I like it as well. I would like to see some more pics if you dont mind though. Maybe some of behind the bar and what you have done with that area as well as some details of the work. Did you mortar these blocks together etc?

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af231/jagelas/nikon2020.jpg?t=1251246740
I only have a few pictures from other side, took it when I was still working on it. I,ll Post more as soon as I get my camera back from repair shop.

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af231/jagelas/nikon2018.jpg?t=1251246928

One more

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af231/jagelas/nikon2019.jpg?t=1251246975

I also have fridge behind bar.

What did I do wrong inserting pictures?

You didnt use img tags. Copy the img code from photobucket with the tags in front of it and after it.

Looks nice. Any shots from down lower so we can see the fridge as well as the way the bar was constructed? Are the blocks mortared?

I only used clear silicone, it looks better. Plus I used some aluminum rods to tie them together.

I only used clear silicone, it looks better. Plus I used some aluminum rods to tie them together.

All you used is silicone to attatch them? Is the bar front sturdy?? Any more pics?? We all love pics on this site trust me. The more details and pics the better. I am very intrigued about this glass block front as I considered it at the start of my build

Yes, silicone only. Bar feels strong, seems look better then with any color mortar. I was going to use mortar, but when I was buying blocks, guy told me about silicone, then I looked it up on line and did it. Between rows I used spacers, plastic, special for glass block. Like I said earlier, my camera is in repair shop, after camping, lense broke :rolleyes: They said it will take about two weeks, so after that I'll post more pictures of complette bar.

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af231/jagelas/nikon2027.jpg?t=1251403744
I wanted to do L shape, but my wife won....

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af231/jagelas/nikon2031.jpg?t=1251403851
Took me about 5 days to do block only, one row at the time.
http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af231/jagelas/nikon2037.jpg?t=1251403939
I was thinking about laminate counter top, but decided to make it myself, using plywood.
http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af231/jagelas/nikon2036.jpg?t=1251404019

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af231/jagelas/nikon2039.jpg?t=1251404095

http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af231/jagelas/nikon2042.jpg?t=1251404137
Bar is strong, you can sit on it (tested ;) )

Wow you did an awesome job at the radius and making the bar top similar to the radius of the block. It looks amazing. I agree with the silicone I just wouldnt of thought to do it. It looks great. As for the bar top how did you finish it. I see the plywood, where did you go from there?

I stained top and clear coted, maybe 7 times, but my plans are to do envirotex. I red a lot about it, but did not get to it yet. Plus, I have plans and ideas for some bar shelves, with lights inside, but no time to work on it.

I stained top and clear coted, maybe 7 times, but my plans are to do envirotex. I red a lot about it, but did not get to it yet. Plus, I have plans and ideas for some bar shelves, with lights inside, but no time to work on it.

Do the envirotex. I did the drip tray on mine already and its really easy to use. I have not done the entire top yet but that is in the plans for the near future. But the stuff is really easy to work with.

Hi, I'm working on finishing my basement and I got to a point where anxiety is setting in. The bathroom is definitely going to be bigger than I expected, which means its eating into other space, most notably the bar area. The combination of bigger bathroom, and the support pole is making for an awkward design for the bar.

Original plans had a straight bar going from the wall to the pole. The front of the bar would begin right next to the built-in shelving space. The bigger bathroom means there is less space between the bathroom wall and the shelving space. That space is 48". The plan now is to have the bar be 22" in depth and 26" of walk space behind. Just not sure that is enough. Also, the length of the bar may extend out past the pole. It is 68" from wall to pole and 30" from pole to end of bathroom wall. The pole could end up being right in middle of the bar.

Do you think the total depth of 22" is enough? Is 26" of walk space enough?

I'd love to hear other design ideas. I wanted to keep the bar where it is, as opposed to in front of the shelving, because I wanted to use that floor space for a poker table.

http://picasaweb.google.com/JAMDLP79/Bar#5386130549040666914

Just keep in mind you'd probably want 9" to 12" bartop overhang , so minus that from your 22" and you'll have an idea of the size of your cabinets or shelving underneath . You could also use your wall studs behind the bar to incoorperate shelving also . that's what i did .( a place for your bottles etc.)

http://img24.imageshack.us/i/img0688i.jpg/

26" behind the bar should be OK

What is everyone using for lighting? Im looking for ideas for lighting the bar top and back bar areas. Puck Lights? Xenon or Halogen?

I personally used surface mount puck lights on a dimmer for my back wall liquor shelf lighting & halogen pot lights above my bar ( on a dimmer also).
So many options out there though . Rope lighting is another option too .

I personally used surface mount puck lights on a dimmer for my back wall liquor shelf lighting & halogen pot lights above my bar ( on a dimmer also).
So many options out there though . Rope lighting is another option too .


For your puck lights, where did you mount the transformer? What size pot lights are you using?

No transformer - they are 120V
the pot lights are 3 or 4" i think

For you guys using the enviro-tex, has anyone experienced any problems with scratching or yellowing of the surface? How does it hold up to hot pans/mugs/etc?

Has anyone used Crystal Sheen or Ultra-Glo?

There shouldn't be yellowing issues . Scratches can be waxed or compounded out . As extra protection you can put a coat of wax on the Etex .
You can't put hot pans on the surface . Also if anything heavy is placed on the surface you will get some deformation of the surface . What's good though is once the object is moved , eventually the surface will rebound back to where it was . (don't worry the surface is not soft )

There shouldn't be yellowing issues . Scratches can be waxed or compounded out . As extra protection you can put a coat of wax on the Etex .
You can't put hot pans on the surface . Also if anything heavy is placed on the surface you will get some deformation of the surface . What's good though is once the object is moved , eventually the surface will rebound back to where it was . (don't worry the surface is not soft )

Thanks - I emailed the company and asked about the etex verses the crystal sheen. They seemed to recommended the crystal sheen and ultra glo for commercial purposes and etex for home. However when I commented on that they could be used for either purpose. I guess the problem I have with the company is that they sell 3 very similar products (the descriptions are all similar) and there is no clear (no pun intended) way to tell which is better for a bar application. Obviously I am worried about scratching and wear and tear. This stuff isnt cheap and I would think not easy to replace/change.

The customer rep did mention that there could be some yellowing with direct sunlight and does not handle heat well above 130 degrees (coffee heat).

Thanks - I emailed the company and asked about the etex verses the crystal sheen. They seemed to recommended the crystal sheen and ultra glo for commercial purposes and etex for home. However when I commented on that they could be used for either purpose. I guess the problem I have with the company is that they sell 3 very similar products (the descriptions are all similar) and there is no clear (no pun intended) way to tell which is better for a bar application. Obviously I am worried about scratching and wear and tear. This stuff isnt cheap and I would think not easy to replace/change.

The customer rep did mention that there could be some yellowing with direct sunlight and does not handle heat well above 130 degrees (coffee heat).

I can not comment on the wear of the stuff as I have only had mine down a few months and have not used the bar yet but as for the heat they specifically state in the directions not to place hot pans, cups etc on it. So my suggestion is simply use a coaster for your coffee cup and you should be fine. I would assume that the commercial grade stuff may be a little more durable but then again there are alot of companies that use multiple packages for one product in order to reach multiple markets.

P.S. I used the etex!!

I dont think so much that its ME putting down the hot cup, but the drunks that dont know any better ;-). You do bring up a good point though, same product, different packaging. Its something to look in to.

