Wood for Home Bar

[Greg.B]

Hello all,

Next part of the project is going to be the bar. I am trying to figure out a plywood to use for the front and then basically make square frames to give it a boxed look. If that makes any sense.

Anyway, my biggest concern is grain pattern and not conflicting with the floor I put down.

http://cgi.ebay.com/7mm-KRONOPOL-Lam...QQcmdZViewItem

That is the approx. color of the floor, called Williamsburg Cherry. I am wondering if I should be looking to get maple or birch ply.

My biggest concern is keeping costs low.

[Uncle Cracker]

Anyway, my biggest concern is grain pattern and not conflicting with the floor I put down.

My biggest concern is keeping costs low.

Well, which is it?

Have you considered a standard ply carcass for economy, and then a sheet veneer finish layer of whatever you think looks best? Many different veneers are available, and you don't have to pay for exotic dimensional lumber.

[gary]

Africian Mahogany! It'll match the grain and color of that floor sample closely!

[Greg.B]

Africian Mahogany! It'll match the grain and color of that floor sample closely!

Not exactly cheap !!! LOL....


Well to give you some more info. Current the bar is framed and covered with drywall. On the outside facing side I put a sheet of plywood in there so that i can nail (brad) anything to it, at any location.

It's an L - Shaped bar, approx. 42" high and 68" long on one side and 61" long on the other.

I have though about veneer as well. But that is not something I have worked with before. I will however see what veneers I can find locally, its a good idea if I can find a source for it. Currently Lowes and HD are the products I am picking from.

I'm just worried that too much wood will clash with each other.

[Garasaki]

Contrast is the most important element to good design.

IMO by trying to match your flooring, you are opening the door to clashing colors and grains that will not look good together and not give any emphasis to either your floor or the wood used in your bar.

I would perhaps suggest looking at walnut (dark wood) or curly maple with a very clear finish (lighter wood). I don't really know exactly what you are trying to do with the wood, but I might suggest using the real deal where possible and also working in some leftover flooring material (if available) as inlays or accents in order to tie things together a bit.

[Greg.B]

Well not trying to match the floor, I'm concerned about grain pattern. The floor has cherry patterns, and if I was to go Oak I think it would look "off".
So I'm trying to figure out a nice sanded ply or maple ply that I could stain a darker color, which would not have grain patterns that are so much different than the flooring.

[LarryG]

I'm not following you on "square frames to give it a boxed look" -- do you mean applied moldings, for a faux raised-panel look?

Whether you do that or not ... and without being able to see either the room or the bar ... I personally would be inclined to use a painted finish on the body of the bar and use the exact same flooring as the room's floor for the bar's countertop. You'd have an exact match on the two wood surfaces, and the c'top would appear to float about 42" above the matching floor, with the contrasting body of the painted bar (with or without moldings) between the two. Be a nice effect.

[Greg.B]

[QUOTE=LarryG;281934]I'm not following you on "square frames to give it a boxed look" -- do you mean applied moldings, for a faux raised-panel look?

QUOTE]

Exactly.

I like that idea as well. I have to pitch these to the LOML and see what she likes best.

[Garasaki]

How are you going to use the plywood in that matter and not have plys showing>?

[Greg.B]

The only places a ply would show would be the ends, where I would butt the corners, and to hide I would just use a corner moulding. That's actually not too much of an issue verse figuring out what would look best.

Plus LOML has expensive ideas and deep pockets...lol....

[Jeffrey Schronce]

You have plenty of sources outside of HD/Lowes for your material in your area.

I would suggest contrasting wood such as your suggested maple. Maple sheet goods meet your need for low cost. Why are you worried about matching grain? I (and I believe others) may not understand why this needs to happen? With a cherry floor I would contrast with maple. Want it cheap with some flash? Then use maple sheet goods with curly maple solid wood trim. Anyway to post photos of what you have v. what you want? Any sketches or plans? More info would be very helpful in helping you out. For example I dont understand how you are building a bar from sheet goods with no solid wood banding, etc?

[Rand]

I'd go oak with a darkish stain on it.

[Greg.B]

So far I have built the inside of the bar, which is the lower countertop/sink area, and the shelves under it. I ended up going with some laminated pine, that I plan on conditioning and staining and then a top coat.

I plan on using pine on the top but will do a poured epoxy.

Anyway the front of the bar is still just drywall. I'm considering doing stone veneer to match other parts of my house. Issue is that HD and Lowes want $110 delivery charge to their store. It wouldn't be bad if I had to get a lot, but when the delivery charge is almost more then the order, its kinda alot.

I'm considering driving up to the stone places in PA. One is near Pottsville, the other near Allentown.

Also just to answer the question of how to build with sheet goods without showing the ply is kinda simple. One edge would be on the floor, the other under the bar top, only to worry about the side edges. Those you can run a piece of L shaped moulding over and it would be hidden.