How to get a Restaurants Table Top??

Question

I have bought a table top from the hardware store. My plan is to take beer lables and place them on top of the table. I've seen in resturants where they place newspaper articels or photos and put a coating over it. How do I achieve the thick clear coating they have in bars and resturants???

Answer 1

i believe you are looking for a "pour on" resin finish.

for the labels you can decoupage them in place;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decoupage

for the finish you can use a pour-on two part resin;
http://www.epoxyproducts.com/bartop.html
http://www.shopmaninc.com/kk121.html

you may find this stuff at HD or Loews, also.

One of the most important hints is to have enough of the stuff to finish the job in one pour. Buy more than you think you will possibly need and just return the unopened containers. And it will almost always take more than you think will be needed.

Answer 2

First you need to adhere those down with epoxy cement. then you can coat that over with about 5 coats of Polyurethane clear coat, Automotive grade.

The automotive grade will come out hard as a rock and last indefenitely. You can get that clear coat in a quart can and thinner for about $35 and spray it on, sanding with 2000 gritt paper wet between sprays. This is so easy to do and even a run or two can be easily sanded out. Zero skill required in spraying and even a cheap sprayer works really well.

We have done a "log" bar in our basement that was hewn out of a pine tree and the top is done in automotive grade polyurethane and its lasted already 6 years and looks as good as the day it was installed.

Those tables you see in Lone Star Steak House restaurants are polyurethane clear auto grade sprayed on in about 5 thick coats, sanded wet between each coat, they are not clear epoxy as one might think.

Answer 3

I think what you might be looking for is often called bar top. Many tables are done with just normal Varathane. They just keep addind coats to till it gets to the thickness needed. You can put on a few thick coats and it will probably be what your looking for. Put one coat on per day. You can use a hair dryer to get out any bubbles and smooth the surface.

Answer 4

Go to a craft store like Hobby Lobby or Michaels. It's called Modge Podge. It's a really thick glaze like laquer. The important part is making sure you have enough at one time to do the table. And the table MUST be level when you are doing this or it will not come out right. And PLEASE avoid trying to 'touch' it to see if it dry as it will leave your fingerprint marks in the end result. Make sure you 'decopage' your labels on your table first and let them dry COMPLETELY before putting your coating on. Good luck! Sounds like a fun project!

Answer 5

You can get this epoxy coating at Home Depot in their paint dept. You just pour it on top of your tabke and it self levels. You can pour it on top of newspapers or coins and other stuff and it will seel it inside the epoxy. When it dries it is super hard and smooth and clear.