Hello All -

New member here currently building an 8' straight bar and back mirror/shelves/lighted/display type thing.

This is great, you guys all ROCK! Everyone's bar looks awesome!

My question is this:
If I were to Envirotex my bar top, then down the road wanted to add to the bar, say make it an "L" or "U" sape, would I be able to just pour each addition and have it blend/match or would I need to srip it down (the straight piece) and start the finishing from scratch?

Thanks,

Sean

hmmm - you could put a wood strip between the two bars & pour the bar addition seperately . or if you dont want to see the strip , you could pour the bar addition , allowing enough etex to flow over the original etex surface ( lightly sanded) to provide a seamless surface . Just make sure the bar addition is tied in securely to the original bar .

Still a work in progress, but I used dimensional lumber and plywood and came up with this;


This bar is a single plywood thickness attached to the existing sink cabinet. Remove two small bolts and I can slide the bar (via nylon slides attached to the bottom) anywhere in the room to move items in and out of the door on the right.

Very nice

Very nice. Any updated pics?

Just put in "wetbar plans" in the ebay search box or use the link below:

The seller name is emrixdistributors.

These are great plans made by someone who built his own bar. I like that they are simple and have photos of each step. Customizable too.

Anyone have step by step directions for building a top with that poured epoxy stuff?

I think I want to replace my little bistro side table I use in my bar. The table sits in a corner, so I'm thinking of building one myself a corner table unit. I could make it bigger yet actually take up less space.

And I want to either use some sort of broken tile pieces or yes, perhaps the stereo typical beer bottle tops for the surface.

I know several people did this with their bar tops, so I thought I'd bump an old thread rather than start a new one...

Thanks

I used envirotex last summer on my bar top. There was a rather detailed thread here with do's and dont's that was very spot on accurate. It's a must find and read before you attempt to pour.

Hi Sdallnct - good to see you still around .
Etex is really easy to use , you'd want to pour it about 1/4" thk.
Make sure your top is nice & level and is trimmed out to for a dam around all the sides (to hold the Etex).
Just mix the Etex as per instructions and pour .
Bubbles will form as this stuff does it's thing , so in the 1st 5 minutes use a straw held several inches away to blow on the bubbles ( they disappear) or you can use a blow dryer (just don't get too close)


http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=818487

Hi Sdallnct - good to see you still around .
Etex is really easy to use , you'd want to pour it about 1/4" thk.
Make sure your top is nice & level and is trimmed out to for a dam around all the sides (to hold the Etex).
Just mix the Etex as per instructions and pour .
Bubbles will form as this stuff does it's thing , so in the 1st 5 minutes use a straw held several inches away to blow on the bubbles ( they disappear) or you can use a blow dryer (just don't get too close)


http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=818487

Blow dryer doesnt work. Hot air doesn't pop bubbles. Carbon dioxide does so either use your breath or a propane torch.

Hi Sdallnct - good to see you still around .
Etex is really easy to use , you'd want to pour it about 1/4" thk.
Make sure your top is nice & level and is trimmed out to for a dam around all the sides (to hold the Etex).
Just mix the Etex as per instructions and pour .
Bubbles will form as this stuff does it's thing , so in the 1st 5 minutes use a straw held several inches away to blow on the bubbles ( they disappear) or you can use a blow dryer (just don't get too close)


http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=818487

Oh yea...still around...lol

Thanks for the information. And yea, I continue to add things to bar. I added shelving to a 3rd window to hold my pint glasses. Works well.

Oh and don't think I mentioned it. But a pic of my bar ended up in the local paper! A friend of a friend writes for the local paper and wanted to do an article on "Man Caves". She interviewed me by phone mainly talking about my theater room. But when she asked about the location in the house I said "right down a very short hall to my bar I also built". In the article she got the size wrong but otherwise was nice. They sent a photographer out who took pics of bar and theater and guess they decided the bar better for the article.

Hi All,

Brand new member....been reading these posts for hours. Awesome job to those who can and did do it themselves! We are finishing the basement and by we, I mean a contractor. We bought cabinets for the 'bar' and my greatest fear is it will look like a kitchen...nooooooo!!

The cabinets are cherry with a burgundy stain.
We've got a wine rack on the back wall with a small fridge & wine fridge underneath. There will also be a keg fridge next to the sink.

My contractor insists, and my wife agrees, that formica (dark & shiny) will look good and hold up well for all three counter tops--back wall, bartender side of the bar, and top bar. Agree? Disagree? I want the top-bar counter top to be wood but, as I have no skill, have to go with what the contractor will do in our budget.

I'm also quite worried about the bar rail. The contractor is a carpenter by trade so he says he will make it for us no problem and has done them before. If you can picture burgundy colored cabinets, an almost black counter top, what color would you make the bar rail? The floor is a dark tile so I was thinking just a golden oak to really contrast off all the dark in the bar area?

Thanks for any help and ideas. IF it worked, there should be jpegs of the general layout of the design but have no real pics yet....we're just starting the project so I'm hoping for some ideas before it's too late!!

REALLY worried this is going to look like a kitchen.
What can I do to make sure that it doesn't?

THANKS!!

REALLY worried this is going to look like a kitchen.
What can I do to make sure that it doesn't?

THANKS!!

First thing you do is tell the contractor how you want things done not have him insist on how they are done. Second thing is to tell the wife this is your thing and you are making the decisions. The contractor will probably be much easier than the wife.

Honestly, when doing a project make sure you do it how you want the first time. I agree with you on wood bar top, I just dont like the idea of formica, but thats a personal opinion. The bar top and back bar are what most people see so if you have to cut out money in other places to make the bar top how you want it. Unless your going with a unique wood I doubt it should cost much more than formica. I used red wood for my bar top, probably cost about 30 dollars for wood and then sealed with envirotex (top of page 11 of this thread are pics) Its five years old now and looks exactly the same.

I would also suggest putting the keg tap on the bar top if possible. I added one to my bar and I love having it on the bar top. Everyone seems to like the look.

Last thing, Good luck!
Remember that it will become the focal point anytime you have people over so make how you want it.

Hi all - long time/first time...

Please advise if there's a more appropriate place to post this question and I'll do so.

I'm in the final planning stages of a basement finishing project and am stuck on whether to build a full 'L' or 'U' shaped wet bar & back bar (with seating for 4-7 people) of just go with an in-line snack counter (with sink) kind of configuration.

I realize that everyone's experiences will vary. I also understand that my basement layout, budget, intended uses come into play - I'm just interested to know if anyone went one way and now wishes they did the other. What was the original thought process? What's changed (if anything)?

Thanks in advance.

I realize that I am late to the party on this thread. I did not realize it until half way through reading the whole thread when I looked at the date & time stamp. Whoops. I am guessing your bar might even be built by now.

My two cents on contractors & wives:As far as contractors go, I invited him into my house in the first place to complete some task I do not know how to do or licensed to do. I do bear in mind those add on projects that some contractors try to add.
The wife actually has some good design ideas and I have incorporated some of hers into the build. Some of her ideas would have changed the bar into a living room so I ignored those. :D

CLICK HERE (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1271791)to check out my build thread.

Thanks Tank & Brian.

The wife and I had a talk and she agreed we need a wood-top bar! She is the best and even had the same talk with our contractor while I was at work. He is now on board too.

