Need Ideas For Bar Top...

[DuluthMN]

Well, I decided to build a bar in our garage next to our Sauna in hopes that we would use the sauna more. Well I am almost finished with the bar and I am trying to decide what I should put on the top. I would like to then cover in a clear resin.

Any cool ideas out there?

 

[DRP6833]

I've seen bar tops with "stuff" embedded in clear urethane about a quarter-inch thick. Things like coins, playing cards, pictures, keys...

 

[Gary S]

Build the top out of a quality and showy wood like hickory, walnut, cherry, or juniper. Pick one that has a color and grain to suit your preference. For something like this, plywood works better than solid wood, and the plywood is cheaper.
If you put an edge around the top and the edge protrudes slightly above the top, you can then pour resin inside the edge and fill with as much resin as you like.
As already mentioned, you can embed things in the resin.
First pick a wood that appeals to you.

 

[DuluthMN]

I've seen bar tops with "stuff" embedded in clear urethane about a quarter-inch thick. Things like coins, playing cards, pictures, keys...

That is exactly what I am thinking about doing. I really like the playing cards idea.

 

[Buzzard217]

The old lady and I painted some round top end tables black, scattered pin-up girl playing cards on them and then covered in the clear resin. They turned out great, we have 2.

 

[rwhite692]

Years ago, my Dad built a poured-resin bartop for a bar at a local marina restaurant, some 60 feet long.

It was very cool, it was meant to look like the ocean floor, had a bed of sand on the bottom, starfish, sand dollars, coral pieces, seashells, "gold" coins / lost "treasure", etc.

The owner of the bar had a check made out in the amount of One Million Dollars in there as well.

That was done by pouring half of the total bartop depth, then letting that cure, putting down the check (and other things like speeding tickets, IOUs, cash, etc) and then, pouring the rest.

All of the paper items were first laminated in a typical office-type laminator, as I recall. otherwise they didn't look too good once the resin got into them.

 

[DuluthMN]

The bar top I have is from an old old bowling alley, I almost wonder if I even need to cover it with items. It's a pretty cool looking piece of wood.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Make sure to hit the bar after the sauna, not the other way around.

 

[Ascinder]

http://newyork.concretenetwork.com/photo-gallery/countertops_2/07869-nj-j-m-lifestyles-bar-top_15149/

 

[BeachBum2012]

I like the items embedded in resin idea. I have a ton of old bottle caps that I always said I was going to lay out in a design and use for this. Some day...

 

[KCarGuy]

I have a Collection of Bar and Beer Coasters that I am going to do that to.
I like the idea of pouring, letting is cure and pouring more.
It will have a Suspended in Mid-Air Illusion to it!
Nice Idea.

 

[ratdoggy]

I don't need to say anything else. I'm building a bar too. I'd like to see some construction pics too.

 

[c_mccann]

Resin in a corset and a pair of handcuffs..

 

[Northern Ninja]

Resin in a corset and a pair of handcuffs..

Winner!!

 

[Road Captain]

I recently completed a mobile bar and for the top I went to a local metal working shop, gave them the dimensions of the top and they fabricated a top out of aluminumm diamond plate. They rolled the sides over and put a "hem" on the bottom of the roll over, eliminating the sharp bottom edge. They finish welded the four corners. The top fits just fine and is easy to clean and can be used for multiple purposes. It looks good on top of the "bar" and it was fairly inexpensive.

 

[mmhouse]

I've seen bar tops with "stuff" embedded in clear urethane about a quarter-inch thick. Things like coins, playing cards, pictures, keys...

In the garage it would be neat to embed car related stuff - car emblems, gas and oil logos, etc. These could be the actual chrome emblems off cars and portions of old oil cans.

 

[CV Street Rod]

I was a Pleasant Hills V Fireman we put pennies down and poured resin on . You could use other coins and make patterns or a silhouette of something.

 

[jon.human]

I was planning on sheetmetal framed in wood, beer cans don't need fancy!

 

[NUTTSGT]

There's always making copies of legal tender and putting it in the resin.

 

[DuluthMN]

Thanks for all the great ideas, I am leaning towards going with a hunting and fishing theme for my bar. I looked on ebay and you can get beer bottle caps pretty cheap. Keep the ideas coming guys, it looks like there are many people interested in doing this.

 

[DoyleDee]

There's always making copies of legal tender and putting it in the resin.

lol..... I can only see it now.....you come back to only find the bar top missing...

 

[5lima30]

What about tongue & groove solid hardwood flooring! Something like Hickory would look classy and be very durable!

 

[hanly2]

I used polished diamond plate. Also covered with resin. Only problem is the resin does yellow over time, but it still looks good.

 

[larry4406]

Built a commercial bar that used hot rolled steel (mill scale). I believe it was 1/8" thick. Butted tight and glued to plywood then cleared over.

