My Basement Bar Build

[Hoppopotomus]

Thanks for the advice. It make sense. I'm not sure of a HD link, because I checked the tiles out in the store. I'll let you know.

They won't block any sound from going upstairs, but they will absorb some echo within the room. Tiles that are built and used to block sound are REALLY expensive and there are a few ways to use locally products to get close to the same performance. I always tell people that a drop ceiling is more of a visual barrier than a noise barrier, but if you back the tiles with rock, you increase the density of the floor/ceiling assembly and stop at least some sound.

Do you have a link to the HD or Lowe's tiles? I'll give you some feedback if I can.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Got the bar room painted this weekend and we plan on grouting the slate floor and travertine backsplash on Tuesday. I'll post some pictues once finished!

 

[stephm]

Can I ask where you got the bar top?

 

[rebl68]

very nice bar build, neighbor!

 

[EarthBound]

Very nice work so far, man. Prost!

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Thanks...it has been a long time in the making. I painted the bar this weekend. My wife and I plan on grouting Tuesday and then drop ceiling over the next few weeks. I have been working on this for waaaaaay too long. Finishing 1800+ sq. ft. of the basement was more than I bargained for, but it's worth it. I just need to get this knocked out, because I have 3 kegs and the materials to start my all grain brewing rig and another 400 sq. ft. of the basement to finish into a brewing room. My wife wants me out of the kitchen on brewing days. Where in Rochester are you from?

very nice bar build, neighbor!

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Thanks EarthBound! I just took a peak at your brew stand and it makes me want to stop working on the basement and start fabricating my stand. I picked up 3 nice stainless kegs last week and a patient of mine "donated" the material to build the framework of the rig. I started buffing/polishing kegs the other night and my wife told me to get the basement done before I start any other projects. She thinks I'm like a child with A.D.D. when it comes to my new found brewing hobby. I just think I have my priorities in order better than her.

Very nice work so far, man. Prost!

 

[Hoppopotomus]

I live in Michigan, so I searched high and low for something native to Michigan. I knew that I wanted something 4 inches thick with raw, live edges and around 12 ft. long. I was originally searching for black walnut, but I couldn't find anything of this size that was ready for finishing. A slab of this size needs to naturally cure in a dry place. I did an online search for slabs and came across redwood slabs in northern California. Since my dad has a cedar swamp filled with red cedar and I was using red cedar for my mantle, trim pieces, etc., I decided that redwood was a perfect match.

I was dealing with a company call redwoodburl.com, but they turned out to be a bunch of crooks that advertise an "unlimited selection", but couldn't provide me with pictures of anything suitable. Evidently they have a history of promising folks one thing and then delivering something else. Luckily, my online search took me to Jim Parodi at www.artisanburlwood.com. He told me that he had the perfect slab for me and not only provided me with pictures, but he also rough and finish sanded the thing before taking the pictures. The bartop was also reasonably priced compared to the other places, so I ordered the countertop for the cabinets behind the bar as well. He was awesome to deal with! He had just started using a new product for his bartops called conversion varnish as opposed to the two step epoxy that gives the thick glossy finish. He offered to do 5 coats of the conversion varnish, which is supposedly as strong of a finish (redwood is pretty soft) as the epoxy for another $200. In all I spent $1600 for the two pieces, which included the finishing and $275 freight shipping. The jacka$$ at redwood burl wanted almost that much for one unfinished slab that he couldn't provide me pictures of.

If you are looking for anything similar, start with Jim at www.artisanburlwood.com before you look anywhere else.

Can I ask where you got the bar top?

 

[Bush_84]

That is how I want my bar to look, but I don't need the fancy/expensive top. My basement is done in knotty pine and I already have the wet bar against the wall. Now I just need the one away from the wall for people to pull up and drink! Either way it looks great!

 

[mhermetz]

Duuuuuuuude.....

My pants feel tighter for some odd reason.

 

[rebl68]

Thanks...it has been a long time in the making. I painted the bar this weekend. My wife and I plan on grouting Tuesday and then drop ceiling over the next few weeks. I have been working on this for waaaaaay too long. Finishing 1800+ sq. ft. of the basement was more than I bargained for, but it's worth it. I just need to get this knocked out, because I have 3 kegs and the materials to start my all grain brewing rig and another 400 sq. ft. of the basement to finish into a brewing room. My wife wants me out of the kitchen on brewing days. Where in Rochester are you from?

I'm at Walton and Adams pretty much....right by OU and the mall there.....