So, now that is settled.....what wood should we use for the top? Our cabinets will be cherry wood, finished in a reddish-burgundy stain (not done yet).

I think I would like either a dark wood bar top and light wood bar rail all just finished in natural/epoxy. Or vice-versa. Any suggestions on what would go well with the cabinets described but still stand out? Any woods to avoid all together?

The main problem for the bar top will be size. It is a simple, straight bar, but the bar top itself will be 103" long...that is certain and is not changing.
I know, should have made it and even 8'...too late now, as all the cabinets are ordered.

I'm checking local wood shops & online for wood species and was hoping to find something 12" -15" wide and one single piece 9ft long. Plywood is fine, but my contractor and I also talked about a veneer. Sounds like we might actually be able to find veneer in those dimensions, but not plywood. Ideas? Suggestions? THANKS!!

Also, is our thinking correct for the width of the bar top? Thinking 12" - 15" wide just for the bar-top, then the drip tray xxx and the bar rail xxx. Will that give us enough leg room not to knee/kick the wall?

You guys are awesome. If you need to remember what the bar design looks like, see the post about 3 up from this one.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!

You are welcome! I used tongue and groove wood floor for my bartop with a bar rail from Rockler's. While installing the tongue and groove I put a bead of caulking on the "tongue" part. When pressed together, the caulk would come up between the two boards and I would scrape the excess off. By doing this, I hoped to provide a little protection so when spills occur on the bar and go between the boards, the caulk will provide protection. I do not think my bar build thread has good pictures of the bartop being built, but I do have them. If you are interested, let me know.

Also, is our thinking correct for the width of the bar top? Thinking 12" - 15" wide just for the bar-top, then the drip tray xxx and the bar rail xxx. Will that give us enough leg room not to knee/kick the wall?

I have about 12 1/2" of knee room and it's plenty of room while seated. My total bar top is 25" which includes a 5" rail, 16" top, and 4" drip tray.

You are welcome! I used tongue and groove wood floor for my bartop with a bar rail from Rockler's. While installing the tongue and groove I put a bead of caulking on the "tongue" part. When pressed together, the caulk would come up between the two boards and I would scrape the excess off. By doing this, I hoped to provide a little protection so when spills occur on the bar and go between the boards, the caulk will provide protection. I do not think my bar build thread has good pictures of the bartop being built, but I do have them. If you are interested, let me know.

I meant Silicone, not caulk. I am a dumbass. :rolleyes:

Hi all - long time/first time...

Please advise if there's a more appropriate place to post this question and I'll do so.

I'm in the final planning stages of a basement finishing project and am stuck on whether to build a full 'L' or 'U' shaped wet bar & back bar (with seating for 4-7 people) of just go with an in-line snack counter (with sink) kind of configuration.

I realize that everyone's experiences will vary. I also understand that my basement layout, budget, intended uses come into play - I'm just interested to know if anyone went one way and now wishes they did the other. What was the original thought process? What's changed (if anything)?

Thanks in advance.

Well....

1st...like my theater room, we use our bar a LOT more than I every imagined. It is the place we go when we have friends or family over. In addition, I'll spend morning having coffee, reading the paper in there. It was/is a fantastic addition.
2nd...our overall thought process was to remove the wall between what is now the bar and kitchen when we remodeled the kitchen and make a huge kitchen. But nixed due to complexity/cost (the bar as a peaked 12' ceiling, the kitchen flat 10' ceiling). Plus we thought that would make the kitchen to big. So we came up with the bar idea. This would allow added seating space and usage space. As for design of the bar. Well we used computer programs and technical suggestions and interior designers.....ok....no we didn't. My buddy came over. I grabbed a big bottle of Crown Royal and a roll of painters blue tape. We then sat on the floor, and over from about 8pm to about 3am and about 3/4 of the bottle laid the tape out in about every configuration we could think of for the room.
3rd....Anything different? Well I'm very happy with our design. But I had never done staining or trim work before. So I wouldn't mind doing that over now that I know how. Other then that, about the only other thing I would have done would have been to add a 2nd or even 3rd a/c plug in the bar itself. I put in one thinking of a blender. But have a laptop in there all there time and other things. Also, I'm not entirely pleased with the granite tile top. Despite my efforts to seal it, it has a few ring marks and "stains" on it. Mostly on the bartenders side. But I'm about the only one that notices. And the granite tiles were cheap.
4th...I don't think our bar will ever been "finished". I've added lighting and last month some additional shelves in another wind for pint glasses.

I need some suggestions on the back bar glass shelving.
I want to put mirrors on the wall ( each one about 3 feet wide) with 1x4 (or 1x6) boards to seperate each section . (framing it in with trim etc)
I'd like to put glass shelving across each mirror to set bottles ( & stuff) on.

now just how do I do this? I figure they would be attached at the ends. are there special specs somewhere as to how thick the shelf should be for this?
can it be done without centere support? or how is that done?

I tried searching older posts for pictures, but many have been removed that might have been some use to me.

looking at many ,many plans & built home bars they all seem to have different ideas on measurements. is there a general rule to the best height that the height of the bar should be? & the area of the counter ? ( height from floor & depth). I seem to come across that 12 inches is a good measurement for an overhang, does this include the bar edge? (or just the plywood top overhang before installing the bar edge?)
we are short on space depth , what is a range of depth of bar itself .

our bar will be 11 feet long, & thinking of just using oak veneer for the bar top. but obviously will have to be pieced. any of you have pictures of something on how you handle that? or do you suggest flooring strips?

thanks!

If I had to do it all over again I would make my bar bigger.

:)



Hi all - long time/first time...

Please advise if there's a more appropriate place to post this question and I'll do so.

I'm in the final planning stages of a basement finishing project and am stuck on whether to build a full 'L' or 'U' shaped wet bar & back bar (with seating for 4-7 people) of just go with an in-line snack counter (with sink) kind of configuration.

I realize that everyone's experiences will vary. I also understand that my basement layout, budget, intended uses come into play - I'm just interested to know if anyone went one way and now wishes they did the other. What was the original thought process? What's changed (if anything)?

Thanks in advance.

Hi....again.

Still working on this project. It's coming along........slowly, but surely. So, we have two sections of about 3' x 3' between the upper cabinets where we want to put up two mirrors...one on each side. Also adding 2 glass shelves to each side, about 36" between the cabinets.

We don't want ugly middle-support brackets holding up the glass shelves. Is there something else we can do to stabilize the glass shelves between the cabinets? Current plan is to just use cabinet pegs to hold up the shelves so they 'float' in between the cabinets.

Concern: Everyone tells me we have to use 1/2" glass for that size run and it is crazy expensive! Each 12" x 36" pieces of 1/2" glass run $100 each, then the mirrors on top of that!!

Any other ideas on how to make this work?

thanks!

Hi....again.

Still working on this project. It's coming along........slowly, but surely. So, we have two sections of about 3' x 3' between the upper cabinets where we want to put up two mirrors...one on each side. Also adding 2 glass shelves to each side, about 36" between the cabinets.

We don't want ugly middle-support brackets holding up the glass shelves. Is there something else we can do to stabilize the glass shelves between the cabinets? Current plan is to just use cabinet pegs to hold up the shelves so they 'float' in between the cabinets.

