# New Bar Top:  Suggestions for a finish



## pen (Feb 23, 2011)

I'm in the process of building a shop (lounge/bar/etc) in my garage and am almost finished.  Everything is painted, cabinets are up, fridge is in, heat is on, just working on the most important part now, the bar top, I mean workbench 

Anyway, years ago I was given a bunch of rough cut oak 2x4's.  I planed them down and have put them together for a 2 foot by 6 1/2 foot bar.  I'm debating on how to finish it.  If any "work" is ever done here I'll have a piece of plywood to set down over the top to protect it.

Should I just go w/ plain old oil based poly?  Use a water based poly w/ a universal sealer first (for color)?  A floor formulation of water or oil poly?  Something simple like tongue oil or mineral oil?

What do you guys recommend for a bar?

pen


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## smokinj (Feb 23, 2011)

I like minin wax hand rub poly...Other will do it another way. I like a mirror look.


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## pen (Feb 23, 2011)

smokinjay said:
			
		

> I like minin wax hand rub poly...Other will do it another way. I like a mirror look.



How does that hold up compared to reg poly to glass / can rings?  

Never used the rubbed finish.  Gives it a deeper look?

pen


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## yooperdave (Feb 23, 2011)

pen said:
			
		

> I'm in the process of building a shop (lounge/bar/etc) in my garage and am almost finished.  Everything is painted, cabinets are up, fridge is in, heat is on, just working on the most important part now, the bar top, I mean workbench
> 
> Anyway, years ago I was given a bunch of rough cut oak 2x4's.  I planed them down and have put them together for a 2 foot by 6 1/2 foot bar.  I'm debating on how to finish it.  If any "work" is ever done here I'll have a piece of plywood to set down over the top to protect it.
> 
> ...



holy smokes! i knew that there was good money in being a moderator!! remodeling already congrats


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## pen (Feb 23, 2011)

I assure you, my drinking is for medicinal purposes only  :coolsmirk: 

pen


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## fishingpol (Feb 23, 2011)

I use the Minwax oil based poly.  2-3 coats.  I prefer the semi-gloss as it is a little forgiving on showing the errant scratches that can happen.  With oak, some people apply a sanding sealer first to fill the open grains that oak has.  

Congrats on achieving moderator, your replies are very informative and respectable like the other mods here.


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## pen (Feb 25, 2011)

Purchased the MinWax Helmsman Spar Urethane.  It's what minwax recommends for a bar top.  I'm interested to see if there is any working difference between this stuff and the regular poly.

time will tell.

pen


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## smokinj (Feb 25, 2011)

pen said:
			
		

> smokinjay said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I have taken it to 1500 grit sand paper and a little soapy water looks like an inch of glass and hard as a rock. Takes a lot of time to get it to that but it is amazing.


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## pen (Feb 25, 2011)

I usually run with satin or semi but I went full gloss this time.  Hope it holds up well as I find nothing more irritating than having someone constantly putting a nasty little napkin under my drink to protect the bar.  I don't want to have to do that on my own.  

This is a bar top for a shop, nothing special.  The oak I made it from would probably be on par with oak used in pallets   But, regardless, I don't want water rings.

pen


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## smokinj (Feb 25, 2011)

pen said:
			
		

> I usually run with satin or semi but I went full gloss this time. Hope it holds up well as I find nothing more irritating than having someone constantly putting a nasty little napkin under my drink to protect the bar. I don't want to have to do that on my own.
> 
> This is a bar top for a shop, nothing special. The oak I made it from would probably be on par with oak used in pallets  But, regardless, I don't want water rings.
> 
> pen



I have 3 teen age daughter lol and there friends playing games on my table it is bullet prof! And my rowdy friends.


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## pen (Feb 25, 2011)

that's perfect.  Nice looking table

pen


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## pen (Feb 28, 2011)

I'm no cabinet builder and this certainly was not clear oak, but I think this will still hold up a drink just fine.

That spar urethane went on great.  Hopefully it holds up just as well.
















pen


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## seige101 (Feb 28, 2011)

Is that an electric baseboard heater? I would be concerned with clearances.

Looks nice and shiny though!


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## Hogwildz (Feb 28, 2011)

Looks great!
The only thing I would have done differently is not put the lower brace to the wall.
A couple tapcons toed into the concrete floor would have been plenty. The weight of the bench will so the rest.
Just a matter of opinion. Maybe put a front on it?
Still looks awesome. Nothing beats natural wood with a nice clear finish! Bravo


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## peakbagger (Feb 28, 2011)

An alternative to poly is epoxy, there are a couple of pourable versions that can give a lot of depth to the finish. It is much more abuse resistant than poly. Its major donwside is that it clouds up in the sun but inside its not an issue. A lot of bars use it and put coins or small cards under the epoxy. 

One thing in general is that rough cut wood is rarely kiln dried and can move around a lot as the humidity changes. If you use any coating, you have to make sure to coat all surfaces and try to alternate the grain.


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## Adios Pantalones (Feb 28, 2011)

peakbagger said:
			
		

> An alternative to poly is epoxy, there are a couple of pourable versions that can give a lot of depth to the finish. It is much more abuse resistant than poly. Its major donwside is that it clouds up in the sun but inside its not an issue. A lot of bars use it and put coins or small cards under the epoxy.
> 
> One thing in general is that rough cut wood is rarely kiln dried and can move around a lot as the humidity changes. If you use any coating, you have to make sure to coat all surfaces and try to alternate the grain.



I have finished several bows with a mixture of 2-part epoxy and acetone (Roughly 1:4 epoxy:acetone).  Wipe on, but don't wipe back over it!  Toughest stuff ever, with a very high gloss.  That can be cut by a pumice rub or scuff with very fine steel wool when it's fully cured.  It is the toughest, most water proof finish I ever saw, but for large areas I think there's a marine version.


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## pen (Feb 28, 2011)

The beam across the bottom is for your feet.  

The clearance is fine for the electric heater.  It can be installed 6 inches from drapes so 6 inches for a 2.5 in thick piece of oak shouldn't be an issue.


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## Flavo (Mar 13, 2011)

I have used the spar on lots of things. The stuff is great and can even be polished if you were to scratch it. I can't imagine a glass would ever leave a ring.


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## dave11 (Mar 13, 2011)

The top will likely hold up well, but if people are going to put their feet on the bottom rail, that's where I'd expect the need for refinishing.,or maybe even some resanding to remove dings and deep scratches. Shoes are very hard on such a surface, as opposed to a flat surface, like a wooden floor. 

If it's going to get a lot of use, you might consider edging the two top corners of the rail with something harder, but decorative, like a copper or stainless steel strip, whatever goes better. Poly will protect a surface from small/moderate scratches, but not from dings and dents, and on a glossy surface, those are going to become very apparent.


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## btuser (Mar 13, 2011)

pen said:
			
		

> The beam across the bottom is for your feet.
> 
> The clearance is fine for the electric heater.  It can be installed 6 inches from drapes so 6 inches for a 2.5 in thick piece of oak shouldn't be an issue.



I like it


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## djblech (Mar 13, 2011)

Spar Varnish should work fine especially indoors. Another product that I used as a Ind. Ed teacher was Super Gloss. It came from IASCO (Industrial Arts Supply Company) It is a 2 part epoxy finish that you pour on. It is a high gloss, thick, and durable product. 
Doug


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