I know most here have a sink with running water to their back bar or under the bar itself. I'm putting in a full bathroom about 6' away from the bar area so I'll have running H2o close by. I think it might be useful to have running water also at the point of use in the bar area. But from a functional standpoint, does it get much use?
For those that have a "dry bar" any regrets not adding running water?

If you have running water you will use it alot. Wiping the bar, cleaning spills, washing glasses etc. If you can get water to the bar I would recommend it for sure.

Eric

I had a bar in my last basement and it was a necessity. I thought it would rarely get used since it was only about 20" square but it came in handy for washing out wine and margarita glasses, not to mention it adds to the decor. You don't want to take glassware upstairs to wash unless you have to.

Emptying partially consumed drinks, rinsing, cleaning, Once you have a sink you might also think about an adjacent dishwasher so that you don't have to take your glassware upstairs for cleaning.

I have seen plenty of bars that have a sink that drains into a big orange bucket. If you have access to a drain by all means connect to it but if doing so will prove to be cumbersome, then a bucket under the sink drain will suffice for a long time. Not the ideal situation but it will work.

I am currently finishing my bar and it is a dry bar and I have no regrets. Next to the new bathroom we are putting in a large, single tub utility sink in its own little niche since access to the plumbing was only 1 foot away. Maybe you want to consider that option as well.

wet bar, FTW.

I have a kegerator with a tower tap that sits on top of the bar. I ran a tube from a drip tray to a floor drain in an unfinished part of my basement. While running water would definitely nice, this way turned out to be an easy install and at least gives me a place to dump half finished drinks and what not.

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/3634/dsc00639uk9.jpg

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/1256/dsc00641qr1.jpg

I'm glad I ran the plumbing to my bar because I have used the sink quite a bit. If it's possible, go for it! It's an easy add, and adds a lot of functionality for relatively few $$.

I'm putting in a full bathroom about 6' away from the bar area so I'll have running H2o close by.

Just a heads up in doing the drain for a wet bar sink. Code will require you to vent the drain line if you are planning an inspection. So just factor that into your planning. You might be able to get by with an air admittance valve.

http://www.rd.com/images/tfhimport/2003/20031001_Ask_Handyman_page002img001_size2.jpg

Code for a vent? Hmmm didn't do that but I for one am glad I put a sink in. I also have my kegerator drip pan drain into my pluming. Once you have a sink in you would not want to live without it.

I could not function without my sink. I have thought about running the Kegerator to the sink...but haven't done it yet.

Thanks for all the comments! I also had the WAF since she wanted the sink from Day 1. Sooo....a sink it is! I have a separate, unused vent that I had roughed in when the house was built for the basement bath so venting isn't a problem. I'll run a drain too that flows to an ejector pump. That's a nice option bigmouth (the AAV) for those that do not have an existing vent to tap into.
Beautiful job Dinger...Great looking woodwork! And yes I also agree, Randy's bar is my inspiration too. Thanks

Wet bar...OR NO BAR!

I know here in Indiana the basement sinks can be tied to a studor valve or AAV but the ejector pump has to be tied directly to a vent stack. I have seen some rough in's on the sewer line that have two inlets (1) for the ejector pump and (1) for the vent and I think that is wrong, because with too much lower capacity in the line, you might suck a trap dry upstairs.

Just curious.....

How much would it cost to install a sink?

Piping would have to run from one end of the basement to the other, about 30', and I would have to have it drain to the one drain that I have in the basement, which is close to where I would have the water coming from, so another 30' there..........

Any idea?

Emptying partially consumed drinks, rinsing, cleaning, Once you have a sink you might also think about an adjacent dishwasher so that you don't have to take your glassware upstairs for cleaning.

Partially consumed drink........!!!!!!!!!..............hey, if you're at my house and you are only "partially consuming" my Grey Goose you won't be back a second time!!!!!!!!!!

Just curious.....

How much would it cost to install a sink?

Piping would have to run from one end of the basement to the other, about 30', and I would have to have it drain to the one drain that I have in the basement, which is close to where I would have the water coming from, so another 30' there..........