Concern: Everyone tells me we have to use 1/2" glass for that size run and it is crazy expensive! Each 12" x 36" pieces of 1/2" glass run $100 each, then the mirrors on top of that!!

Any other ideas on how to make this work?

thanks!

hi
we are trying to figure this out also. let me tell you what I found.
from another post if you go to http://www.store.novadisplay.com/Products/Shelves_PROD/SPECS/Glass_Loads.PDF yo u will find out the weights the shelves can hold. & this chart is for annealed glass. if you get tempered glass it is much higher.
also from http://www.ehow.com/how_6717750_calculate-glass-thickness-shelf.html has info.

now I have found cheaper prices on glass then you. calling around I found a glass place that has tempered glass 3/8 36" x 8" for $38. 12" wide is $40.
1/2" x 8" x 36" $42 12" x 36" $44.
glass mirrors from lowes 36" x 48" are $42.

our local bar has the shelves with the glass columns suspending between the shelves for support. the glass place told me they have those supports but they are drilled in the shelves & ?screwed? in. but the hole being drilled in the shelf is $20 for each hole!!! well, heck with that. 1/2 " thick glass is way more support than I will ever need. we have a hutch that is 36" wide glass with just annealed glass & is holding a bunch of stuff.
our bar back will have 2 3' x 4' mirrors on each end & the center is a wood hutch looking back which we are putting wood shelves on { its a 6' tall bed headboard we found at a sale }
oh, also home depot has glass shelves "mural floating shelves".

we are still a way from starting the bar. the concrete floor has yet to be poured in that addition. but we did find the flooring *yeah* for the room. perfect handscraped distressed , pretty cheap. so have that sitting in the living room. found where I want to get our tin ceiling. keep searching restaurant supply auctions for bar stools, but haven't found any yet. may have to go to the amish for stools.

Well good to see this thread still going...sort of...:D:D

My bar is constantly being added to. Which is the way I imagined it and wanted it. Though I was getting a little tired of hanging pic's on the wall and being all flat. So I recently "discovered" floating shelves and ledges from Ikea. They also have great inexpensive frames that are great to rotate around in and out.

http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/6972/imagenkl.jpg
http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/1236/imagelzs.jpg
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/3500/imagezfl.jpg
http://img860.imageshack.us/img860/6586/imagevqv.jpg
http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/6840/imagebib.jpg

hi
we are trying to figure this out also. let me tell you what I found.
from another post if you go to http://www.store.novadisplay.com/Products/Shelves_PROD/SPECS/Glass_Loads.PDF yo u will find out the weights the shelves can hold. & this chart is for annealed glass. if you get tempered glass it is much higher.
also from http://www.ehow.com/how_6717750_calculate-glass-thickness-shelf.html has info.

now I have found cheaper prices on glass then you. calling around I found a glass place that has tempered glass 3/8 36" x 8" for $38. 12" wide is $40.
1/2" x 8" x 36" $42 12" x 36" $44.
glass mirrors from lowes 36" x 48" are $42.

our local bar has the shelves with the glass columns suspending between the shelves for support. the glass place told me they have those supports but they are drilled in the shelves & ?screwed? in. but the hole being drilled in the shelf is $20 for each hole!!! well, heck with that. 1/2 " thick glass is way more support than I will ever need. we have a hutch that is 36" wide glass with just annealed glass & is holding a bunch of stuff.
our bar back will have 2 3' x 4' mirrors on each end & the center is a wood hutch looking back which we are putting wood shelves on { its a 6' tall bed headboard we found at a sale }
oh, also home depot has glass shelves "mural floating shelves".

we are still a way from starting the bar. the concrete floor has yet to be poured in that addition. but we did find the flooring *yeah* for the room. perfect handscraped distressed , pretty cheap. so have that sitting in the living room. found where I want to get our tin ceiling. keep searching restaurant supply auctions for bar stools, but haven't found any yet. may have to go to the amish for stools.

Don't know if your still checking, but thought I'd throw out a reply,

I was going to do glass shelves in front of the three windows in my bar to hold my large collection of pint glasses. I like you did a ton of research on load, called several glass companies, etc, etc. But cost just didn't make sense. Especially for a many as I wanted (18 total shelves). So I ended up just going with 1/4 wood, stained and then added a trim piece "ledge" to the front. I did all myself, basically putting them together in my garage and then installing in the windows with just a couple of screws (in case I ever want to take out). Add some more trim on the outside. And all is good! The trim and stain is exactly what I used on the bar. And since they are sitting in windows, there is no real loss of light! And super cheap (not sure I have a $100 in all three windows). I love the look! And glad I went with wood. Cleaning is a lot easier, I'm not worried about breakage. I've posted some pic's a while back, but can do more if interested.

wow nice, your bar top how wide is it? and what is the over hang? thanks

Here are the final pictures of the bar with the stained panels/corbels installed. I jsut need some quarter round and thats it for now. I may do a foot rail at some point.

http://images18.fotki.com/v345/photos/6/649633/3817012/100_1680-vi.jpg
http://images18.fotki.com/v346/photos/6/649633/3817012/100_1681-vi.jpg
http://images18.fotki.com/v341/photos/6/649633/3817012/100_1682-vi.jpg

Bud

try this again
nice bar your bar top how wide is it? and what is the over hang? thanks

wow nice, your bar top how wide is it? and what is the over hang? thanks

Wow...your bar is fantastic...really finished nice...mine is more "rustic" :p

The bar top is 12" wide + about .5" for the trim on both sides. The overhang is probably half that. The room I used was big enough, but a little narrow. So I didn't want to wide, so made a few compromises. But it works really well. I did decide on a 12" top as that is how big the granite tiles where and since I had never put in tile before I wanted to minimize cutting. However, while out of town my wife surprised me by having our tile guy do it. The bar back area is 18" (1 tile + 1/2). And I used bathroom vanity cabinets (18" deep) as opposed to kitchen cabinets (24" deep) to again, keep things a little more narrow. I can seat 6 comfortable and 7 tightly + the bartender. Here are a few more updated pic's. Taken just now!

http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/530/imagejiw.jpg
http://img803.imageshack.us/img803/1159/imageaqw.jpg
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/6926/imagerwm.jpg
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/1129/imagepyl.jpg
http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/2268/imageebf.jpg
http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/6695/imagejtex.jpg
http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/3687/imagemzlv.jpg

Don't know if your still checking, but thought I'd throw out a reply,

I was going to do glass shelves in front of the three windows in my bar to hold my large collection of pint glasses. I like you did a ton of research on load, called several glass companies, etc, etc. But cost just didn't make sense. Especially for a many as I wanted (18 total shelves). So I ended up just going with 1/4 wood, stained and then added a trim piece "ledge" to the front. I did all myself, basically putting them together in my garage and then installing in the windows with just a couple of screws (in case I ever want to take out). Add some more trim on the outside. And all is good! The trim and stain is exactly what I used on the bar. And since they are sitting in windows, there is no real loss of light! And super cheap (not sure I have a $100 in all three windows). I love the look! And glad I went with wood. Cleaning is a lot easier, I'm not worried about breakage. I've posted some pic's a while back, but can do more if interested.

thank you for your reply.
i see your pictures in a further post.very cool window!! the wood shelves really look nice before that.
I still think for us, I will be using a few glass shelves, though, against the mirror.

ok, can I get a couple more questions answered>
everyone says 42 is absolute best bar height. but is it the flat top of the bar where you set your drinks the 42"??? or do you go by the top of the chicago bar rail ( which is higher than the flat top of the bar)

also, how high is the counter portion UNDER the bar top? where you usually have your sink & glasses? I figure it should be at 10" diff? so at 32"?? but gee that seems sooooooo low, but otherwise if you make it any shorter, it doesn't seem like you could stash anything on the counter.

