There are different ideas that can be in your head when it comes to building an aquarium stand. However, bringing those ideas to life isn’t going to be like a walk in the park. We did our research and found some amazing projects that have been brought to life. Most of the projects listed in this article are pretty much easy to follow. We compiled a list of DIY aquarium stand projects that you can DIY easily.

DIY Wood Aquarium Stand

There are a lot of beautiful aquariums out there on the market today. But why spend the money on one when you can easily build your own? A DIY wood aquarium stand is not just for beginners! Even for experienced woodworkers, an aquarium stand is an easy project. Check out these ones below.

1. Build A Wooden Aquarium Stand

Level	Easy
Material	Wood
Cost	$50—$100

Building an aquarium stand is something you have to take time to think about before launching into the project. So focus on figuring out how you want the aquarium to be viewed by you, other people, children, short people, and so on. Also, you have to figure out how tall the tank is. Build a stand that allows anyone to see inside the aquarium. About six and a half feet tall overall for the tank on the stand is a good height.

2 by 4 stands are recommended, but you can increase the thickness of the wood depending on the weight of the tank. First, begin with the frame by putting the 2 by 4s together. Use two 2-by-4s in the support areas; the corners and the middle areas. Being able to build your own stand gives you an opportunity to be creative, and to be able to add stuff that doesn’t come with ready-made stands that you buy from Petco. Also, it saves you a lot of money while putting in that creative stuff.

2. DIY Cheap Aquarium Stand Idea

Level	Intermediate
Material	Wood
Cost	$20-$60

You need some Wainscot wood, and you can get this from your favorite hardware store. Two sheets of this wainscot wood are required, one for the front panel and the other will be cut in half for the stand’s sides. Check the video guide to see the right dimensions. The aquarium stand is a small one, and it’s also quite portable.

3. DIY Aquarium Stand

Level	Intermediate
Material	Wood, Plywood
Cost	$15-$30

The design of this aquarium stand is so unique and esthetically pleasing. The fish tank will sit on a wooden vertical support with foam insulation between the tank and the stand. The materials you’ll need are one piece of 4 x 8 pine plywood, one 4 x 8 sheet of oak plywood, a box of 3 and 2-inches wood screws, a countersink drill bit, and a few other materials. The project started with the creator cutting out the pieces of wood to the right dimensions, then he pieced everything together to have an idea of how it would all look when it was finished.

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4. DIY Fish Aquarium Stand

Level	Intermediate
Material	Wood
Cost	$20-$30

The aquarium stand you will be building will be able to carry a 20-gallon fish tank. This time-lapse video tutorial will help you build an aquarium stand out of a generic 2 x 4 plywood. The stand took the creator a few hours to make. The stand also has a simple look.

The main work was cutting the wood into its desired shape and fitting the pieces together with a standard nail gun.

5. How To Build An Aquarium Stand

Level	Intermediate
Material	Wood
Cost	$50—$70

This video started with the creator cutting out pieces of wood from a backboard he had at home. He used a table saw to cut the wood, some wood screws that can smoothly go through the wood and a battery drill.

In this video, the aquarium stand’s frame was already made; he just cut out pieces from a wood backboard to cover the frame structure to make it look like a cabinet. The stand has two doors on the top of it, with another two doors in front. The creator then proceeded to use a wood primer paint and to give it a beautiful finish. Check the video to get the dimensions of the wood that you will be cutting out.

6. How To Build An Aquarium Cabinet Stand

Level	Intermediate
Material	Wood, plywood
Cost	$30—$70

Here is a fantastic aquarium stand that you can make out of Plywood. The process is super easy and straightforward to build. All you need is some plywood, molding, hinges, knobs, pocket hole screws, wood putty, brand nails, and wood glue.

The tools specified for this project are a miter saw, Kreg jig for the pocket holes, drill, circular saw, and nail gun to perform the task faster and more efficiently. Start this task by processing the wood for the aquarium stand’s sides. Using a miter saw to cut the wood into the desired size, Create pocket holes on the side and Proceed to add the base and other parts of the stand.

