How are different pieces of furniture rated or built for weight tolerance? Aquarium stands are made out of seemingly flimsy board and can hold hundreds of pounds, but a solid wood coffee table is only rated to hold 50.

Question

I’ve been looking at different pieces of furniture for a future terrarium and I’m confused as to why some pieces that are seemingly solid are rated to hold little weight. Most furniture labeled as aquarium stands are made out of lightweight material but can potentially hold hundreds of pounds, but an industrial coffee table of solid wood and metal is only recommended to hold 50. Why is their such a huge disparity for weight limits on different pieces of furniture (that are roughly the same dimensions)?

In: 10

Answer 1

Partial answer: It’s in the shape of it. When you have a solid board of wood, you’re distributing the weight over the whole length. When you only have legs, the weight is shared only across legs. You’ll probably notice that the aquarium-holding furniture tend to use more boards, often all the way to the ground.