& the 10" overhang in front of bar,, that includes TO the total edge of the chicago bar rail?
also a suggestion:confused: the bar itself will be 18" outside dimensions ( would love it deeper, but do nto have the room) so how far in to it would you indent the bar top back, to use the counter below? (kwim?)

I think I am more excited about this than hubby,,,:p is there such a category as "woman caves":D (of course he has to do most of the work, but I get stuck staining the whole thing.)

I have been planning this for over 2 years & still am not sure on a few of those things. ( I have done a LOT of researching ) some stuff is just not self explainatory:o

anyway, we finally poured the foundation last week, so i will eventually start running pictures of build, but want to wait till there are some more interesting things going on. (shoot think I gotta put my pictures on website,, doesn't seem they can grab from your hard drive)

try this again
nice bar your bar top how wide is it? and what is the over hang? thanks

I'm measure it, but I don't live there anymore. :) The wall was 2x6 construction, so with drywall on both sides, that's 6 inches. I believe it had about 3 inches of overlap, so we're at 9 inches - probably an additional 9 inches on the seating side for a total of 18 inches. It might be high, I used what I had upstairs in the kitchen, which is a standard width.

I'd find something you like in person and measure it. Or ask what the standard is at home depot.

Bud

thank you for your reply.
i see your pictures in a further post.very cool window!! the wood shelves really look nice before that.
I still think for us, I will be using a few glass shelves, though, against the mirror.

Well if you only have a few shelves (or you have the budget), go for it! I love how my shelves turned out. The trim I added makes a nice lip to keep the the glasses from easily coming out. My pic is of two windows, I actually built the shelves in the 3rd window in the room as well. And as mentioned, I built a frame and put the shelves in the frame. Since they sit on the window sill I only added two screws on each side. And that was just to make sure it all squared up nicely. All that to say if I change my mind or sell the house, they would take about 5 minutes to remove.

But I could see going glass for the back bar area to hold the liqueur bottles.

ok, can I get a couple more questions answered>
everyone says 42 is absolute best bar height. but is it the flat top of the bar where you set your drinks the 42"??? or do you go by the top of the chicago bar rail ( which is higher than the flat top of the bar)

also, how high is the counter portion UNDER the bar top? where you usually have your sink & glasses? I figure it should be at 10" diff? so at 32"?? but gee that seems sooooooo low, but otherwise if you make it any shorter, it doesn't seem like you could stash anything on the counter.

& the 10" overhang in front of bar,, that includes TO the total edge of the chicago bar rail?
also a suggestion:confused: the bar itself will be 18" outside dimensions ( would love it deeper, but do nto have the room) so how far in to it would you indent the bar top back, to use the counter below? (kwim?)

I think I am more excited about this than hubby,,,:p is there such a category as "woman caves":D (of course he has to do most of the work, but I get stuck staining the whole thing.)

I have been planning this for over 2 years & still am not sure on a few of those things. ( I have done a LOT of researching ) some stuff is just not self explainatory:o

anyway, we finally poured the foundation last week, so i will eventually start running pictures of build, but want to wait till there are some more interesting things going on. (shoot think I gotta put my pictures on website,, doesn't seem they can grab from your hard drive)

Don't over think it feel you have to go by "rules". The only thing I really wanted was true bar height and true bar stools. True bar stools are usually 29" or 30" height.

As for the bartenders area, that height in a home bar is usually the height of the cabinets (usually kitchen cabinets) plus the top. I wouldn't worry about trying to "hide" things back there. Remember this is a home bar, not a commercial bar.

But to give you some idea, my bar height ("customer" side) is 42.5". That is flat portion where you set your glass or plate. The bartenders work area is right at 37".

I'm afraid I don't understand what your saying in the relations of the bar top and bartenders area. Again if you look back at my build pic's (page 2-3 I think) I used bathroom vanity cabinets rather than kitchen cabinets. The reason is vanity cabinets are only 18" deep and kitchen cabinets are 24" and I wanted to save the room. Then I basically built a wall on the back side of the cabinets and put the bar top on that wall. My overhang on the bar side is only about 6" (I wanted 8-10, but again afraid of the it would take up to much room). I hadn't completely thought it thru tho. I hadn't taken into account the bar stools. They stick out so I could have gong at least 2 more inches with really taking up any more room in the bar. The overhang on the bartender work area is only maybe 2".

And funny about your excitement. Building the bar was my wife's idea. And she was excited. Of course the actual execution was me and my buddy...(and a bottle of Crown...lol)

I added rope lighting up under my bar. Hard to explain, but I had added a piece of trim to cover some of the structure and that trim provided about 1/2" to hide some rope lighting.

Unfortunantly after adding the brackets to hold the rope lighting, you can visibly see the light (if you look). I don't like that. The rope lighting I had on hand was 1/2". I did a Google and looks like that do make smaller. Also, I saw that Home Depot sells a "track" to put the lights in. I might go look at that. The hangers that came in the box were ok, but not great.

But I liked the effect. Though with all my windows and skylights, really only useful at night. But that is ok....just another added element.

Edit: The 3/8" Track lighting from HD along with the track worked fantastic! And they have it in 2', 6' and 12' lengths (longer lengths are available if you go up to the 1/2" lighting). A 12' fun was perfect! The track is 6' sections and has double sided tape. I'm not sure about the tape on unfinished wood. But giving it a shot. Can get better tape or even put in a few screws if needed. But the track is great, much better than the hangers. Love the look.

I'm going to do same thing on bartenders side. Another 12' run should be perfect. And I'll figure out a way to switch them on and off rather than have to plug/unplug them. This is all cheap and looks good. The 12' rope lighting was $10.50 and two 6' track was like $3.50 ea....

Edit: This is what it looks like. It looks the best with all the other lights off. On the bartenders side, I don't like quite as much. The granite tiles act like a mirror. But wife thinks it looks like an optical illusion...so...will live with it for a bit. Just need to hide all the wires and good to go.

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/7686/imagekht.jpg

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/3329/imagemau.jpg

On the bartenders side, I don't like quite as much. The granite tiles act like a mirror. But wife thinks it looks like an optical illusion...so...will live with it for a bit. Just need to hide all the wires and good to go.


http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/3329/imagemau.jpg

I say go with it. No one will notice / care after a few beers. One thing I have noticed in building a bar is that we know where all the mistakes are, or things that came out not quite as planned...but nobody else does. I do not think anyone will ever notice those lights behind the bar. To tell you the truth, I kinda like that look.

Live with it for a while. If it still bothers you after a few parties then change it.

Yea...I'm keeping for a while. Its not so much a mistake as I just don't know if I like the look. Wife says it makes it look like a glass top with light under it...which she likes.

In some spots the tap on the track is not holding. I'm guessing because of the rough unfinished wood it is attached to. I bough some more tape. Tho I think I might just take the lights out and pop in a couple of flat head wood screws. Wouldn't take but a few.

It seems to be holding on the bartenders side. Not sure why other than a little smoother.