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7. Aquarium Stand Wood Build

Level	Intermediate
Material	Wood
Cost	$50—$100

This is a simple enough aquarium anyone can make by themselves. All you need to get this done is some 2-by-4s, MDF sheets, and styrofoam. You need wood glue and screws for the joints. Then you need a miter saw and a hot glue gun. Following a cutting list, cut all the wood you need. Make the top of the stand by joining four short pieces and two long ones, add the corner pieces, and make them tight until you have a total of 12 pieces in place.

The styrofoam would be at the top to help stabilize the tank on the frame. But this is optional. Use styrofoam if the top of the frame is not perfectly flat or it’s made of acrylic which can be slippery. You can add shelves with sheets of MDF, one at the bottom and another above that using screws or hot glue.

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8. DIY Aquarium Stand Build

Level	Intermediate
Material	Wood
Cost	$50—$80

With this video, you will learn how to make this elegant aquarium stand using some inexpensive tools. You might not have sophisticated tools perfect for woodworking, but any standard wood tools will do. The first step starts with cutting out the stand’s top pieces from birch plywood. Make all your cuts with your plywood laying on an insulation foam using a circular saw.

Make marks on the wood you cut out to create holes to run the pipe for the aquarium tank from the tank itself to the filter sitting inside the aquarium stand.

9. DIY Universal Aquarium Stand

Level	Intermediate
Material	Wood
Cost	$30—$50

To make this universal aquarium stand, you need some wood, nine pieces of a 2 x 4 plywood that cost about $3 for one. You may not need all nine of them, depending on how tall you want your stand to be. The next thing you need in terms of supplies is number eight and nine screws that are two and a half inches long, a saw, tape measure to take measurements, and a drill.

The process is quick and easy to build, and you don’t need a top-notch carpentry experience.

10. DIY Aquarium Stand With Shelves

Level	Intermediate
Material	Wood
Cost	$15-$30

Here’s an excellent aquarium stand that comes with shelves. You will spend about $60 on the wood and other materials. The creator made some simple sketches on paper to settle for a particular design. The shelf added to the stand is an excellent addition to this process, and the shelf frame has a large space where you can store items.

The tutorial below will teach you how to build the stand from scratch using the right materials like oak plywood, wood conditioner, wood dowel pins, and a few essential tools you might have at home or simply get them at your favorite hardware store.

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11. How To Build An Aquarium Stand

Level	Intermediate
Material	Wood
Cost	$15-$30

This stand is designed to carry a 375-gallon fish tank. If you don’t have a gallon as big, then you don’t need this video tutorial. The process is simple but very tasking. The stand is 8 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 3 feet tall. The making process starts with a 2 x 6 frame, and then the birch plywood will cover the frame structure. This video will give a step-by-step guide on how to build the stand from scratch.

12. Homemade Aquarium Stand

Level	Intermediate
Material	Wood
Cost	$50—$100

Here’s an idea for making your own homemade aquarium stand with doors like a cupboard. You need 2 by 4 wood that you will cut into the length you want your stand to be. Begin by building the frame. After screwing the frame together, build in the siding with plywood.

Use wood filler to fill the holes after nailing in the wood. You may want to take your time when staining the frame. Don’t leave any part out. Use a brush when doing this and work your way around the frame slowly until you have reached every corner of it. After the stain is coated you need to wipe the whole thing down. An idea is to use ¼ inches for the doors on the frame. Stain the doors too, then attach them to the frame. Once this is done it is time to drill holes in the doors to attach the handles.

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13. Wooden Aquarium Stand

Level	Hard
Material	Wood
Cost	$50—$100

The wood used for this project is 18mm MDF. With the right tools like a measuring tape, router and jigsaw, you can do this at home. First you need to build the frame, reinforce it by putting another column in the middle. Make the front frame from pine, route it with a half inch round nose to create flutes in the legs. You will biscuit join the front of the frame with waterproof wood glue. The most challenging part of this project could be the biscuit joining. You should join the front frame using the biscuit method and join it to the frame using a D4 PVA waterproof wood glue.

