Quick and inexpensive way to make a bar top, using 2x8 Southern Yellow Pine. Gel stain for finish and wax for topcoat, this will be beautiful and functional for my client.
Hey Dan, how about an updated pic of the counter top? It's been over 2 yrs now. I say this 'cause I think the two boards will cup. If it was me, I would cut the 2x12s into three boards each, then arrange them with alternate grain direction, then glue them up. this will minimize effect of cupping.
I can't give away all my joinery secrets just yet... By the way, I had this great idea for a cool can opener, it should work on all kinds of pull tabs. Cheers!
only criticism would be that a clear coating would prevent patchy areas of finish colour or use a foam roller and lay off with brush. apart from that great work.
You did an awesome job! I LOVE IT! What did you use to bond the wood together? Better yet, come to Utah and do mine for me, Please? Your video was simple and fun. Keep up the Excellent work.
We did this and you will definitely need a kreg jig. Pocket holes are drilled underneath the wood then screwed together. For extra hold, run a bead of wood glue between the boards (careful not to get a ton to make sure it doesn't squirt out on your surface) then screw together. Been trying to find this video for a friend since we didn't tape ours. A kreg jig is a MUST so no screws or nails are visible on your countertop!!
No disrespect, but I disagree with Dan's response below about the kiln dried 2x10s staying flat. I've got an off-cut of 2x10, southern yellow pine, in my garage. Purchased a couple months ago and this piece has the specs written on it. It clearly says "KD" for kiln dried and is already cupping - not a lot, but it has moved in 2 months and it will move more. As I said in another comment, I would gladly use the wide boards, but cut them into 2 pieces, orient the boards so that the grain direction is reversed. This minimizes the effect of the wood movement.
That pine looks beautiful, such a lovely grain and color. It is such a pity you covered up the wood grain with such a dark, opaque stain. I don't know why anyone uses gel stains for fine woodworking. Why take beautiful yellow pine then encase it in this opaque ugliness? The grain is completely hidden. I am not sure why anyone would use a gel stain, instead of an oil based stain which soaks in, and protects and conditions dry wood from moisture. The gel stain dries fast, but dries ugly. Why was the underneath not finished off as well? You can see the unfinished wood if you bend down to open cabinets. Sloppy work. The glue up with such thick boards was very weak. It should have had dominoes or biscuits, and also some bracing underneath. Like cheaply made cutting boards, this is going to come apart at the seam over time especially with water penetration. You can even see the line down the center. Very poor glue up. Finally, using a paste wax means no protection against moisture in a kitchen. Moisture from water directly on it, steam, condensation, etc. Kitchens are workplaces like garages but wetter. I would have used multiple coats of thinned out oil based polyurethane to soak in, wiped off excess for a hand rubbed oil finish look with solid protection against moisture on both ends. Leaving the underside bare means no protection against black mold or moisture stains that are sure to follow. Ugh. This is a very shoddy job with a very poor finish coat. You need woodworking classes before you teach others. That is one ruined and ugly countertop. Nothing to be proud of.
In the southern US, southern yellow pine is a good choice. It is readily available at Home Depot and Lowes and other big box stores and is fairly cheap. You're buying #2 wood in the store, but you can order #1 for a bit more cost. A word of warning, I ordered some #1 2x4s from HD and was really disappointed. The boards had very few knots, but fully half the boards had bark on one or more sides. I was using them for a workbench top and wanted zero knots and bark showing. I returned half the order.
With prep, wiping with acetone tight bond 3 can bond oily woods like teak with more natural wood colors than some other brands. Properly applied you'll find the glue is stronger than hardwood
I bought those same cheap ass brushes, came in a economy pack. Junk! After 10 minutes little bristles started shedding in my pristine finish. Wanna go cheap? Buy foam