Since I needed to hide the wires for the rope lights and figure a way to turn them on and off without just plugging/unplugging, I took the time and moved all wires and hookups. I ended up just putting two power strips in one of the cabinets (closest to the frig). I plugged one into the other. The 2nd one I put the "on/off" switch towards the front, the other one reversed so it was near the back. Obviously things like the frig, popcorn maker, etc go in the first and stay on all the time. The rope lighting and Guinness sign go on the 2nd one and can easily be switched on and off...works well.

yep, don't over think it. Go with what YOU like. Pick some ideas from this great thread and run with it.



Good luck.

yep, don't over think it. Go with what YOU like. Pick some ideas from this great thread and run with it.



Good luck.

Oh...learned long ago that anything is reversible and repairable.

I'm thinking next up is that pub table with beer bottle tops and poured top. An idea popped into my head.

I currently use a round "bistro" table in a corner (you can see in a pic above). And I've been saving bottle tops to do one of those pub table, but couldn't quite put it all together in my head. Well I realized one thing I don't like about the pub table is that it is round and trying to go in corner. So I'm going to come up with a shape that fits the corner and mimic's the turn on my bar. I'll even use the same trim and stain. I might even make it without legs. Though the only issue I have with mounting it to the wall, is if I want to move it out of the way for a big party or something.

Design time!!

Hi Sdallnct - good to see you still around .
Etex is really easy to use , you'd want to pour it about 1/4" thk.
Make sure your top is nice & level and is trimmed out to for a dam around all the sides (to hold the Etex).
Just mix the Etex as per instructions and pour .
Bubbles will form as this stuff does it's thing , so in the 1st 5 minutes use a straw held several inches away to blow on the bubbles ( they disappear) or you can use a blow dryer (just don't get too close)


http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=818487

OK, getting close to doing this. I have the table rough built and adding trim all the way around which will double as the dam.

So 1/4" inch thick. Because of the trim, I'm thinking closer to 1/2". Would this be two pours or just buy a big enough kit for that much?

OK, getting close to doing this. I have the table rough built and adding trim all the way around which will double as the dam.

So 1/4" inch thick. Because of the trim, I'm thinking closer to 1/2". Would this be two pours or just buy a big enough kit for that much?

It can be done in 1 pour but its easier to control and keep the bubbles out if you do 2 separate pours. Just my opinion. I poured my entire bar top (roughly that thickness)in 1 pour and it was too much at once. If I could do it all over again I would do it in 2-3 separate small pours. I did this with my smaller half wall bar which was over 1/2" thick and the final surface turned out much nicer.

It can be done in 1 pour but its easier to control and keep the bubbles out if you do 2 separate pours. Just my opinion. I poured my entire bar top (roughly that thickness)in 1 pour and it was too much at once. If I could do it all over again I would do it in 2-3 separate small pours. I did this with my smaller half wall bar which was over 1/2" thick and the final surface turned out much nicer.

Ok thanks. I don't know if I'll have time for multiple pours (how long do you wait between pours?). After wife telling me we were not having a SB party this year, last night she informed me she has invited 3 couples over and asked if I would cook. So, yea..having a party. Which means I need to have this done by then.

I've already cut the table and painted the surface last night. Trim going on today which will also act as the dam. I plan on using wood filler as a sort of caulk between the trim and inside of the table.

The table is actually fairly small. If it were square it would be 29" X 29". But I lopped off two of the corners. A little on the rear corner so cords and such could go through and larger on the front to match the turn in my bar. All that to say this should be well under 6 SF surface area.

I have a handful of the tiles I used on the bar and toyed with the idea of breaking them up and using them. However, I think, alas I'll go with beer bottle tops. I've been saving them for a project as this and so might as well stick with the plan. This should be a quick, inexpensive (I have all the stuff on hand as leftovers except the stuff for the pour).

After reading through the thread on this specific topic, I think I will go buy an inexpensive touch. Seems easier than blowing as many have reported a significant amount of bubbles when using bottle caps due to the pockets of air.

Do you have a recommendation for the glue to hold the bottle caps in place during the pour and spread? I'll have to read through again to find that. Here is what I'm doing....

Proposed layout,

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/8237/imagenvcy.jpg

Top cut out (with the old round pub table on top for comparison),

http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/3151/imagetbug.jpg

Recycled the old pub table's legs, and "dry fit" it in place. Also made reusing the same chairs so not making this bar height. I'll cut the vertical 1x2's on the wall so the table fits flush,

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/2431/imageopzw.jpg

Top painted (hopefully to act as a seal and since the caps won't be solid) and trim going on. Yea, I'll have to touch up the trim, but that should be easy,

http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/8652/imagexjy.jpg

Probably something like gorilla glue to hold the caps in place but be very careful when doing caps as the envirotex will get up under them and cause countless amounts of bubbles to penetrate out from under. It could become a real headache if not careful. If doing the caps I would definitely go with a very shallow pour for your first pour.

As for how long to wait in between pours, I believe that the instructions will tell you but if I recall its something like 24 hours depending on temp/humidity but I dont recall for sure.

The hand held propane torch is a MUST but be DAMN sure that you dont get the flame to close to the surface as it will ruin the etex. It will make it all gooey and it wont settle correctly. Light the torch and turn it down to "low". Use a "sweeping" motion back and forth across the surface but stay atleast 6 inches above it to avoid trouble. The torch will cause the bubbles to rise to the surface. It shouldn't take long to do a top that size and it's a good size for your first project unlike me who decided to tackle 10 foot long "L" shaped bar for mine.......stupid idea!!

Good luck

Probably something like gorilla glue to hold the caps in place but be very careful when doing caps as the envirotex will get up under them and cause countless amounts of bubbles to penetrate out from under. It could become a real headache if not careful. If doing the caps I would definitely go with a very shallow pour for your first pour.

As for how long to wait in between pours, I believe that the instructions will tell you but if I recall its something like 24 hours depending on temp/humidity but I dont recall for sure.

The hand held propane torch is a MUST but be DAMN sure that you dont get the flame to close to the surface as it will ruin the etex. It will make it all gooey and it wont settle correctly. Light the torch and turn it down to "low". Use a "sweeping" motion back and forth across the surface but stay atleast 6 inches above it to avoid trouble. The torch will cause the bubbles to rise to the surface. It shouldn't take long to do a top that size and it's a good size for your first project unlike me who decided to tackle 10 foot long "L" shaped bar for mine.......stupid idea!!

Good luck

What does "be careful" using caps mean? I was just going to use a dab of glue. Just enough to hold the caps in place. Or do you mean be careful with the pour so that it goes around the caps and not under them?

So if I do multiple pours the first one should be just enough to cover the caps? This would make it easier for the bubbles to come up?

I'm done with the table. Used wood filler at all corners (the between the table and molding + at a all the inner miter cuts of the molding). Then repainted the entire inside. Touched up the stain on the molding and hopefully, set to go.

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/1482/imageqid.jpg

And yea, I got plenty of bottle caps for this little project. Do I sort by color or brand? Or by general type? And will I make a pattern or just go random? Decisions, decisions. Guess I'll have another beer to decide.

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/7562/imagezqr.jpg

I just mean be careful when you pour as the etex WILL find its way under the caps and WILL in fact cause bubbles to rise out from under them. I can see a bunch of bubbles from each cap causing you lots of problems as you only have a certain amount of time to work with the etex. My opinion is pour your initial pour up over the fringe of the caps and no more.

