Bar top epoxy recommendation for covering caps and coasters

[HausBrauerei_Harvey]

All,

I'm in the middle of building out a brew room, one wall which butts to my original house exterior has a partial brick covering so i'm going to make a nice shelf out of it. I want to use a bar-top epoxy to cover some of the many caps and coasters I collected when I lived in Germany for a few years. I did a bit of amazon searching but some of the reviews for this type of epoxy are terrible, doesn't dry clear, etc. Any recommendations for an epoxy that should work well with paper beer coasters and beer caps?

Also I was wondering, do I need to glue the caps and coasters down before the pour to make sure things dont float/shift around on me? I've love to get some tips.

A photo of the shelf build as it stands is below. I'll be attaching another piece of trim to the face of the MDF board so I can create a well to fill with the stuff and epoxy.

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

This. I have used their boat epoxies and they are amazing if used properly

https://masepoxies.com/product/table-top-epoxy/

 

[Auger]

This. I have used their boat epoxies and they are amazing if used properly

https://masepoxies.com/product/table-top-epoxy/

I've never used MAS for a bar top, but I did use their product to seal a plywood fishtank I built, and the stuff is a great product, and their customer service is top notch. I had some questions prior to using it and they were super responsive and helpful. Great company, great product (for what I was using it for anyway).

 

[HausBrauerei_Harvey]

I should add, i'm going to be filling to a depth of about 1/2" seems like i'll need to do 3-4 coats of the epoxies the more I read. Any issues people see with doing this?

The other option I am now mulling is to get 6" strips of glass cut from my local hardware store (these could be up to 52" long), I could fill the 14' space with ~3 pieces of glass, hopefully just seal it well on the sides and the two butt-joint seams of the glass with silicone and i'd have the same look for a fraction the price (glass would be less than $40) and ?less work? on the install.

 

[Auger]

Seems like a great idea until someone slams down or drops a pint glass or bottle and shatters your bar top...

 

[HausBrauerei_Harvey]

Seems like a great idea until someone slams down or drops a pint glass or bottle and shatters your bar top...

Thanks for that reality check. epoxy it is!

 

[Dent Arthur Dent]

There are specific bar top/counter resins. Home Depot even sells a couple. As long as you follow the pouring instructions, especially the mixing time, and find a couple decent tutorials specifically on using bottle caps, any of the clear versions of these will be fine.

Oh, and check for surface bubbles regularly for the first couple coats until they're fully set.

 

[Crice]

This is what I used for my bar top. I was going over coasters, and bottle caps, ended up with about a 3/8" coating.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYK2NAG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[DBC]

I used this on my bar top and it works great, I highly recommend it.

 

[augiedoggy]

I used this at our brewpub... took a while to fully harden if I did it again I would have used the stuff specifically for table and bartops as it left marks when we set the barstools upside down on the top overnight.. we dont chance it anymore. we needed many gallons which is why we went this route.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Crystal-Cl...:FedExHomeDelivery!14120!US!-1&frcectupt=true

 

[ojaason]

I should add, i'm going to be filling to a depth of about 1/2" seems like i'll need to do 3-4 coats of the epoxies the more I read. Any issues people see with doing this?

The other option I am now mulling is to get 6" strips of glass cut from my local hardware store (these could be up to 52" long), I could fill the 14' space with ~3 pieces of glass, hopefully just seal it well on the sides and the two butt-joint seams of the glass with silicone and i'd have the same look for a fraction the price (glass would be less than $40) and ?less work? on the install.

I recently poured epoxy to a depth of 5/8". I purchased from home depot. I managed to do it in 3 pours. First pour was very minimal, only to seal the material I poured over. Follow the mixing directions exactly and you'll be fine. Make sure everything is within the proper temperature and perfectly level. If I were to do it again, I would build up my base rather than doing a deep pour. The area I was working with was under 9sqft and it took 4 gallons to complete. Cost almost $400

 

[kenmunkholm]

West System has a hardener specifically for water clear finishes. I've used it and when you use fresh resin and hardener, it works well. As the components approach 10 years, it starts out yellowish. The stuff I mixed and applied 10 years ago is still clear.

Type 207 hardener.

My wife encapsulates small paintings in findings for jewelry and has to tape down the paintings so they don't float. Epoxy is dense so glue down your caps/coasters first. Double sided tape works well.

If you're from Golden BC, you won't have to deal with the border if you shop at Industrial Plastics & Paints - Kelowna

 

[kh54s10]

You can find the stuff online in gallons for less than the quart that Home Depot sells. That stuff will only do a 6x6 ft 1/16 inch thick.....

I have seen quite a few YouTube videos. They make a dam around the area they are filling with melamine panels, pour it in then torch the surface to rise and pop any bubbles. I would adhere the items so that they wouldn't float. I am planning to do bottle caps. I am going to fill them so that they don't take up any epoxy underneath. Probably caulk or painters putty then stick them down.

 

[AkTom]

Stonecoat countertop has some sweet products. They have some great YouTube videos

 

[toolboxdiver]

I just got a kit from Amazon for my Keezer Top. I really likenhow it turned out.

 

[shetc]

I just got a kit from Amazon for my Keezer Top. I really likenhow it turned out.
View attachment 625737

That's the original freezer top?

 

[Soulshine2]

All,

I'm in the middle of building out a brew room, one wall which butts to my original house exterior has a partial brick covering so i'm going to make a nice shelf out of it. I want to use a bar-top epoxy to cover some of the many caps and coasters I collected when I lived in Germany for a few years. I did a bit of amazon searching but some of the reviews for this type of epoxy are terrible, doesn't dry clear, etc. Any recommendations for an epoxy that should work well with paper beer coasters and beer caps?

Also I was wondering, do I need to glue the caps and coasters down before the pour to make sure things dont float/shift around on me? I've love to get some tips.

A photo of the shelf build as it stands is below. I'll be attaching another piece of trim to the face of the MDF board so I can create a well to fill with the stuff and epoxy.

Not sure if its still in business but years ago when I was doing taxidermy I would order from a company called Epo-Grip, theyre in Florida. Steve Steinbring was the owner who filled orders personally for me. A wide variety of 2 part epoxies .Some pourable for surfaces like yours, others structural or for filling. Excellent products.

 

[LittleRiver]

West System has a hardener specifically for water clear finishes... applied 10 years ago is still clear...Type 207 hardener....

I use West System epoxy and 207 hardener on my canoe paddles and for repairs on my canoes. It's great stuff, the best I've ever used. But you have to pay for that quality!

 

[toolboxdiver]

That's the original freezer top?

Yes, I added a wood border with plywood then I stained it added the Coasters from Beer Festivals and put on the Bar Top Acrylic
Here is a better shot

 

[toolboxdiver]

I also built a small serving table with a tap handle holder and a place to store empty kegs and pitchers.

 

[HausBrauerei_Harvey]

I also built a small serving table with a tap handle holder and a place to store empty kegs and pitchers.

Man looks great! I'm cranking along with other parts of my brew room, this shelf will be the last step, probably still a month or two out. i'll update for sure when I get it done.

 

[shetc]

Yes, I added a wood border with plywood then I stained it added the Coasters from Beer Festivals and put on the Bar Top Acrylic
Here is a better shot
View attachment 625771

Any idea how much more the lid weighs after adding the decor? How do the hinges do under the extra weight?

 

[toolboxdiver]

Any idea how much more the lid weighs after adding the decor? How do the hinges do under the extra weight?

The stock hinges hold it up but you have to hold it up for an extra sec

 

[shetc]

The stock hinges hold it up but you have to hold it up for an extra sec

Cool, thanks!