sand before staining a pine canopy?

[michaeltx]

its in the special interst area here
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/f/8/lighting-equipment-diy
you dont have to sand but if you do the finished project will look so much better than if you didnt!
Dont forget to use a high heat based paint for the inside of the canopy.
Mike

 

[bill109]

ok maybe this is a double post? well i couldnt find this forum part for just diy so i posted under new hobbyists. um i am about to stain a diy canopy i made for my 90 gal.. do i need to sand the canopy made of pine wood before i put a wood conditioner on and stain? the conditioner is just to get the wood ready for stain so maybe its not a conditioner? forgot the name lol
let me know what you think..
bill

 

[sepulatian]

Good luck with that Bill. You have come so far in this hobby!! I am happy for you!

 

[bill109]

Originally Posted by MichaelTX http:///forum/post/2629002
its in the special interst area here
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/f/8/lighting-equipment-diy
you dont have to sand but if you do the finished project will look so much better than if you didnt!
Dont forget to use a high heat based paint for the inside of the canopy.
Mike
can i just leave the inside unstained?
tht would solve tht problem no?
thanks again

 

[michaeltx]

ill move the other posts over to this one for ya .
Mike

 

[bill109]

Originally Posted by MichaelTX
http:///forum/post/2629014
ill move the other posts over to this one for ya .
Mike
thanks you..

 

[michaeltx]

well they come over out of sequence but they are here LOL
I wouldnt when you get the lights in the canopy they will start to dry the wood out and cause cracks in it. painting it will also keep the moisture from attacking the wood and causeing other issues with it.
I used a white heat formula based paint and it hels in reflecting some of the light back into the tank aswell
Mike

 

[bill109]

Originally Posted by MichaelTX
http:///forum/post/2629018
well they come over out of sequence but they are here LOL
I wouldnt when you get the lights in the canopy they will start to dry the wood out and cause cracks in it. painting it will also keep the moisture from attacking the wood and causeing other issues with it.
I used a white heat formula based paint and it hels in reflecting some of the light back into the tank aswell
Mike
so what do i use? like a heat resistant white paint?
i didnt know they made them.. lol
my lights arent a super hot rnning liht.. they are a t-5 but they are in the housing that sits on the tank. they are not a retrofit lights or w/e they are lol where they ar emounted into the canopy.. its the old TEK 8-bulb housing in there sitting on a lip in the canopy.. ne differnt oppnions on this?

 

[michaeltx]

still the same really I used a pc light for mine and it between the the lights and humidity it took a toll on my canopy. The first one I built I didnt seal the inside because I thought there wasnt a need for it. The canopy didnt last long it warped and did all kinds of crazy things because of the saltwater and humidity. so I would honestly still seal the inside to keep your hard work from getting messed up later and not being able to fix it.
Mike

 

[bill109]

Originally Posted by MichaelTX
http:///forum/post/2629025
still the same really I used a pc light for mine and it between the the lights and humidity it took a toll on my canopy. The first one I built I didnt seal the inside because I thought there wasnt a need for it. The canopy didnt last long it warped and did all kinds of crazy things because of the saltwater and humidity. so I would honestly still seal the inside to keep your hard work from getting messed up later and not being able to fix it.
Mike
okay.. so its a high heat resistant paint? is that all i am looking for?
thanks for the heads up and pointers..
a fan wouldnt help with humidity would it?

 

[michaeltx]

yeah a fan will help some but not enough its mainly for heat.
If you are able to add a fan or two into the canopy it would be a benifit for the tank and any heat issues that might come up later on.
the paint is just a heat resistant paint I think most paint manufactures make a version of it including krylon.
Mike

 

[bill109]

here it is.. it has 2 square braces that match the tank dimensions on top..
the whole top and back of the canopy are open. and there are glass tops on the tank with the tops proped up for air exchange and also in the back..
so i didnt paint the inside.. lol
i can post some more pics if anybody wants? i dont have the retrpfit lighting i fit the light fixture i have in there now.

and some bonus..

 

[bill109]

your welcome for the terrible pics. they alwaysss come out darker than what they show on the cam.. it sucks.

 

[michaeltx]

very nice looking!! it looks much better than what I could do LOL
Mike

 

[michaeltx]

here ya go I brightened up a bit for ya.

 

[bill109]

Originally Posted by MichaelTX
http:///forum/post/2630739

very nice looking!! it looks much better than what I could do LOL
Mike
haha i wish i could take credit for all of it..
im 17 and couldnt do this all my self lol my dad helped me do some of the stuff i would of screwed up. (hes not a carpenter) but i did do a great deal of work on it..
what i liked was i added some decorative molding on the canopy and stand to make it look like they were made together.

 

[bill109]

Originally Posted by MichaelTX
http:///forum/post/2630749
here ya go I brightened up a bit for ya.
Thankyou!!