This method is a great way of avoiding the messiness of nails. With nails you have to deal with holes and then have to fill them up with wood putty. Biscuit joints are smoother and give a neater finish. This could increase the difficulty level for the project.

If you don’t have the tools you can opt for screws. As you can see in the photo you can take liberties with your own designs. There’s an arch in the middle which is installed using plywood. The doors on both sides of it are biscuit joined to give the finish a smooth feel.

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14. ADA Style Aquarium Stand

Level	Intermediate
Material	Wood, MDF
Cost	$100—$150

You need 2 by 4 wood and plywood for this stand. If you can, have the sketch made in 3D, but if not, make a drawing showing the measurements. Use a saw to cut your wood and MDF into your desired measurements and size. Use liquid nails and water-based caulking and make sure it is the type you can paint. It is recommended that you use 3m Bondo spot putty glazing for the mdf edges, and for larger gaps, use Bondo automotive filler.

When painting, use microfiber rollers instead of foam rollers to avoid a rough finish caused by the air bubbles left by foam. Your objective is to first build a frame that’s sturdy and able to withstand the weight of your aquarium. So focus on that. You can always add other effects like a door, a shelf and the other finishing touches.

15. DIY Simple Aquarium Stand

Level	Intermediate
Material	Wood
Cost	$30—$50

Here is a simple aquarium stand, also made out of wood. The creator made a stand in such a way that it has the right balance on the ground. With this stand, the fish tank’s weight can sit correctly without the shooting bench tilting to one side or crumbling altogether. It’s relatively easy to build if you follow the guide correctly.

You’ll need a 2 x 4″ lumber, exterior wood screws, wood priming paint, and latex or oil paint to change the wood’s color for the building. This task will take four good hours of hard work with the right tools at your disposal.

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16. How To Build An Aquarium Stand

Level	Intermediate
Material	Wood, plywood
Cost	$30—$60

The creator made this seamlessly easy to build if you’re doing the work alone. The fish tank will enter the stand with perfect fitting due to how you will build the frame. This task can only be achieved when you get the measurement right.

The first important step is to cut the wood after measuring the fish tank’s size. Make your base then, the sides, and finally, the top of the stand. The stand will have a lid at the edges that will hold the fish tank properly. If someone hits a fish tank, it won’t easily fall off the stand.

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17. Easy DIY Aquarium Stand

Level	Intermediate
Material	Wood
Cost	$15-$35

This is not a time-lapse video tutorial. You will see the making process, how the creator processed the wood, and how he assembled it using a drill, saw, and other essential tools. To get the full details of the right dimensions, check the video link below.

18. Building An Aquarium Stand

Level	Expert
Material	Wood, plywood
Cost	$30—$70

Here is an elegant aquarium stand, perfect for a house with a sleek design. Make the aquarium stand a few inches longer than the overall size of the aquarium tank. The task is an easy one to build with or without any woodworking experience.

The kind of materials you’ll need are a 2 x 4 pin lumber, construction adhesive, construction screws, and a few other items you can find at your favorite hardware store. Here are a few things to consider as you build. Ensure that the stand’s frame supports the edge of the aquarium.

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19. Wooden Tank Stand

Level	Intermediate
Material	Wood, MDF
Cost	$50—$100

If you are building an aquarium stand for a 40 gallon capacity this is the way to do it: using 2 by 4s that you have cut to your desired lengths, construct the frame first by having it tightened with angle ties. When this is done add the sides, the floor and the top of it. As shown here the top is decorated with crown molding if you are interested in making yours like this. When this is done you can put your aquarium on top of it.

Consider adding a ¼” inch piece of lauan plywood to the bottom of the frame if you need a shelf in it. To prevent rot you can waterproof the frame but before doing this, it is a good idea to apply wood putty all over the wood to seal the cracks and holes. Follow this up with two coats of stain and polyurethane to give the whole frame a popping sheen. Although this depends on your wood’s color and type. One thing that can mess up the beauty of the aesthetics of your frame is the unsightly depressions around the head of the nails as you drive them in with a hammer. To prevent this, you can use a plastic barrier as seen in this link. This plastic takes the impact of the hammer if you miss the nail and hit the wood.