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Thanks...post some pictures of your bar set up and the rest of your basement for that matter. I'm still in the finishing process of the basement and could use as many ideas as possible. I found and purchased the redwood bar and counter tops a year before I even started the basement build. The rest of the entire basement design has revolved around the bar top, which is the feature piece. Honestly, my basement looks much more high end than it really is. I am a craigslist junkie and have gotten the majority of the materials from struggling builders in SE Michigan. I paid $0.50 a sq.ft. for all of the slate in the bar, pantry, and cold storage beer/wine cellar. I paid $0.80 per sq.ft. for all of the travertine in the bathroom. I paid $0.30 per lineal ft. for all of the T&G knotty pine used on the walls. All of the cedar used for accent pieces, trim pieces, the bathroom vanity, the fireplace mantle, etc. was free from my dads property. The bar sink and faucet were $30 for both and the faucet was still new in the box. Hell, I got the travertine stone vessel sink in the bathroom for $68 on ebay, which is typically a $300 sink. I have paid a fraction of retail for nearly everything down there, so in the grand scheme of things, what I paid for the bartop was worth it. Yes, it has taken me 2.5 years to get to this point, but the money that I have saved by being patient is astronomical. Send some pics.


QUOTE=Bush_84;2541986]That is how I want my bar to look, but I don't need the fancy/expensive top. My basement is done in knotty pine and I already have the wet bar against the wall. Now I just need the one away from the wall for people to pull up and drink! Either way it looks great![/QUOTE]

 

[TristanL]

The bar looks fantastic! This is the motivation that I need to finish the rest of my basement! Can't wait to see updated pictures!

 

[COLLINH]

Wow that is truly amazing, even if you didn't do all that work yourself it would still be somthing to be proud of. It looks like a luxury resort. Truly amazing I am very jealous.

 

[wildwest450]

Not my favorite style, but there's no denying the craftsmanship. Nice work.



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[EarthBound]

Well, it's my favorite style! That whole log theme is badass! I will definitely emulate it because it actually has something called style.

This rustic look is classy and authentic... as opposed to this modern crap which is all grey/black and lacking of any artistic thought, imagination, and color.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

To each his own. The rustic look isn't for everyone.....just ask my wife. LOL...She's not a big fan, but the rest of the house is too formal for me. She gave me free reign to do what I wanted with the basement, so this is what I went with. Growing up in rural lower michigan, I sort of developed a liking for rustic decor, but I totally understand dude. Thanks for the compliment on craftmanship.

Not my favorite style, but there's no denying the craftsmanship. Nice work.



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[buckeyebrewer]

I love that the bar is done yet no ceiling....your priorities are certainly correct sir...nice work

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Yeah, the bar and cabinets were installed before any doors were hung and before most of the drywall was up in the rest of the basement. The bar was my first priority.....the bathroom a close second. Grouting the bar floor this week and hopefully the drop ceiling sometime soon. Working 60+ hrs. per week and running two businesses, so my spare time has been scarce. Thanks for the compliment.

I love that the bar is done yet no ceiling....your priorities are certainly correct sir...nice work

 

[limulus]

Great job! I look forward to more photos. We moved into our new house back in 2006 and finished the basement without a bar. My wife suggested we add one, but I did not want it because our daughters were about to become teenagers and I was remembering what I did when I was a teenager We built a pretty high-end movie theater which gets lots of use but I'm now planning a bar

 

[starrfish]

WOW!! that is AWESOME! Now that I'm divorced I want my WHOLE house to look like THAT!!! Great job!!! Would love to come home and drink a few beers in a man cave like that! a few stuffed trophy fish on the wall, a few trophy birds, and a fly tying station... custom fishing rod making bench.... DAMN good thing I'm SINGLE again! If I had that family would NEVER see me!

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Thanks. My kids are still young (8 and 6 y/o), but I have already thought about their teenage years. In an adjacent room off of the bar, I build an insulated wine and beer cold storage cellar. It draws the coolness out of the earth through the poured walls and slab floor. It's the only area of the basement where I didn't put the radiant floor heating in, so it's designed and insulated to keep the cool temp. in and the heated basement temp. out. Anyways, I used an insulated exterior door, equipped with a standard door lock and a locking deadbolt. Once my beer is bottle conditioned for 3 weeks, it goes in there for storage, along with any other wine or liquor that is in the house. My wife and I are not liquor drinkers at all, but we always have it on hand for when we have company over.