As for design, I suggest random placement. Patterns are predictable then again my OCD would force me to go with a pattern.....there did that help? LOL

OK, thanks. This guy filled each cap with hot glue so that there would be no space. Damn. That would take forever!

http://windfarmisrecords.blogspot.com/2009/07/how-to-make-bottle-cap-table.html

^ Might be a good idea.....there is a ton of empty space under each cap for a TON of air bubbles to get trapped only to slide out from under the caps once you turn away......its recipe for disaster so be very careful and take your time!

Well I assume as some point the bubbles show, or they don't. So I can sit there and wait. Thankfully, not that big of a table.

Well I don't know if smart or not, but I did a dry fit of the caps. Dear lord, I didn't realize how many it would take. I almost didn't have enough. After throwing out a handful of bad caps, I only have a handful left!

I also not sure if I like the paint on the inner table and inner molding. I used the dark tan that is the same color as the walls. I'm thinking black would be better. I didn't realize how much you would see the table itself.

I did a couple of outer rows in a pattern. But then didn't have enough of the same so then went random. Finally in the center I put all the tops that have the state of Texas on it (St. Arnold).

http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/9610/imageyzg.jpg

I agree black would look better but the caps are going to make a cool looking table top. I have a small bucket of beer caps that I have been saving for several years for this exact reason. Someday I may pour a table.

I did a couple of outer rows in a pattern. But then didn't have enough of the same so then went random. Finally in the center I put all the tops that have the state of Texas on it (St. Arnold).

Drink more beer (St, Arnold) and make the center in the shape of Texas.

Drink more beer (St, Arnold) and make the center in the shape of Texas.

Ha! Not a bad idea...but alas...on a timetable...I do think I'll take one more day and repaint the table black. Than I should be able to start gluing the caps down tonight or in the morning and hopefully do the pour this weekend.

I agree black would look better but the caps are going to make a cool looking table top. I have a small bucket of beer caps that I have been saving for several years for this exact reason. Someday I may pour a table.

Just be aware, it take a lot more caps than you think I thought I had plenty. But I pretty much had to us them all.

First coat of glossy black on. I like the black much better.

I also bought two types of glue for a test. I want to make sure whatever I use drys clear.

The Gorilla Glue sort of foams up after a bit and seems to be a light tan in color.

The Loctite "Stik'N Seal" seems to dry pretty clear (it says "transparent").

I also bought a tube of Loctite "Clear Power Grab". It says instant grab, but it doesn't seem so on this. And the none clear version is my regular glue for moldings and such. And normally it is instant grab. Will see how it dry's.

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/9748/imagebzc.jpg

Started gluing the caps tonight. Little tedious, but going fairly quickly.

To my surprise is looks like I'm going to need close to 2 gallons?? That doesn't seem right. My table top is less than 6 SF. But I'm going to need to go nearly 1/2 an inch.

http://eti-usa.com/Calculator.html

I understand this will take multiple coats. But I'm confused has to how to figure how much product to use on each coat.

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

All caps glued down and drying....it take a while for that glue to dry to clear. Looks like it will be a full 24 hours on some of the areas where I used a thicker amount. And yea, I took tlogan's idea and used the Texas beer tops I had and made an outline of the state. I like the added feature, but with the odd outline there were a few more gaps than I would have liked. But the black paint helps "hide" this. I also caulked the underside of the table at the molding. Though with the wood filler and four (4) heavy coats of paint, that is probably over kill.

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/3379/imageglgj.jpg

Well. Next problem. I can't find anyone that has a bigger box than the 32oz. So far tried Michaels and Hobby Lobby.

Menards

None in my area...I'm still looking.

Looks like Lowes sells a similar product. And seems to be cheaper. About $68 at Lowes for a gallon where as the Envirotex is about $90. Yes, if I could find it at Hobby Lobby in that size, I could use a coupon and get it cheaper. I might see if they can look up if any of their stores carry that size in the area.

http://www.glazecoat.com/GlazeCoat.htm

Why not just buy a couple of the 32oz kits @ HL? Do you have a Michaels near you? They also sell it. Or maybe a Home Depot?

Why not just buy a couple of the 32oz kits @ HL? Do you have a Michaels near you? They also sell it. Or maybe a Home Depot?

Well, if my calculation are right I'd need 8 of the 32oz kits. Which seems a pain. But yea I could do that. But that is pretty pricey for what I thought would be a cheap product ($240). Now HL does have a 40% coupon, but only on one item. So I either got to go buy a bunch more newspapers or see if they can look up their other stores to see if they gallon size.

Though the one benefit of buying 8 kits is if I only mix two at time and I don't use them all I could return the unopened one's.

Yes, I checked Michael's. They only have the 32oz as well and at $5.00 more per box than HL.

I'll look at HD. They don't show it on their web site. But I'll go to a store tomorrow and check

I just read the instructions and watched the video for Glaze Coat at Lowes. It seems identical to the Envirotex Lite. Two parts. Carefully measure. Carefully mix. Pour (self leveling). Use your breathe or torch to eliminate bubbles. If doing a thick coating, do it in multiple batches. And only $65 per gallon.

But I got to find it and decide tomorrow if I have to wait a day or two between pours, I need to get the first one down no later than Sunday.

Found a general article on these Resin coatings and mentions several brands,

Brands Commonly Available (similar resin, but may differ in package size sold, or in price)

Castin Craft - widely available in small packages of hardener and resin for under $10, range of coloring agents and fillers available. Buy Direct
Envirotex Lite - widely available via craft stores, hobby shops, boat suppliers, plastics shops. Available in small packages of hardener and resin for under $10.
Ultra Glo – similar to Envirotex Lite, different range of distributors.
Glaze Coat - similar to Envirotex Lite, usually available from woodworking suppliers.
Crystal Sheen – similar to Envirotex Lite, usually available from plastic and casting suppliers.
Aristocrat Liquid Glass (note, the term Liquid Glass is also used for car polish brands, the epoxy resin is Aristocrat Liquid Glass) - similar to Envirotex Lite, often available from craft sections of big box stores, or art suppliers.

Edit: nearly 36 hours later, still some of the glue has not "cured" to transparent. I pretty sure it will all get there. It is just a few areas near the center where I used bigger globs of glue. All the glue is set and none of the caps move and it all seems to work well. Just taking longer than I anticipated for it all to go to transparent. If you look close, near the center you can see some of the white of the glue (it goes from white to cloudy to transparent as it cures). In my experience in doing this, the thicker the application of glue, the longer it takes to get to transparent. I really don't want to do a resin pour till all the glue is transparent.

http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/1447/imagehur.jpg

Confirmed that Lowes has the Glaze Coat product in stack. And HL doesn't stock the 1 gallon Envirotex Lite. They "may" be able to special order. They also only have 3-4 of the 32oz product on hand.

I'll likely go with the Glaze Coat. All these poured resin's seem the same. They just seem to vary by size and where sold. I'll buy a gallon and see where that gets me over 2 maybe 3 coats. Than can buy another gallon or they have smaller sizes as well.

