# Need Bar Top Suggestions....and Installation



## thill (Aug 23, 2006)

I am in the final stages of remodeling my rec room. I had a bar built and is 90% complete and 200% over budget. I still need ideas for the final bar top and ideas on how to install it. 

Anyone have any good ideas for a bar top that will look good and not break the bank? I have some knotty pine trim throughout my rec room so I was thinking about getting some nice knotty pine and putting 1/4"- 1/2" clear coat on it and somehow secure it to the bar foundation. Any suggestions?


Thanks!


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## Percha Man (Mar 16, 2003)

We reused old barn wood tongue and groove for a bar top at one of our deer camp haunts and with a few coats of clear it was easy to see one of the best and cheapest decisions we made. Can look into used lumber for that old time feel....


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## MSUICEMAN (Jan 9, 2002)

1/2 or 1/3 log siding, sealed and urethaned. counterbore and bolted down. fill counterbore with plugs.

i'm still a granite or onyx fan though.


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## idontno (Dec 29, 2010)

I used notty pine with all my hunting and fishing pictures with a glass top over the pics. Great love it

_Sent from my DROIDX_


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## sweatyspartan (May 24, 2004)

MSUICEMAN said:


> 1/2 or 1/3 log siding, sealed and urethaned. counterbore and bolted down. fill counterbore with plugs.
> 
> i'm still a granite or onyx fan though.


might be easier to screw from the cabinet up if you have the access...then you don't have to mess with plugs.

I did granite on mine too...depending on the bar size you might be able to find a remnant and get it done for cheap.


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## Ice Scratcher (Jan 29, 2011)

Cool I thought I would only be spending time on the ice fishing forum LOL!

This took me a year of late nights to finish..

I used a piece of bowling alley lane for my bar top. It was a lot of work and heavy but IMO worth it. Actually my bar top, back bar top, and side rails are all made of it. I trimmed the edges from some Burr oak a guy near Flint was selling, that stuff was in his barn for 25 years. I decided to edge it in Oak for the sake of durability, if you edge in pine, well lets just say your edge will go to hell super quick and get dented and screwed up from all the sober folks around. Maple bowling lane is 2" thick and the trim is a true 2" X4". Most all the framing was done with Spruce out of Germany (I think) gained off of free shipping pallets of which I found a source. The siding is all standard 1X2 stained with Minnwax Jacobean color. I attached the top using angle brackets made from cut up bed frame picked up of road sides. It is more or less all trimmed in with that angle from underneath. The bottom of the poker table is an old wire spool, the poker top comes off for regular use and is topped with a piece tinted tempered piece of glass with a bunch of ticket stubs, beer coasters, fishing licenses on display. Even the 4x4 legs of the side rails are from free pallets. All this was done under $1000 (not counting signs and such), I have actually been saving up the parts and wood for this for like ten years LOL. Feel free to PM me for a phone number (I suck at typing) as I have a lot I might be able to help you with, and trust me I know how to do it good AND cheap. 

And because we all love pictures...

Mock up (thinking out loud)









Sanding war 2010


















Bar and back bar top getting poly..









Frame for under the bar..









Frame for top of the back bar...









Mirror/Shelf mock up for back bar (also a great "bar" garbage can)..









More on the next post..


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## Ice Scratcher (Jan 29, 2011)

Now here is the rest of the story...

ALL DONE....sort of, you can never be totally done!




























Side rails (bowling lane also)






















































Gotta have a name...










Hope you find this helpfull...

Cheers!!

<*)))>{


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## MSUICEMAN (Jan 9, 2002)

ice scratcher.... NICE! i'm jealous. wish my basement had high ceilings... oh well.


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## outdoor junkie (Sep 16, 2003)

Had a buddy do his bar top with beer caps. Rolled on some adhesive and covered with old beer caps then polied the top, turned out pretty darn cool, and cheap.


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## Ice Scratcher (Jan 29, 2011)

MSUICEMAN- Thanks! That room actually takes up half of the un-attached back garage. Some guy used to build race cars in there before I bought the place. 




outdoor junkie said:


> Had a buddy do his bar top with beer caps. Rolled on some adhesive and covered with old beer caps then polied the top, turned out pretty darn cool, and cheap.


One of my friends did the same thing, he put in a little of everything including beer caps and fish hooks..

Sort of cheap, not counting $500 on just the epoxy stuff you need for it. But that method is very comon and proven. Also looks great, you could just go with some nice grained plywood under all that stuff.


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## MSUICEMAN (Jan 9, 2002)

my next bar setup will have a under-lighted onyx slab. just takes time to find one on closeout. i'm having a new garage built, but there isn't going to be enough room for tools, toys, and a bar.


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## thill (Aug 23, 2006)

Sweet Bar Ice Scratcher! 

That turned out amazing! I just hooked up power to my bar last night, so it's almost ready to be stocked. I'm going to throw up some plywood as a temperary top until I decide what I want. I think I need to do a serious bar crawl to as many different bars as possible this weekend to get some ideas!!! :lol: 

Thanks for all the responses and keep them coming!


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## perchyanker (Jan 26, 2011)

outdoor junkie said:


> Had a buddy do his bar top with beer caps. Rolled on some adhesive and covered with old beer caps then polied the top, turned out pretty darn cool, and cheap.


I also had a buddy use beer caps. But he only used like 4 or five diffrent kinds of beer. And placed them in a pattern and it looked really cool also. I also was a proud donater of the budwieser caps:evil:


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## Ice Scratcher (Jan 29, 2011)

Thill,
Glad you like it! Thanks!



thill said:


> I think I need to do a serious bar crawl to as many different bars as possible this weekend to get some ideas!!!


That's a great idea! ALL important projects will need a lot of Research!
:idea:

I might have to do the same and see if I can come up with any more ideas for you...

You will have to post some pics of your rig when it's done...

<*)))>{


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## BigSteve (Sep 7, 2009)

That is one helluva man cave ice scratcher. When are we all invited over for a beer?


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## Ice Scratcher (Jan 29, 2011)

Thanks Big Steve! All invited? You mean all forum member 50,000+ Hmmm....

I'll need to do some math first,......

And rob a bank!! LOL!

<*)))>{


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## cjric (Oct 30, 2004)

3/4" tongue and groove flooring works nice. You can usually find a box or two of misc pieces in the clearance area. I built one w/ maple and walnut pieces.

Find a woodworking shop to make you a run of elbow rail for the front.

Dont forget about the foot rail either.


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## hunting fool (Mar 9, 2009)

wow


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## highcaliberconsecrator (Oct 16, 2009)

OP....Good luck on your endeavor, I myself have been searching for the perfect bar top for quite some time!

Ice Scratcher...the "curb" or footrest has coil stock/flashing on it? With nails or tacks? Is that pine behind there or oak? Did you pre-drill, center punch?


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## thill (Aug 23, 2006)

OK....I've changed my mind.....again. Now I'm leaning towards a copper bar top. 


http://www.colorcopper.com/pages/Copper-Bar-Top.html

I think it would compliment the slate all around the bar, very nicely. Does anyone have any experience with this type of product?

Thanks again!


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