Composite wood stands vs solid wood?

[Salvelinus]

I'm setting up another 75 gallon tank in a different part of my house ,and I need to pick up a stand for it.
Leaving metal aside (no spots for storage), what are people's thoughts on solid wood stands (either pine or hardwood) vs. composite? Of course, a hardwood stand would be best, but they seem to be pretty rare - almost all I've seen are either pine, or composite wood. My worry with composite is that over time it may degrade with exposure to moisture, and one day, 800lbs of water, gravel and fish will come crashing down. Has this ever happened to anyone? I wouldn't worry with a small tank, but 75 gallons is starting to get into the realm of big and heavy.

Thanks!

[*Sarah*]

I think a lot of the "solid wood" stands are probably custom made. We have our 100 g on a metal stand that my hubby is going to build a custom stand around (thank goodness he's a carpenter to begin with lol).
We have our 40g tall on a comp wood stand and have had it on there for a good few years and no problems at all. No signs of it deteriorating and it's suprisingly steady. We've had a couple of spills too and it's been exposed to some water and so far so good :)

[Lady Hobbs]

Pressed board can be pretty heavy. If it's thick, glue and screws used (not nails) and secured with metal brackets, I see no problem with them. A water proof paint should be used to seal them off.

If they've been made to withstand the weight of a fish tank, I feel they are safe.

[Kuli_Loach]

I make my own stands usually.

[RobbieG]

I personally wouldn't use a pressboard stand - but I've never heard of anyone losing a tank because of one.

[A340]

I don't like presswood or particle wood, has a very cheap look to it and ruins the overall appearance of the tank, but that's just my personal .02 cents.

My dad and I built the stand that my 29g tank is on is made out of solid pine and is close to 20 years old now and no signs of stress or damage despite countless gallons of water spilled on to it.

I am using printer stands that I picked up real cheap for my 3 x 10g tanks, they are very basic with metal frames and particle board shelves. They don't look that nice but will do until I get a chance to build my own stands for them.

My 90g (which is still sitting empty, and will probably sit empty for at least another year) will have a custom stand built out of solid pine as well.