Clear was http://eti-usa.com/envirotex-lite/

 

[GarageEnvy]

One of our local bars is the Silver Dollar Hofbrau. They've got (you guessed it) silver dollars in the resin on the bar.

 

[p_mori7]

Polished Stainless Steel checker plate. nuff said.

 

[87FoRunner]

Resin over some old tools would give a cool theme. Cut out some retro ads and laminate them, etc.

 

[Voi]

I've done several of these poured epoxy surfaces. Mostly using Envirotex Lite since it is the only one I can find locally in one gallon kits. I've used some different products as well but they were all basically the same.

Are you going to be capturing the resin surface between a wooden lip (basically a decorative form) around the perimeter of the counter top or do you plan to roll the epoxy over a radiused or beveled edge of the counter?

The latter is much more difficult to do, especially if you need to pour the horizontal surface pretty deep in order to cover thick items like fishing lures or bottle caps. It's much easier with thinner things like playing cards.

Let me know and I'll see if I can give you some more specific advice. I'm not a pro by any means but have played with the stuff just enough to know where things get tricky.

 

[ARbuilder223]

Sweet idea..

 

[DuluthMN]

I've done several of these poured epoxy surfaces. Mostly using Envirotex Lite since it is the only one I can find locally in one gallon kits. I've used some different products as well but they were all basically the same.

Are you going to be capturing the resin surface between a wooden lip (basically a decorative form) around the perimeter of the counter top or do you plan to roll the epoxy over a radiused or beveled edge of the counter?

The latter is much more difficult to do, especially if you need to pour the horizontal surface pretty deep in order to cover thick items like fishing lures or bottle caps. It's much easier with thinner things like playing cards.

Let me know and I'll see if I can give you some more specific advice. I'm not a pro by any means but have played with the stuff just enough to know where things get tricky.

Thanks for all the great advice everyone. I actually figured out a way to curb our debt problems. I've decided to use my wife's credit cards and resin over the top of them, it will save us some money and it will make a great conversation piece!

 

[DuluthMN]

Here is what I am currently working with, so I was wanting to do some kind of outdoor theme. Altough I have been told that the old school bowling lane top would look pretty good on it's own without being covered.

 

[The Hot Rod Grille]

A local bar had a variation of the idea by putting items into the recessed area and rather than pouring resin, they placed a sheet of glass over the items. That allowed for the items to be changed as desired and didn't "ruin" the items with resin. You can make the recessed area as deep as needed to accomodate the items you are displaying. Also, the glass could be replaced if it became scratched and did not turn yellow like resin tended to do with age.

Jim

 

[mgilde13]

One of the nicest tops that I've seen had copper sheeting on the top of the bar then the self leveling epoxy was poured on top of it. It really made the grain of the copper pop and it will fit with just about any decor.

 

[holland_patrick]

pistons

 

[nichboy]

This resin your talking about, where can it be purchased at? How is it applied, drying time, attract any dust?

 

[DuluthMN]

This resin your talking about, where can it be purchased at? How is it applied, drying time, attract any dust?

I would be buying mine in the 1 gallon kits at Menards.

 

[Voi]

Here is what I am currently working with, so I was wanting to do some kind of outdoor theme. Altough I have been told that the old school bowling lane top would look pretty good on it's own without being covered.

I would only use the epoxy if you want to cast something into the finish. If you want to cast something thicker than a playing card (like a credit card, lol) then I would trim the outside with the trim about 1/16" to 1/8" higher than the thickest item you'll be casting in the epoxy. It will be much easier than trying to pour the epoxy thick and having it go over the edge of the bar top.

If you really don't want to trim out the edge, which I probably wouldn't want to do with a bowling alley remnant, then a radiused edge is much easier to roll the epoxy over than a hard 90* edge.

I would also recommend a practice project where you can experiment with mixing, working time, getting the bubbles out, etc. Maybe buy an old serving tray and cast some stuff in there.

I like to work with the stuff when it's fairly warm. I'll even heat up the resin and activator in warm water baths if I want to pour it thin. But it sets up a lot quicker so you need to know how to work with it.

I also recommend reading up on the "two pot mixing method" or whatever it's called. Basically you measure parts A and B into separate containers and pour them into a mixing container. After mixing for two minutes you then pour it into yet another clean container and mix it again. This was described in the instructions that came with one of these epoxies. I think it was either Envirotex Lite or Kleer Koat.

 

[atotalnincompoop]

i did a black concrete countertop in the new house, its awesome, i'd do it again in a heartbeat!

 

[EW57]

Goldfish, barbed wire, prophylactics, glass tile mosaic, LED's, carbon fiber, aramid fiber, glitter, ball bearings, Han Solo.... well, maybe not all at the same time.......

 

[onemisterchristian]

http://vimeo.com/32967940