Update: The Bar

The bar is back in the Giants room and it's done!  Just looking for some bar stools now. 

You can see what it started out looking like without paint HERE.  My father-in-law did sand it down before we painted and stained it.

We got the bar at Superior Thrift in Stockton.  We painted the bottom of it, stained and put a polyurethane on the arm rest part, and then laid down baseball cards and put a resin over the top of it to set it. 

This barstool is used in our kitchen island..  I'm looking for something black and/or orange, I think.

 

We were really worried about laying the resin.  We googled and watched youtube videos to make sure we didn't mess it up because we had 1 chance to get it right.  I think it turned out great!!  After doing this, we realized that the people that messed up theirs probably weren't following the directions on the box.... so follow the directions exactly and you shouldn't have many issues.

A few tips that I can give you from our experience: 

• We used this resin: Famowood 1-Quart Glaze Coat Gloss Polyurethane from Lowe's and follow the directions EXACTLY.  If you don't, you will mess it up. This was just the right amount of resin for the top of our bar.  I believe it covers 8 sq ft and that's what our bar is.
• Somehow tack down the cards/objects so they don't float when you pour the resin.  I used a spray adhesive.
• Make sure you have someone else with you to help because it starts to set pretty fast.
• Use 2 of THESE and 1 of THESE to make sure you are pouring in equal amounts of the resin solution.  One for each parts of the solution (1 qt), and a 3rd one (2 1/2 qt) to mix them together with a paint stick, following the directions EXACTLY.  Did I say that yet??
• The resin will go through cardboard.  We couldn't worry about that too much since we were using cards.  We didn't have another choice.
• Have a blow torch handy.  When the resin dried, bubbles will form.  If you lightly put heat on the bubble, it will pop.  This will only happen while the resin is wet.  Once it's dry, there's not much you can do.
• If you have a dog or two like us, we found a few pieces of dog hair in the resin as it was drying.  We were able to pull it out with tweezers before it dried.

Here are close-up shots of the cards:

 

Ask any questions you have about the resin or staining and Lucian and I will get back to you on our experience with it.  We will help as much as we can!  I know how intimidating it can be.

Sarah