Advantages of steel water tank stands over timber stands

Steel tank stands for water tanks or rainwater tanks have a number of advantages of equivalent timber tank stands. In South Africa we recommend steel tank stand kits manufactured by JoJo Tanks.

• Steel tank stands do not have that ‘home-made’ appearance and can be made less noticeable than bulky timber tank stands
• Steel has known and repeatable mechanical qualities and therefore load ratings can be scientifically calculated for steel tank stands, making them inherently safer than timber tank stands (wood can have weaknesses such as bark occlusions which are often hidden from the outside)
• Steel tank stands can be coated with high tech coatings/paint (or galvanised) and if properly maintained, can last far longer than tank stands made from wood which are prone to rot, termites and water damage (tank stands are often wet due to overflowing water tanks)
• Timber is bulky by nature and difficult to transport long lengths; steel tank stands are usually made up of sections that are bolted then bolted together on assembly making them easier to package and transport (less space taken up on transport vehicles) which translates into lower transport costs
• Although steel tank stands will generally cost more that timber tank stands material wise, they should outlast timber tank stands by a great margin, if properly maintained
• The installation & erection of steel tank stands will usually follow a known procedure, as recommended by the manufacturer; timber tank stands can be difficult to erect
• Good quality steel tank stands will be designed and tested by a structural engineer and a design certificate should be available to the purchaser. Timber tank stands are unlikely to have such documents. Remember a 10000 litre water tank weighs 10 tonnes when full; safety considerations should be paramount, especially with larger water tanks.

JoJo steel tank stands are supplied in kit form,  primer coated and ready to bolt together (with all the required nuts and bolts) but they will need to have concrete plinths/bases cast for each of the four corner posts (specifications of these bases are shown on the technical drawing and design certificate, available to the purchaser). JoJo tank stands are designed and manufactured by a registered structural engineer with more than 30 years experience.  Click on the links below for more information about JoJo Tanks products available in South Africa.

JoJo Tanks South Africa offer a wide range of products such as plastic water tanks and chemical tanks to suit every household, business or agricultural need, including silo tanks and silo tank stands as well as other high quality JoJo Tanks products.  See JoJo Tanks’ VERTICAL TANKS, HORIZONTAL TANKS (transporter tanks), STEEL TANK STANDS and OTHER JOJO PRODUCTS and see JoJo Tanks’ NEW 6000 LITRE UNDERGROUND TANKS. Also see our FAQ and WATER TANK PRICES.