BYOB? (Build Your Own Bar?)

[nipsmg]

I'm re-doing the basement in my house and plan on building a bar, with a sink, keg tap, fully functional.  I'm wondering if anyone knows of a community like BYOAC for building bars, or has any good resources for materials,plans, or anything that could help out, I'd really appreciated it.

Thanks!

--NipsMG

[JackTucky]

Most of the places I found charge or their plans.   A cool site I used to base my bar on is http://www.gtpkt.org/pictures/pennybar/

I just modified it for my liking.

If you are going to build the tap into the bar, just go to your favorite local watering hole, bring a tape measure, drink a bit, tip a bit more, and ask if you can measure some stuff.

ARt

[nipsmg]

OK let me modify my original statement.  If anyone knows of any really great bar plans that are a reasonable cost, I'd also be interested.

[JackTucky]

If you click that picture, there are REAL plans there.

Art

[DrewKaree]

Drop me a PM.  I don't have plans, but mebbe I could draw you something up.  This is what I do on the side in winter.  I'll need some more info, tho.  Are you talking keg reefer with the tap in the top, or fridge in another room?

I can supply you with pics of brother-in-law's bar and how he's got his set up for some ideas and an example of the work we do, if you wish.

Size of area, possible shape ideas you're contemplating, what you wish to store underneath, plan on having just a bar sink or a full-size sink for cleaning up, icemaker install, spare refridge, speed rail, seated or standing setup on the other side, formica finish, etc.  If you can narrow it down some, I can rough something up for you based on standard cabinet sizes.

Lemme know your woodworking/crafty-type skills as well.  I can help you figure out the better way to attack this project.

[JackTucky]

Drew:

Are there books/sites/etc., that tell you how much each "standard" fixture needs?

I built my bar in NJ, but moving to Indiana in June and I get to build again.

This time, I'll do it REALLY the way I want it.

Art

[DrewKaree]

Yeah, there are, but for a bar, there's sometimes differences, and a lot of times, we work off of that stuff I asked him....seating at a bar requires a different height (sometimes not, though, if they've already bought chairs) than standing, and sometimes, depending on the chair, something different from THAT, even!  For instance, my bro-in-law has Hair Salon chairs for seating around his bar, and they sit WAY lower than standard bar stools.  They CAN be pumped up to standard bar height, but the seating was WACK for that, so it's actually lower than normal.

Between 36"-38" and 40-42" is the standard, and it'll depend more on your preferences, as you should be able to find chairs for any of those.  The lower figures (36 & 40) are the "standards" but we tend to find the higher figures (38 & 42) seem to be chosen more often, actually, and the comment "geez, I hate when I'm at so-and-so's house...I always feel like I'm leaning over" is what generally follows.  We ALWAYS do a fake countertop and have them sit at it to find out, though.  Some sawhorses with a few 1 by's or shims will suffice, and build it for yourself (same as a cab) not for all the people you think may or may not like it.

[DrewKaree]

As an example I just remembered, my mom has her sink (and a whole custom cabinet base with storage next to it) with the countertop at 41" because she has no dishwasher and hated the way her back hurt when doing dishes due to constantly having to reach down.

It's the only counter at that height.  To me, it looks like ass.  To her, it's the cat's ass.  I understand her reasons, but I'd have just bought a dishwasher

Go ahead, check all your cabinets...they should all be ~36".  A base to raise standard cabinets you can buy at HD or Lowes is easy enough to make, in case you want to "customize" your stuff....just a simple 1 or 2 x 4 frame is generally enough to make it suit you more perfectly than stock cabinets at a cost WAY below custom cabinets.

Something I've always liked, but takes some commitment, is the clear epoxy tops, like with coins, coasters, pictures, etc sandwiched in the middle.  A bit of work, but they really DO personalize your bar....Art, for instance, you could put a Flyers program or a few Flyers trading cards in there!

[JackTucky]

For the height, I used the penny bar plans site.  It worked out really good.  I was wondering more along the line of, for a single basin bar sink, allow 20", etc.

[DrewKaree]

For the height, I used the penny bar plans site.  It worked out really good.  I was wondering more along the line of, for a single basin bar sink, allow 20", etc.

I think I'm following you here.  Are you referring to standards for sizes of fixtures so you can pre-cut an opening in your countertop, or for clearance around fixtures after installation?

That's the way I'm reading it, anyway...mebbe clarify if I'm correct on that.

If that is what you mean, no, there's not a standard per se.  Clearance will depend on what you have, and what local codes may be, and sizes of fixtures will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and even within models by the same manufacturer.

I'm hoping I understood you right

[JackTucky]

no holes in the countertop, just how much space to leave.  I guess I'm confusing you because I don't really know what I'm talking about.

When i build my bar in the new kentuckiana house, I'll get my sink and speed rack first.  then i design.

Art

[nipsmg]

Drew:

Awesome!  I'd definitely appreciate any help you can give me.  I've got to go take measurements today, and I'll let you know tonight what the area is I'm working with.  I'll take some pictures too (I've got to remove a wall and move it back, that starts next month, so as we're buying the 2x4's anyways to frame the walls we're moving, we might as well build a bar )

Thanks again!