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20. Wood Aquarium Stand Build

Level	Intermediate
Material	Wood
Cost	$50—$100

To build an aquarium stand, start by determining the size and height. It can be up to 3 feet if you want. If for example, your aquarium is 10 inches by 20 inches then the sides of your stand should ideally be 10.5 by 20.5 inches tall. Begin by cutting the wood you need to the size and length of the stand you want. Attach the parts, cut, and lay the top with plywood. Do the same for the sides of the stand.

Add trim by gluing it on. Before moving from one section of the project to the other, always allow at least 2 hours for the glue to dry up. When cutting and installing plywood to the bottom of the frame, trace the shape and measurements of the frame on a large piece of plywood. Cut what you’ve measured with a jigsaw. You can use finishing nails when completing the installation of the parts. And if the nail heads are ugly you can cover them up with wood putty.

When sanding, avoid using coarse sandpaper to prevent damage to the wood. Use stains that are designed for the particular wood you’re using for your stand. Apply at least two coats of stain to get the best result. After this, you can paint with the color that you wish.

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21. Simple Wooden Aquarium Stand

Level	Easy
Material	Wood
Cost	$50—$80

A simple wooden aquarium stand requires wood, preferably 2 by 4s. But you can use other sizes if it suits the particular weight of your aquarium. You should cut the wood into pieces, and assemble them into a frame. To make the stand sturdy, you can double the pieces of 2 by 4 wood in each column.

Now place the plywood meant for the top on the floor, place the frame on it and mark out the dimensions. Once you have put in the plywood on the floor, paint the frame. Next cut plywood for the sides. Anyone can do this. Your first attempt may not come out perfect and it’s fine. As they say, it’s good enough for the ones it’s for. However, take proper measurements, and be strict with them so you don’t waste your materials.

22. How To Build An Aquarium Stand

Level	Hard
Material	Wood
Cost	$50—$150

This aquarium stand is made from oak. First, divide your plywood sheet in two for the bottom and inside quadrants. Once the wood is cut in pieces for the upright stand, flute the bottom of the pieces so they can fit into each other. Get your frame up this way, add the sidings. You would need clamps to keep the parts together after applying glue. Add 6-inch oak planks at the back.

You’d need to make a lot of measurements during most of the project. You’d be using squares to get your angles right. This way your stand doesn’t end up being unstable and wobbly. It is also beneficial to have a list containing the parts and their specific measurements.

This way you can move smoothly from one part of the project to the other without missing anything. This also allows you to have accurate lengths and breaths throughout the frame.

You’ll likely be adding the doors as the final thing.

23. Upcycle Aquarium Stand

Level	Easy
Material	Wood
Cost	$4—$10

Anyone can build this by using old wood collected in the yard. And the project can come out looking unique too. You need the usual tools like a hand saw, corded drill, prybar, and hammer. Remove the nails in the old wood if there are any, line the 19 inches 2 by 6 wood face down, and screw the 2 by 4 wood to the bottom of it. Sand and attach the legs to the frame. You can add designs on the stand if you want to get creative.

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24. Self Cooling Aquarium Stand

Level	Easy
Material	Wood
Cost	$40—$60

To build this, decide the size of the aquarium. This will help you determine the size of the stand too. Cut the wood into the ones for the sides, the top, and the floor. Now nail them together after which you’d cover the holes with filler. You can have an AC vent in the frame too. Add about an inch thick board at the top which the tank will sit on.

To get this right, make sure to build a stand that is strong enough to bear the weight of your aquarium. You can establish airflow by attaching blocks on the top of the stand before placing the aquarium on it. This allows the air to flow from the vents under the tank freely. Air exits through the front and back of the tank. The advantage of this is that your aquarium is cooled, and so is your house. Also, make sure the blocks of wood bear the weight of the tank properly. If there’s a need for additional blocks, do not hesitate to add them under the tank.

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DIY Cinder Block Aquarium Stand

Do you know what can be built out of concrete blocks? You’d be surprised. There are many DIY aquarium stands that are built out of cinder blocks that are inexpensive, easy to build, and look good! Below are a couple of stands for an aquarium built with cinder blocks.

