Need advice on wood veneer countertop

10 years ago

My cabinet builder has convinced me to use veneered plywood as the countertop in my wet bar. Mostly for aesthetic reasons but also because it saves me money on stone counters and fabrication. I can't complain about the way it looks.

However, I'm worried about durability. This isn't something I want to redo any time soon. (If ever!) He said he will finish the counter in a way that will protect it. I don't recall what finish he said he was going to use but I'd like to get some suggestions from you guys.

The counter will be subject to light spills/moisture from mixing drinks and such. And it will only happen a few times a year when I'm having a party. Nothing out of the ordinary for a residential bar. The bar has a drop in sink with a built in two hole faucet.

First question is, do you think veneered plywood is a terrible idea?

Second question is what is the best way to treat the veneer for long-term durability and protection from moisture and dings from dropped bottle openers, corkscrews, etc?

If it makes a difference the veneer is wenge.

(Sorry to double post but I asked this in the kitchen forum and was advised to ask here as well.)

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Comments (3)

User
10 years ago
The dings part means polyurethane is not a good choice. Reason? Poly is a form of plastic and chips. Fixing the chips is rather difficult(does not spot repair easily).

Shellac and lacquer are not good choices because of the water/alcohol spills. Alcohol dissolves shellac and water degrades lacquer.

That leaves varnish(non poly varnish) and epoxy coatings. Many commercial bars have epoxy coatings. Epoxy kits are available for DIY application.

Non poly varnish is the best choice, in my opinion. The protection is good and in case of scratches/dings/etc. a light sanding of the area, feathering the edges if necessary, and applying more varnish usually fixes the problem.
uscpsycho thanked User
uscpsycho
Original Author
10 years ago
Thank you.

What are the pros and cons of the epoxy vs non poly varnish?

My cabinet guy is planning to use this stuff which is an epoxy - http://amzn.to/1Y36Ovs

The reviews for it are positive and based on the product description, bar tops is one of the applications it is designed for.
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Suzi AKA DesertDance So CA Zone 9b
10 years ago
I wish I knew what our contractor used on ours. His sub built the cabinetry, then topped it with 2" thick butcher block! WHAT???? I was horrified. We told him to stain it to match the cabinetry, and it looks amazing! After 3 years, no chips, no scratches, a mirror shine and no spills have hurt it. He probably used epoxy, a few coats, not sure, but we get so many compliments on it, I do LOVE the wood counter top. Because of it, the entire pub (we call ours a pub) smacks "Class."

We used Benjamin Moore Color Series paint on the walls. It is pure color with no dulling grays, so the walls reflect color. The ceiling is a dark navy semi gloss, and the walls are a medium/dark flat cocoa-ish color. We have an awesome view of pines and rustic homes out the window, but it's on the west side, so when it's time to watch TV, it has a room darkening shade.

As far as the actual bar with the bar stools for guests, it's got black granite. It was a nightmare for the installer! It's curved, so they did have a few issues, but we just love it. I wanted the butcher block, but there was no way they could curve that stuff so we went with granite.

Good luck to you!