Any idea?
It depends if you DIY or have it done. The pvc drain pipe is cheap and so is the water lines. Although if using copper, it's really gone up in price the last couple of years.
I have been looking at this sink:
http://www.faucetdirect.com/index.cfm/page/product:display/productId/22240/manufacturer/Moen/categoryId/4970/finish/Satin

Using this sink above, I can probably do it myself for <200 after buying the flex lines, 10' DWV pipe and supply lines. I'm sure a plumber would charge close twice this price...just a guess though.

how would I run the water to the drain? The bar would be on one side of the basement, the drain on the other (about 30-45 feet apart).

If I ran the piping from the drain of the sink to the drain in the basement I guess I would have to have gravity do its work and run the piping through the studs in the basement, but we are talked about a sink's drain that is maybe 30 inches from the floor, how do I get it to go through the piping to the drain in the basement floor?

Or is there another way to do this?

Or is there another way to do this?

Yes you use a gray water reservoir pump system. Basically a holding tank under the sink connected to the sink. When the water level reaches a certain height a pump kicks in and sends the waste water to where ever. With the pump you can elevate the drain pipe to get enough height to get-er-done.


Here is one sample.

http://www.accentshopping.com/product.asp/P_ID/150050#

Thou Shalt Wet Bar
(If at all possible)

Use mine all the time.

Emptying partially consumed drinks, rinsing, cleaning, Once you have a sink you might also think about an adjacent dishwasher so that you don't have to take your glassware upstairs for cleaning.

Please explain this to my wife. She is dead set against me getting a dishwasher for the basement. I don't want a $$ Bosch like we have upstairs, just something that I'll run at the end of the night, so the lowest DB's and the ability to scrub "gunk" off of baked on dishes is not important.

Please explain this to my wife. She is dead set against me getting a dishwasher for the basement.

Well if she is prepared to schlep the glasses up and down the stairs and wash them maybe you don't need a dishwasher. I also have a refrigerator, microwave and oven.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b393/bigmouthindc/DSC01335.jpg

Well if she is prepared to schlep the glasses up and down the stairs and wash them maybe you don't need a dishwasher. I also have a refrigerator, microwave and oven.


I have the fridge and microwave (and a wine chiller) but opted against the dishwasher (those that I know that have them say they rarely use them). I wash my glasses in my fullsized bar sink.

I have the fridge and microwave (and a wine chiller) but opted against the dishwasher (those that I know that have them say they rarely use them). I wash my glasses in my fullsized bar sink.

I'm for sure getting at least a bar sink. I will have a fridge (that will hold bottled beer and wine), and if I can't get the dishwasher, a keg chiller will be the next logical choice for the space. :rolleyes: First I have to get through the demo and start the construction.

I'm for sure getting at least a bar sink.

If you have the room, go full sized. The little "bar sinks" are not that useful and cost just as much (more even) than some of the full sized ones that I priced.

If you have the room, go full sized. The little "bar sinks" are not that useful and cost just as much (more even) than some of the full sized ones that I priced.


Yes, get the biggest that will fit, also don't skip the hot water if you are planning on washing your glassware

Yep, I second the hot water suggestion...

FWIW, my bar sink is not split either...it's just one big huge basin. Perfect for soaking glasses and so forth. Even watering house plants.

Hey BigMouth - You really have an oven in your basement bar area? How do you have that located, and how often do you use it?

It's to the right of the micro-wave in the picture. It's not intended to get a lot of use but rather intended to be a warming oven to keep items warm during a party.

Also for frozen pizzas.

It's basically a single wall mount oven that fits under the counter. Most cabinet companies sell a base cabinet sized to accept a single wall oven.

I never thought of it as something that would get a lot of use, but rather as something that would just add to the convenience of having an "entertaining kitchen" in the basement.

I like the idea and I'd imagine you probably use it when you're wanting to bake 2 things at once and the kitchen oven is already in use.

Thanks for the suggestion for the larger sink. Looking at the small bar sinks, I thought they would be a tight fit for some of my larger mugs (hence the need for the Dishwasher :) ) As for Hot water, it wasn't even an option not to have it.

Thanks for the suggestion for the larger sink. Looking at the small bar sinks, I thought they would be a tight fit for some of my larger mugs (hence the need for the Dishwasher :) ) As for Hot water, it wasn't even an option not to have it.
Yep...Definately run both hot and cold. It's not practical to run one (cold) line. I'm also looking at slightly larger sink. You're right Big, little difference in price to go larger if you can fit it.