25. Cinder Block Aquarium Stand

Level	Easy
Material	Cinder block, wood
Cost	$20—$50

You need cinder blocks and 2 by 4 wood for this project. One of the benefits of this method of aquarium stand is that it gives you a really sturdy stand. Begin by laying down your 2 by 4s in a fish rack pattern, then put the two cinder blocks set on each other. You must have measured the space you want between the blocks. If you want it higher you can simply add two more sets of cinder blocks after laying out 2 by 4s on the previous set.

Next, paint it all. If you find that your stand seems not to be level it may be a result of an uneven surface, the floor, or wood. Don’t panic. Simply find the faulty cinder block column and fix a piece of plywood in between the cinder block and the wood, or between cinder blocks. Check again to see if the fault is corrected and if not, try again until you get it. Do not try to ignore an uneven cinder block arrangement as this can lead to accidents with your tank.

26. Make A DIY Aquarium Stand With Cinder Blocks

Level	Easy
Material	Cinder blocks, wood
Cost	$40—$60

You can build this aquarium stand using 2 by 4s, cinder blocks, and without tools. Anyone can do this. Place your cinder blocks on the floor following the dimensions and measurements that you have planned according to the size of your aquarium. Then set the ten feet long 2 by 4s on the two bricks high cinder blocks. You can use a smaller or longer length of 2 by 4s if your aquarium is bigger and longer. The stand would feel a little or very wobbly at first until your filled aquarium is sitting on it. With cinder blocks, you don’t have to do plenty of the cutting. And the whole project can take a few hours at most.

27. 75 Gallon Cinder Block Aquarium Stand

Level	Easy
Material	Cinder blocks, wood
Cost	$30—$50

If you’re building a cinder block stand for a 75-gallon tank, you need cinder blocks and wood. This is one of the simplest methods anyone can attempt. And you don’t need many tools to get it done. So you begin by measuring the space where you want your stand to be.

You set the cinder blocks on the floor—you can lay a carpet under each block to protect your floor. Lay 2 by 10 inches of wood on the frame. This is what your tank will sit on. This project will take you only about an hour to set up and costs you as little as $50.

28. Easy DIY Aquarium Stand

Level	Intermediate
Material	Cinder blocks
Cost	$5-$15

If you want something easy and straightforward to build that won’t take up much of your time, then this time-lapse video tutorial will help you achieve that. Here is what you need to start, eight cinder blocks, pretty long plywood, and some tools to work with. You’ll be using a tape measure to measure and cut out the part of the wood you’ll place at the top of the cinder blocks.

The first step involves placing a mat on the floor, then placing the cinder blocks on it, four cinder blocks on one side, give some gap, and put four more on the other side. Then, place your cut-out wood on top of the cinder blocks and paint with any good wood primer.

29. Cinder Block Stand For Aquarium

Level	Easy
Material	Cinder block
Cost	$10—$20

You can actually set your tank on cinder blocks, literally without a wood top. And this can cost you absolutely nothing if you happen to have blocks lying around your yard. Cinder blocks can be really tough, and they can become very sturdy once you put your aquarium on it. To prevent the stand from being too wobbly, avoid too many blocks.

Let it be a maximum of 3 blocks set on each other. Also setting the cinder blocks too far apart is not a good idea. Concrete blocks can be extremely strong. Sometimes even when you place them wrongly, the blocks maintain their strength and won’t collapse or fall apart. Of course, you should take care to place them well but the point is they are really durable. One of the important preparations for this project is to make sure the floor you are placing your blocks on is not uneven.

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30 Making An Aquarium Stand With Concrete Blocks

Level	Easy
Material	Concrete, wood
Cost	$10—$50

The first thing is to measure how wide your aquarium is to know how wide you have to set the concrete blocks. In this case, all you need is to support the four corners. There’s no need to worry about the middle area of the setup.

Stack the concrete blocks in the location you want the aquarium to be, put a lumber board on the concrete before putting your aquarium on it. You can paint the concrete and board to make it look beautiful. This method is cheap, safe and durable. If you have boards or plywood boxes at home the cost of setting this up can come down to less than $10 outside of what you spend on the aquarium itself.

