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Bar top for pub finish

Bar top for pub finish (post #123821)

Harv on Thu, 04/22/2004 - 14:16

Woodworking Events

Dear All,

I'm posting for my sweetie, but he can provide more info. He is nearly ready to finish a cherry bar top (many feet long, its for a pub) It is made up of cherry boards glued together so that the edges are up...butcher-block style. What type of finish should be applied to this? It looks gorgeous.

Harv

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by Jsmith1 in reply to Harv [original] on Fri, 04/23/2004 - 02:15

As a part time bartender I can assure you that nothing in the world will prepare you for what people will do to that bar, (assuming this is a public bar application).

I would check with your local bar and resturant supply companies and find out what they recommend. Most of them have connections with companies that build bars and/or refinish them.

The majority that I have seen and dealt with are resin coated when they are constructed of real wood.

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by Dogtrot in reply to Harv [original] on Sun, 01/30/2005 - 00:42

Try Water-lox it great stuff.
Geoff @ http://www.dogtrot-general-store.com/

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by dondownunder in reply to Harv [original] on Sun, 01/30/2005 - 02:01

Harv

2 pack polymer or 2 pack polyurethane depending on your preference for a thick gloss finish or a more subtle satin.

Don

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by geezergeek in reply to Harv [original] on Thu, 05/12/2005 - 20:00

I currently use a two part polymer/epoxy from Tap plastics that is called: "Ultra-Glo" High gloss clear finish. It is actually made by ETI, in Feilds Landing California and Tap just sells it I think. Most other composite materials suppliers have a rough equivilent as well.

I will also offer a couple of tips I learned from the school of hard knocks when applying this type of finish: Make sure you first fill all imperfections, and make the first coat a less thick seal coat otherwise you end up with bubbles from the pores of the wood. Also when putting on the final coats have a heat gun, hair dryer or small propane torch handy. You can "release" bubbles in the finish by heating the immediate area around the bubble which makes the polymer a little more liquid allowing the air bubble to float to the surface quickly. I would also recommend having a good bright light hany as well so you can spot any imperfections before they set up. Lastly, make sure you finish both sides of the wood with the polymer. This prevents the top and bottom from expanding and contracting at different rates as well as preventing seasonal moisture changes from affecting anything. The bottom doesn't have to be as thick, but it should be well sealed or cracks can easily develop in a year or two. My walnut kitchen table is still going strong after 25 years, although I will likely give it a new life with another coat this summer to cover a few battle scars it got over the years. Good Luck! Joe.

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by hitai in reply to Harv [original] on Fri, 05/13/2005 - 18:20

How heavy is the use expected to be? The abuse factor can be unbelievable, and that's just the daily routine.

Surface type finishes are great but tend to fail catastophically leaving you with a bad looking bar until such time as it can be stripped and repaired. There is never enough down time to do a proper re-finish so a rather vicious cycle begins. That said, I've had decent luck with Sherwin williams catalyzed lacquers. Main point is that it is very hard and dries fast so you can do a 12 HR strip and refinish. We got 3 years out of our initial applicatin in ocean front, heavy, heavy use. I've used epoxies but the coffee warmers or steam cleaners or some janitor will find a way to screw it up and there there's hell to pay to get it looking decent again. ANY fault, crack temp differential etc will cause a failure. Epoxies are meant to be used with very dry wood, so the risk of white out (blushing) combined with the inevitable dimensional changes make it a difficult choice for solid wood construction.

The last couple I've done have used Daly's Sea fin oil finish. The theory being that a good brew pub is never going to shut down for refinish, so you need something that you can maintain. The bar (koa) is re-oiled weekly and has been going for 5 years now. It does not look new but has a wonderful used patina and a great feel.

Educating your client is most important. The bar is always a source of attention and pride and it takes a team to keep it looking good.

Good luck!