Not pictured, I have an 8ft long, cedar log slab liquor shelf that goes on the back wall behind the bar where the travertine tile is. My thought for the future would be to only bring out and display the liquor on the shelf when we are entertaining and when the party is over, the liquor goes back in the cellar under lock and key. My grandpa collected antique liquor decanters, which he gave to me, so I will put them on the liquor shelf for decorating purposes most of the time. Yes, I know exactly what you are saying, because I wasn't exactly a pefect angel either when I was a teenage. This is the main reason for why I built the cellar with double locks!

Great job! I look forward to more photos. We moved into our new house back in 2006 and finished the basement without a bar. My wife suggested we add one, but I did not want it because our daughters were about to become teenagers and I was remembering what I did when I was a teenager We built a pretty high-end movie theater which gets lots of use but I'm now planning a bar

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Thanks Starrfish....good to hear from you again! I'm with you, I wish my whole house was in a cabin/lodge type decor, but it's not my wife's favorite style. As it has come together, I think she is starting to like it more and more. I have unlimited access to red cedar logs from my dads property, so I have built log lamps, a log pub table, and plan on making a huge log slab sign for the bar....once I come up with a name for my brewery and bar. I tried to talk her into letting me build all log furniture, but she's against it. She's fine with the rustic decor at this point and the cabinets have grown on her, but she HATES log furniture. I have to choose my battles!

I am more of a hunter than a fisherman. I have several whitetail skull mounts, rack plaques, etc. I had a box of antlers from deer that I have gotten over the years, so I cut many of the smaller, scrubby racks apart and made a cedar log + antler towel rack for the hot tub, antler wall sconces, an antler wine rack, etc. My grandpa used to carve fish out of cypress driftwood, so I also have several of his fish sculptures. All in all, as soon as the paint, drop ceiling, and carpeting goes in, I have everything to decorate the space. Can't wait until it's done, because I want to start the brewing room on the unfinished side of the basement and my all grain rig. I'll keep you posted.

WOW!! that is AWESOME! Now that I'm divorced I want my WHOLE house to look like THAT!!! Great job!!! Would love to come home and drink a few beers in a man cave like that! a few stuffed trophy fish on the wall, a few trophy birds, and a fly tying station... custom fishing rod making bench.... DAMN good thing I'm SINGLE again! If I had that family would NEVER see me!

 

[Jota21]

I am more of a hunter than a fisherman. I have several whitetail skull mounts, rack plaques, etc. I had a box of antlers from deer that I have gotten over the years, so I cut many of the smaller, scrubby racks apart and made a cedar log + antler towel rack for the hot tub, antler wall sconces, an antler wine rack, etc.

make a tap handle.

 

[electrichead]

That looks great. Can't wait to see the finished product. I love the lodge style.

 

[KRYLOK]

Nice job so far. Realy like the bar top.

 

[r8rphan]

You guys worrying about teenagers.. They make these things called 'LOCKS'.. LOL

Just incorporate anti-teenager methodology into your plans from the get go....


BTW, your basement build is gorgeous.. first class job!

For you guys that like that bar top but don't like the coin they cost.. Go find yourself a buddy with a portable mill... Then find yourself a log, and bring it and a couple cases of home brew to your new buddy... After he cuts the planks, you can do the rest... Heck, your new buddy might even provide the log...

 

[wildwest450]

Growing up in rural lower michigan on 40 acres, I sort of developed a liking for rustic decor, but I totally understand dude. Thanks for the compliment on craftmanship.

Ha, I grew up in Almont/Imlay City Mi, so I know all about rustic. Maybe that's why I went the opposite direction. I do like the floor tiles, very nice.

 

[rjhockey]

Very nice job I hope my basement comes out half as nice as that. I say half because I'll only end up with 7 foot celings when I'm done. I should post up the pics.

 

[Hoppopotomus]

Great advice on the bar top. I actually have a buddy with a Woodmeiser portable mill. He cut the cedar log trim pieces and the cedar mantle. The problem with the bar top is that with it's size and thickness, it can take several years for the moisture content of the slab to drop low enough for finishing. If you have a couple of years to wait, then it is definately the most cost effective way to go.

You guys worrying about teenagers.. They make these things called 'LOCKS'.. LOL

Just incorporate anti-teenager methodology into your plans from the get go....


BTW, your basement build is gorgeous.. first class job!

For you guys that like that bar top but don't like the coin they cost.. Go find yourself a buddy with a portable mill... Then find yourself a log, and bring it and a couple cases of home brew to your new buddy... After he cuts the planks, you can do the rest... Heck, your new buddy might even provide the log...