31. Cinder Block Aquarium Rack

Level	Easy
Material	Cinder blocks
Cost	$60—$100

You can build this cinder block aquarium in 30 minutes or less. If you have a couple of 2 by 8 by 12 lumber and cinder blocks around the yard, you could spend zero dollars to set it up. If you have an aquarium that is 55-gallon capacity or more you can use this size of lumber. You need about 16 blocks if you need a stand that is as high as your chest.

You can also vary how you arrange the blocks and lumber. Six-inch wide by eight-inch tall cinder blocks would serve you well for this project. The advantage of this method is the raw stability that cinder blocks give the tank stand, especially where it’s a bigger tank.

32. Cement Blocks Aquarium Stand

Level	Easy
Material	Cement blocks, wood
Cost	$40—$60

Cement blocks can make great options for aquarium stands. They can be found in hardware stores where they sell tiles, marble, and granite. Because they’re not hollow, they can be arranged however you want to. You can place the blocks vertically: you can let them stand about one inch from each other, and the number of blocks depends on how heavy and wide your tank is.

You can also place them horizontally depending on the size of the tank or the aesthetics you want. After placing them on the spot you have chosen, lay boards on the blocks that would allow the tank to have stability and not wobble. Don’t use too many blocks or leave an excessively wide space between blocks as this may lead to a wobbly stand.

33. Cinder Block Aquarium Shelf

Level	Easy
Material	Wood, cinder blocks
Cost	$20—$60

To create your own cinder block aquarium shelf you need lumber. Decide on a size and length that fits your aquarium. Your goal is to make sure the aquarium sits square and there is no risk of it falling off the shelf. When you have cut the wood to the size you want, sand down the surface of the wood to make it smooth. Next, you can paint it black, or any other color that matches your decor. You can practically do whatever you want with color.

Suppose you have goldfish in your tank, then you know you can paint with bright colors or a mix of them to accentuate the beautiful fish in your aquarium. Now measure out the space in the location where you want your aquarium stand to be. Lay out your painted and dried wood first on the floor. Then begin to arrange the blocks on the wood. Take note that your wood must have a flat surface for stability. You can place two blocks on the left and right sides and one in the middle. You need two levels of cinder blocks to have a shelf.

DIY Rolling Aquarium Stand

A rolling aquarium stand is essentially a regular aquarium stand with wheels for easy movement. This section will show you how to build your own DIY rolling aquarium stand. You can also simply add wheels to any of the wood projects in the first category.

34. Small Aquarium Stand With Storage

Level	Intermediate
Material	Wood, plywood
Costs	$30—$50

To make this you need plywood for the top and side panels. You can have measurements of your own depending on how big your aquarium is. To cut costs you can search around for abandoned wood that’s still usable. You should begin by building the frame; cut twelve pieces of 2 by 4, and build the tops and bottom first. Build the sides of the bottom inset to allow the legs to sit at the outer edge of the box.

Next, you should build the enclosure with plywood pieces. To be able to move it around, add retractable casters and adjustable feet under the box. This way you’d be able to move it around and still maintain balance on any terrain.

You should then mount the outfeed table and build the drawers. As you work, sand the whole body periodically to get the box looking smooth. One of the final things to put in is the drawer handles. You can stain or paint the box before putting your aquarium on it.

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35. How To Build A Strong Aquarium Stand

Level	Intermediate
Material	Pipe
Cost	$35-$75

A super-strong metal pipe is used for this project. You will also need some pipe elbows used for the stand’s legs and other metal pipe connectors. The pipe construction is seamlessly easy because this stand is built to carry a 420-gallon aquarium tank. There will be no welding for this project, only simple connections of one pipe to the other using several 3-way 90-degree metal pipe elbows.

Conclusion

Building an aquarium stand is one project that should not be rushed. Before building any of the aquarium stands listed above, you should make sure you have the required tools and materials needed. If you do not have woodworking skills, you can show your preferred project to a professional and have him build it for you.