Bar Top Finish

[Pappy]

A co-worker asked me about building a bar for his garage/recroom. He is willing to pay a fair price so I think I am going to do it.

Plan is to build it from Red Oak ply and edge/trim with European Beech. I did some stain samples and they actually match fairly close. The Beech is tighter grained and easier to get a smooth finish.

I will probably spray most of it with laqeur but need someting better for the top to resist the alcohol. Would Arm-R-Seal do the trick? Any other/better suggestions?

[Popeye]

Don, a friend of mine used to do alot of bar tops. He used a two part resin finish. For the life of me I can't remember the name of it. Just did a google for bartop finishes. Seems to be a good bit on info out there.
I, ahh hmm, had a good bit of dealings with Rany's bartops at one time. I can verify that what he used was impervious to drunks. Pat

[Pappy]

I think what you are talking about is the Envirotex poured on type finishes. Thought about that but wanted to avoid it if possible.

[cabinetman]

Don

Other than the two part pour on epoxy finish, a good grade of exterior oil base polyurethane will work very well. You can get gloss or satin. As for ultimate protection you will definitely need a film finish of some kind.

Next in line would be a nitrocellulose lacquer.

[downtheroad]

If you have the ability to spray, here is what I like. Enduro Wat-R-Base polyurethane is what our shop uses for 90% of our finishing. A crosslinker is available to add to it to make it even more durable. I heard that a lot of dining tables for Wolfgang Puck's restaurants were finished with this. Also, Trinity Broadcasting put some leftover material on a section of their studio floor which gets a lot of abuse from studio cameras, equipment, etc. They said it performed better than the epoxy finish in another area. IMO, it looks and feels better than a lot of the waterborne finishes available and we like it much better than lacquer.

The manufacturer was Compliant Spray Systems. The guy I work with was a consultant for them and taught seminars for them 2-3 times a year. They recently sold the company to General Finishes and they are now manufacturing the Enduro line. It is now their industrial product line. Hopefully, they will not try to mess up this product. They have already discontinued the stains which we aren't happy with as the General Finishes stains just don't cut it in a professional finishing shop (our opinion).

http://www.generalfinishes.com/

[cabinetman]

IMO, it looks and feels better than a lot of the waterborne finishes available and we like it much better than lacquer.

Isn't NC lacquer banned in California?
.
.

[downtheroad]

Isn't NC lacquer banned in California?
.
.

There are shops still using it but the squeeze to change is getting tight.
We've been using waterborne since the late 80's and pretty much made the shift from NC lacquer and polyester by 1990.

[Pappy]

Tony, I went to the link you gave but I'm not sure which product you are talking about. Can you give me the exact name or product number?

[downtheroad]

Tony, I went to the link you gave but I'm not sure which product you are talking about. Can you give me the exact name or product number?

Enduro Clear Poly Topcoat is what General has renamed it.

GF Enduro Crosslinker will increase the durability.

Also Enduro Sanding Sealer is fantastic and sands like a dream.

[drumpriest]

I know that Rockler has started to carry this product, but it's not on the web site yet. I've seen it in the store though. Epoxy Resin bar top finish. Toxic, so use it outside if you can, or somewhere with great ventilation.

[Pappy]

Thanks, Tony. I'll check it out further.

Keith, unfortunately I don't have a Rockler closer than 3 hours away.

[cabinetman]

Don

If you choose to go with the pour on finish, it is basically an epoxy resin (like fiberglass). I Googled "epoxy resins" and came up with a slew of companies. I didn't know where in Texas San Marco was, so I didn't search locations for outlets that you could just drive to. It is sold at any dealer that sells epoxy resins, boat supplies, marine materials and paint, and marine repairs.

For a short method for application, after you mix the parts, take a throw away brush and paint on the edges of the top to get them wet. Then, having the top suspended on something like a bar stool with no back, and newspaper all around on the floor, just pour on from the center out until the top is covered and get it to run off all around the edges. After it is on a few minutes, take the brush and lightly brush off the bottom edge to remove a bulk of the runoff.

If you have a heat gun, or a propane torch, pass it over the top to get the bubbles to rise. Don't linger in one spot. Then let it cure. When dry, turn over and sand the bottom edge.
It's So Easy A Caveman Could Do It.

If you decide to use a conventional finish and don't want the epoxy, I have used a polyurethane developed for floor use called "Fabulon". Its a great product, and I think Sherwin-Williams sells it. Here's a link to "Fabulon" from Essex Finishes:
http://www.essex-silver-line.com/fab.html

Then there is still the water based finishes, some with crosslinkers, that do a pretty good job. The Minwax Polycrylic is even recommended for floors. They were developed for a quicker dry time. They dry clear and don't take on an ambering effect like oil based polyurethane. I would use a couple of coats more than what's used for an oil based poly. I don't know if they hold up as well as the epoxy. Cost wise, they are probably cheaper. I'm using the floor reference (like the Timex commercial), They take a beating and keep on ticking.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

A co-worker asked me about building a bar for his garage/recroom. He is willing to pay a fair price so I think I am going to do it.

Plan is to build it from Red Oak ply and edge/trim with European Beech. I did some stain samples and they actually match fairly close. The Beech is tighter grained and easier to get a smooth finish.

I will probably spray most of it with laqeur but need someting better for the top to resist the alcohol. Would Arm-R-Seal do the trick? Any other/better suggestions?

I know you are not asking about the construction, but wouldn't it be easier/cheaper/better looking to use Red Oak trim instead of European Beech. Euro beech is tighter grain and easier to get a smooth finish, but then the grains don't match. Filling the pores with water based clear filler is sooo easy. Much easier than the old school solvent based pore fillers.

As far as your original question I would go one of two ways. 1) for ulitmate durability use epoxy based system. Note these are expensive and kind of hard to work with as you need ultra clean environment with better than average ventilation. 2) spray the entire set up with this https://www.targetcoatings.com/fz/xc...cat=318&page=1 water based and tough as nails per a friend who is using it. You can build additional coats on the top.

[paulstenlund]

System Three epoxy resins ( www.systemthree.com ) has an awsome product designed for bartops

[paulstenlund]

Jeffery
Do you have a brand name for water based filler? I've got about a 100 linear feet of red oak 4X4. I make bandsaw boxes out of it and I have to finish it satin because of those pesky pores.
thanks
Paul