will work with a primer. I asked my brother to look into this, but I believe he is a bit busy. Can’t really get too much further with my tank until I can get the stand complete.(and find the time to drill my closed loop)
The primer won’t affect the outcome at all. It will really just add a layer of protection and prevent the wood from soaking up all of the paint.
Thanks Craig.
Hey Jon, what kind of wood are you painting? and is it currently bare? I’ve made lots of outdoor furniture, adirondack chairs and the like. I never did like the outcome using Kilz. It’s very thick, and doesn’t absorb very far into the wood, which results in chipping and peeling, and i found that most other paints don’t adhere to the kilz very well, which means more peeling and chipping easily. Don’t get me wrong, a stained wall or covering up a crayoned wall, i’m grabbing the kilz, but for something like a stand, that gets banged and bumped, i would paint it with ( i’m assuming bare wood, pine maybe?) straight paint, about three coats, i’ve had very good luck on outdoor furniture( a year plus, blizzard to summer sun, beer bottles on the armrests…no signs of wear or fading) with valspar indoor/outdoor from lowe’s…it’s cheap too, and comes in diff gloss levels… what color btw?
I wish I had all the old cans from when I did it the last time to make sure I did it the opposite way this time. Pretty sure I used Kilz though.
I want to go a black matte kind of look. Nothing glossy or shiny. Almost considered a very dark stain, but think black paint would look better. I forget already what type of wood, but it was something nicer from Home Depot. The majority of what will be visible on the outside of the stand was a very nice sheet of 3/4" plywood my brother was shocked to find at Home Depot. (He works for an architect down by the beach and sells a lot of high end cabinets for homes, so he knows this stuff a lot better then I do.)
I would use a high quality oil based wood primer (or wood conditioner if you stain). I use Kilz for stains that bleed through and they have a good masionary primer. But for dry lumber use an oil based primer which will absorb more deeply into the wood. If the wood is new and still “wet” and you want to paint immediatly use a primer that is listed as breathable. This will allow moisture to escape from the wood and not peel or bubble up. I am definatly a fan of Valspar paint and any finish above eggshell would work but you may want to consider an enamal paint which has a more durable finish.
The wood ply was probably cabinet birch.
a couple of the hoods i have made i painted with an oil based primer and then rustoleum glossy. after about 6 years of being over hot lamps and tank humidity, the paint on the inside has finally done some cracking. but the outside is still glossy and fine. The glossy white inside the hood makes a good reflector.
or you can go whole hog and use two part epoxy or urathane boat paint . the sky is the limit. top end would be AWLGRIP two part epoxy gel coat type paint. its what fiberglass boat hulls are repainted with. really toxic fumes though until it cures.
check out Topside paints and Primers.
Do any painting yet? what did you decide on?
made me think of a question…has anyone used a paint inside their hood to increase reflection?
not sure if its safe or if reflectors are just enough.
0 progress. Other peoples tanks are coming ahead of my own at the moment and my brother is busy with work, planning his wedding, and planning his fiancés birthday bash. 0 progress.
The inside of my old hood is white to increase how much light will bounce off it and back into the tank. I honestly don’t think it makes enough of a difference to do it again.
yes, i have painte my VHO hoods white inside to act as reflectors and preserve the wood. Rustoleum glossy white. both the top and sides inside. as well as the outside. painted the whole thing.
Probably going to pick up something today. As always the more I read the more questions I have, but I am ready to just do something, anything, just to get it started and get water in the tank.
I am pretty sure I will not Killz primer. I am not sure if I will go with a high quality oil based wood primer or just use 3-4 coats of paint. I am going to look into Valspar indoor/outdoor (Do they sell that at Home Depot as well?) Is Valspar an enamel paint?
For time being I am going to sand down the supports and a ply wood base, so I can bet something going, but leave the plywood sides alone until I am sure with what will look best. Hopefully I can just add the sides later.
the primer is very important. it fills and bonds to the wood and covers pine sap which paint doesnt stick to well. it makes a good bonding surface for the finish paint. its no more toxic than any paint, just because its called KILZ!!
http://www.lowes.com/pl_Valspar_4294856872+4294965540_44_?cm_mmc=search_google--Paint--Brands%20Valspar-_-valspar%20products
or boat grade
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SiteSearchView?PopularCat=No&Ne=410&beginIndex=0&langId=-1&storeId=11151&page=CategoryDisplayLevel1&N=377 710 2010304&Ns=Most Popular|0&catalogId=10001&omniTag=Brand%3aMore…&viewTaskName=SiteSearchView
I’ve got half a bucket of white KILZ latex water base indoor/outdoor primer if you want to use some. no sense buying a whole bucket for one stand.
I’m going to try something different then Killz this time. Hated the results last time, same sort of thing John ran into. Paint wouldn’t stick to it which is kind of what you are saying it is supposed to do. After about 6 coats a week later it was peeling already.
Peeling paint will also occur when the wood is still wet. The wood needs to dry as a primer will seal the wood. If the wood is wet it is best not to prime. Paint does not create a vapor barrier so the wood is able to breathe. (indoor or outdoor) This sounds perfect but it will also absorb moisture…fish tank, enough said.
Primer creates a vapor barrier and seals the wood. Primer has too main functions seal and create a surface that paint will adhear too. Paint has some protection properties but its main function is to provide color and finish.
Valspar is the Lowes house brand
Behr is Home Depot’s house brand
It is available in enamal but is not all enamal paint.
If it were me…
Use dry wood or build the stand and let dry.
2 coats Oil based primer (wait 24 hours between coats)
2 coats enamal top coat
Most paint say you can recoat in 20 min or wait 24 hours. I have had the best results not rushing and wait the recomended time between coats.
I just used Valspar water based on my stand… waited 24 hours between both coats, didn’t do a primer, and did a clear coat after and it looks good. It isn’t perfect because I was in a rush, but I don’t have any worry that it will peel away or look bad.
I personally like Home Depot more, and their Behr paint is good, but I went on a suggestion from someone with A LOT more experience than me, and he said Valspar is better, and I trust him 100% and it looks really good so I’m happy 
I’m pretty sure none of the wood is new or wet. Picked it up at home depot(my brother was shocked to find a quality plywood there, but we did), then we cut the frame that day and it sat in my basement for two weeks and has been upstairs in my kitchen for two days. Felt dry to me when we were first using it.
I’m going to sand the frame then go Lowes to seek out a high quality oil based primer.
Hopefully:
- 4pm Tomorrow, Wednesday first coat of oil based primer
- 4pm Thursday second coat of oil based primer
- 4pm Friday first coat of Valspar enamel paint
- 4pm Saturday first coat of Valspar enamel paint
On the valspar site I looked up a paint that had a satin finish(I don’t want gloss) for bare wood and was durable and it came up with one result. It showed me Duramax Paint. I also only looked under outdoor figuring that would be best for this application. I couldn’t find the word enamel or enamal in the description anywhere.
Were you saying that not all Behr is enamel or both Valspar and Behr is “available in enamal but is not all enamal paint.”
I’m going to talk with someone at Lowe’s, but it appears as if the “Oil Based Exterior Primer” from Valspar would be the way to go.
I like going to Home Depot better myself as well. Probably mostly because it is closer which I shouldn’t say out loud as they may dry to build another hardware store in Newark. Many of the people at my Home Depot are really friendly and helpful. I also kind of like there current advertising campaign that has been running for a year now.