I'm currently building an L-Shaped wet bar in my finished basement. 9
feet by 5 feet in dimensions. I'm pretty set on the front and side
faces on being a medium oak. I want the bar top and arm rail to be a
darker color because I'm looking for a rich look and separation from
the rest of the bar. Should I also use oak and stain it a darker color
or use some other type of wood. Money is not a problem...(within
reason). I will entertain and appreciate any suggestions! Thanks!
On 29 Nov 2003 14:28:26 -0800, [email protected] (SKIDOG) wrote:
>I'm currently building an L-Shaped wet bar in my finished basement. 9
>feet by 5 feet in dimensions. I'm pretty set on the front and side
>faces on being a medium oak. I want the bar top and arm rail to be a
>darker color because I'm looking for a rich look and separation from
>the rest of the bar. Should I also use oak and stain it a darker color
>or use some other type of wood. Money is not a problem...(within
>reason). I will entertain and appreciate any suggestions! Thanks!
If'n ya'd like a nice pop fer yer eyes, try ebonizing the oak. Fill
the pores, using some black pigment in the filler. Then do a barrier
coat of shellac. Then apply clear finish with black Transtint, or
other dye, in the finish for your color coat, used as a toner. Finish
off with enough clear gloss to give you the depth that you want. If
it's too sparkley, cut it back with some 4/0 steel wool (with
something like Wol-Wax applied).
If'n ya do it right - people will pay money to touch it.
Regards, Tom
Thomas J. Watson-Cabinetmaker
Gulph Mills, Pennsylvania
http://users.snip.net/~tjwatson
In rec.woodworking
"Bob S." <[email protected]> wrote:
But wouldn't ebony have even more contrast? :) I mean, if money is not a
problem.
>Walnut makes a nice looking contrast.
>
>Bob S.
>
>"SKIDOG" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> I'm currently building an L-Shaped wet bar in my finished basement. 9
>> feet by 5 feet in dimensions. I'm pretty set on the front and side
>> faces on being a medium oak. I want the bar top and arm rail to be a
>> darker color because I'm looking for a rich look and separation from
>> the rest of the bar. Should I also use oak and stain it a darker color
>> or use some other type of wood. Money is not a problem...(within
>> reason). I will entertain and appreciate any suggestions! Thanks!
>
>
"Brian" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I've been watching alot of Wood Works lately, so therefore my vote is for
> bubinga. Gorgeous.
>
> Brian.
Second the motion. Any exotic would be nice, but the rosewood family is
killer.
Bob
Walnut makes a nice looking contrast.
Bob S.
"SKIDOG" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm currently building an L-Shaped wet bar in my finished basement. 9
> feet by 5 feet in dimensions. I'm pretty set on the front and side
> faces on being a medium oak. I want the bar top and arm rail to be a
> darker color because I'm looking for a rich look and separation from
> the rest of the bar. Should I also use oak and stain it a darker color
> or use some other type of wood. Money is not a problem...(within
> reason). I will entertain and appreciate any suggestions! Thanks!
Tom Watson <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> On 29 Nov 2003 14:28:26 -0800, [email protected] (SKIDOG) wrote:
>
> >I'm currently building an L-Shaped wet bar in my finished basement. 9
> >feet by 5 feet in dimensions. I'm pretty set on the front and side
> >faces on being a medium oak. I want the bar top and arm rail to be a
> >darker color because I'm looking for a rich look and separation from
> >the rest of the bar. Should I also use oak and stain it a darker color
> >or use some other type of wood. Money is not a problem...(within
> >reason). I will entertain and appreciate any suggestions! Thanks!
>
>
> If'n ya'd like a nice pop fer yer eyes, try ebonizing the oak. Fill
> the pores, using some black pigment in the filler. Then do a barrier
> coat of shellac. Then apply clear finish with black Transtint, or
> other dye, in the finish for your color coat, used as a toner. Finish
> off with enough clear gloss to give you the depth that you want. If
> it's too sparkley, cut it back with some 4/0 steel wool (with
> something like Wol-Wax applied).
Everything is very OK but you have forgotten one ingredient.
www.magicwood.org
>
> If'n ya do it right - people will pay money to touch it.
>
>
> Regards, Tom
> Thomas J. Watson-Cabinetmaker
> Gulph Mills, Pennsylvania
> http://users.snip.net/~tjwatson
Brian recommended:
> I've been watching alot of Wood Works lately, so therefore my vote is for
> bubinga. Gorgeous.
Don't know whether it's still open, as I moved out of the area a couple of
years ago, but there used to be a restaurant in Peterborough, NH, with much
woodwork in a combination of bubinga and wenge. Very art deco. The bar top
was the biggest piece of bubinga I've ever imagined, much less seen. Call
it 30 inches wide, 20 feet long, and 2.5 inches thick! Can't remember the
name of the place, but it shares the old movie house with what's left of the
theater. The folks who had the furniture made went out of business, but I
can't believe the new owners would have changed the bar top. Worth going
out of your way just to see that flitch.
Owen Davies
Sometimes throwing a lot of money at a project doesn't add much to the end
result. In the case of a bar, you might consider constructing a carcase
frame out of poplar (inexpensive, good to work with and dimensionally
stable) and cover it with ¾ inch hardwood veneer plywood (birch or
something) stained and finished to whatever shade fits your design criteria.
Use hardwood molding for embellishments. Plywood is much more practical
than solid boards. It had practically no movement which is a major problem
with a large area glued up from solid pieces; and the appearance is
comparable.
For the top, consider using some sort of solid surface . . . granite,
corian, etc. DON'T USE MARBLE. The variety of natural stone and artificial
solid surfaces available is amazing. If nothing else, it's fun to visit a
professional outlet and seeing what's out there. A bar, over the long haul,
is going to take a lot of abuse from spills, acids and abrasion.
"SKIDOG" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm currently building an L-Shaped wet bar in my finished basement. 9
> feet by 5 feet in dimensions. I'm pretty set on the front and side
> faces on being a medium oak. I want the bar top and arm rail to be a
> darker color because I'm looking for a rich look and separation from
> the rest of the bar. Should I also use oak and stain it a darker color
> or use some other type of wood. Money is not a problem...(within
> reason). I will entertain and appreciate any suggestions! Thanks!
On 29 Nov 2003 14:28:26 -0800, [email protected] (SKIDOG) wrote:
>I'm currently building an L-Shaped wet bar in my finished basement. 9
>feet by 5 feet in dimensions. I'm pretty set on the front and side
>faces on being a medium oak. I want the bar top and arm rail to be a
>darker color because I'm looking for a rich look and separation from
>the rest of the bar. Should I also use oak and stain it a darker color
>or use some other type of wood. Money is not a problem...(within
>reason). I will entertain and appreciate any suggestions! Thanks!
My first thought is walnut, but I really like that wood. It is
naturally dark, somewhat gray in color, and slowly lightens with
yellow tones with age. Makes nice durable table tops too. What you
use is all about your preference, what is so important is how you
finish it.
I've been watching alot of Wood Works lately, so therefore my vote is for
bubinga. Gorgeous.
Brian.
"SKIDOG" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm currently building an L-Shaped wet bar in my finished basement. 9
> feet by 5 feet in dimensions. I'm pretty set on the front and side
> faces on being a medium oak. I want the bar top and arm rail to be a
> darker color because I'm looking for a rich look and separation from
> the rest of the bar. Should I also use oak and stain it a darker color
> or use some other type of wood. Money is not a problem...(within
> reason). I will entertain and appreciate any suggestions! Thanks!