Found an instruction sheet....looks like no sanding between coats is needed if adding the next coats within 24 hours. Which is good. Especially after the first coat.

http://www.eclecticproducts.com/_projects/gc_pour_tips.pdf

Did "first" pour this morning. Well I say first I actually did two 24oz pours. My original plan was one very thin pour to just seal up the caps. However the stuff is so thick I couldn't be that precious and it was obvious it was not going to hit all the areas as I couldn't spread the product between the caps. So I mixed another batch and poured right away (per instructions, this is ok and how you do a really large pour anyway). The total of 48oz pour got just to the top of the caps. Most caps are not covered or if they are just barely.

No leaks at all. Which is good. Only real issue is I had a couple of floaters. Which is annoying after after all the gluing I did. And now that I poured it, it looks like that there are still 2-3 blobs of glue that were not totally transparent yet. Annoying.

I pushed down the floater caps (only 3-4) and the resin should hold them. But I'm not overly worried about them. They can't float much because of how little glaze there is and it might actually give a 3D look to it. I've only got one at the edge that I'm worried about and am clamping for a bit till the resin sets up enough to hold it in place.

Bubbles are not really an issue. Yes, I have some. But I'm actually finding it easier to blow on them than use a touch. I plan on babysitting it at least two hours. Been about an hour so far. But I go over and check it every few minutes and usually find 2-3 new bubbles.

Only "real" mistake so far was that I wore an crappy old shirt in case I got anything on it. It is about 3 sizes to big on me and once when I bent over to blow on it area, it dipped in the glaze. No shouldn't effect the glaze, but I'm worried about lint or duct in the glaze. I don't see any, but will see.

I am impressed with how easy it is to work with (tho this will be a while for final results, so I might change that). But I got some on the molding and it wiped right up. The mixing was annoying, but following the directions exactly, you could see the product change. So to me that indicated was working. The pour was thicker and heavier than I anticipated, but again, all should be good.

Also, I guess I mismeasured. I thought this would take nearly 2 gallons. 1 just might do it. Which would be fantastic. Not sure how to measure out the 2nd coat. Looks like I still got a good 1/4" to go from the top of the caps to the top of the molding. I'd like the top and the molding to be the same. But will see.

http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/4034/imagevie.jpg

Edit: Aprox 6 hours since pour and appears all is working. About 3 hours ago I checked on it and saw a bubble. Not sure if I missed it or what. But I used a toothpick to pop it. It made me nervous as it wrinkle and sort of cratered. However, about 15 minutes later, it seemed to have self leveled itself and was fine. It seems to be curing properly. Far as I can tell.

Everything I found says to pour the next coat between 10-24 hours. You can wait longer, but then it is recommended to sand. Think I'll do the pour about 10:30 tonight which would be about 12 hours. Not sure how big of a pour I'll or if smart to try to just finish it. Might do another 48oz pour and see where that gets me.

Edit: Nearly 8 hours since pour. The resin is now firm/hard. I don't want to press to hard as I'm afraid I'll leave finger prints. But it has a definite "knock" to it. Looks good.

Just poured true 2nd coat. I mixed and poured 48oz.

I did this more "typical" I supposed. I first spent a little more time making sure table was level and even used those wood shims under each leg so I could make it as level as possible. I then poured all 48oz near the center scraping as much out of the bucket as I could. I then used a plastic spreader to help it and make sure it go to all edges.

This time there were a lot more small bubbles. Not sure why. I know no big one's because the caps were totally enclosed by the first pour. But these seemed to be just from the mix, pour and spread. And while I waved my torch a bit, I seemed to have more control just blowing. And these tinny bubble popped easily. I plan on babysitting again for an hour, but since initially blowing a lot of little one's, few new one's have come up.

I also brushed on (with a foam brush) some of the left over resin in the bottom of the bucket on the wood trim. Figured after my touch up of the stain, I'd need to do another layer of clear coat, so why not just use the resin.

Looks like I got aprox 1/8" maybe a little less to go. I've got some of this left, but I'm sure it won't be enough. I'll go get a small box tomorrow and hope that takes care of all.

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/8477/imagefkgq.jpg

And just did a 3rd 48oz pour. Still not to the top. Probably 1/8" or a little less to go. Wife actually said to leave a bit, that way if someone spills something it stays on the table. But I think I'll do one more pour.

I like the "depth" of how thick it is. But I would have been done by now if I had cut another 1/4" piece of plywood and laid it inside my table and glued the caps to it. I could have lowered the trim as well, but I didn't want a lip on the underside. Tho I guess now, thinking about, no one would have known.

Again, lots of little bubbles from the mix, pour and spread. And I must of gotten the worlds worse torch. I can't keep it running when I tilt it down. Wish I hadn't thrown out the box/receipt, I'd take back. But it was a really cheap one. But again, blowing is fine. And few new bubble come up. It is just that initial checking for it at the beginning.

Looks cool. The reason for all the little small bubbles on your 2nd and 3rd pour is because you used the plastic spreader and foam brush to spread it which disturbs it more than just pouring it straight out of the bucket. No need to worry as they will all work themselves out with a little help.

Thanks. Very pleased overall. Looks like I have a little less than an 1/8th of an inch left. I bought one more small kit. Between that kit and a little I have left in the gallon kit, should do it. If it goes over a little that is ok. Or if it isn't exact, it is ok...I'm happy.

However, I forgot to buy me a diamond crusted drill bit. I'm trying to find a good bear bottle (actually I just had a thought. I've got 4 growlers sitting around. I'll use one of them!) to make a lamp out of to look good on the table. Ha!!

Final results. It feels hard and slick. But heavier things still seem to stick to it. Course hasn't been 24 hours yet.

http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/8891/imagealu.jpg
http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/5594/imageqdo.jpg
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/4295/imagekcnc.jpg

Overall pleased with the results. Didn't need to make it so thick. The final coat really didn't add anything visually. And being the one that did it, I'm pretty critical and notice everything. Like a tinny trapped piece of dust here and there and that one corner is every so slightly closer to the top than another. But these are things only I'd notice. It really is crystal clear and very cool.

Looks really good. I would not leave that lamp on there right now. I would give it a few days or more to cure 100% before leaving ANY objects on top.

Looks really good. I would not leave that lamp on there right now. I would give it a few days or more to cure 100% before leaving ANY objects on top.

Oh yea. I sat it on there to check for fit (I might get a bigger shade) and for photos. When I moved it, that is when I noticed it a touch tacky. But it did nothing to the surface.

I'm very happy. Other than I might make or get taller legs and make it a true pub table. My wife wanted a "regular" table in the bar as she doesn't always like sitting on bar stools. But is my bar, and I might like it at bar height. Will see. Leaving it alone for now and thru the weekend (SB party).

I do need to read back thru the other thread and see what to use to polish it. Windex scares me...so I'll look.

I use windex on my bar/envirotex and it cleans great with no problems. Hope that saves u some time looking.

Envirotex lists furniture polish as a cleaner if I'm not mistaken

Used a little furniture polish. Wow...slick now!

I did notice my growler/lamp was putting these tinny dents in the top. You couldn't really seem them, but could feel them. The grower has a ring of ridges along the bottom that are fairly sharp. I removed the lamp and after about two day the dents were gone. So I used double sided tape and attached a coaster to the bottom of the growler. That seems to work fine.

Tho I'm not totally happy with the growler. It is fat and low. I'm thinking of going wine bottle. Or even a beer bomber.

And now I need a new project for bar....what to do...what to do????