Anyone ever built their own bar?

[mookie]

We are in the process of putting a bar in our basement. DH and I are trying to think of creative things to use to wrap it and put on the bar top. Has anyone ever used good wood laminate flooring for their bar top and to wrap it? It seems like a no-brainer, to attach that to the plywood for a finished look...but I can't find anything on it anywhere, so I'm wondering if there's a glitch that I'm not thinking of.

If you've finished your bar...how did you finish the outside and the top? How do you like it? Any tips?

 

[elgerber]

I'd be interested in this too, since we are building one in our basement too.

 

[mookie]

Oh, and BTW....If anyone has pictures of the bars that they did in their home...could you post them? I'd love to get some ideas instead of just the prefabed ones that I've seen...

...pretty please??

 

[freckles and boo]

I have never built my own bar but I don't know if I would use laminate floor planks on a surface that is likely to get a lot of spills. But maybe your parties are tidier than ours...

 

[mookie]

I have never built my own bar but I don't know if I would use laminate floor planks on a surface that is likely to get a lot of spills. But maybe your parties are tidier than ours...

Actually, no...we are anything BUT tidy.

But DH is thinking we can put a poly gloss over it to help with that sort of problem...

 

[Jenny-momof3]

We have a full bar in our basement. But we just have regular countertops. We had one custom made for the bar top itself. We have multiple cabinets in the bar and I wanted counter tops all around.

My cousin has a full bar in their basement as well. Their bar top is wood with a sealant. And then they have glass custom fit that sits on top of the wood.

 

[Master Mason]

Here is a suggestion for the top. Build it as a box, then fill the box with that clear epoxy that is a inch or more thick. You can put stuff in the epoxy and it is a great decoration as well. I have seen this done with wine corks, various knick nack type stuff, different scrap metal parts like crank wheels etc.

 

[Pinkgurlshubby]

I may have been accused of emptying one...

 

[Uncle Remus]

I've heard that if you build it, they will come.

 

[Pinkgurlshubby]

Oohhh freebies. I have no shame I'd even drink from a dirty glass

 

[elgerber]

I may have been accused of emptying one...

Well as soon as we got some ideas here, we'll fill ours up when it's done and you can emtpy it after we go to the fair LOL!!! Fancy meeting you on a BAR thread Denis!

 

[JR6ooo4]

you can do a tile top, or a tight leather.
the clear top coating and objects inset can look nice, but the style is pretty dated.

More importantly, what style is the rest of the room? The counter should be a compliment.

Mikeeee

we are building a custom counter top for a vessel sink for a very tiny powder room. To save room we are making a corner sink with a natural stone top. 4" square tiles at 45 degrees to the rest of the room. no pics yet though...

 

[mookie]

Free Drinks at Mookies! Come on in....the cocktails are cold!!!

(maybe if I tell my dh you all are breathing down his neck, he'll finish the bar sooner...it took 2 years to finish the basement alone!!!)

 

[mickeyfan1]

My husband built a 14 foot long bar in the basement of our first home. He built the frame, covered it with plywood than covered that with a very dark wood paneling. It was also not standard thin wall paneling, it was pretty thick. For the top we used butcher block, we bought 3 or 4 of them pre made from Hechingers and then stained them dark to match the paneling. Then he covered it with several coats of Deco-pour, which is a very thick polyurethane. It did not require any framing. He opted to just use it on the wood alone, our next door neighbors put coins and other things on top of their bar before covering it with the deco-pour and it came out really nice.

If you want to use floor laminate, just use liquid nails to adhere it to the substrate. Go from the bottom up and you may need to tape it temporarily. Laminate flooring is pretty easy to click together, but it may be pricey.

I will see if I can find some pictures and scan them. Our bar was built in 1981 or so, and we have never built one since then. It was nice, it had a sink behind it, glass shelves and mirrors, fully stocked at all times.