Poured Resin Penny Bar Top question

[sboyajian]

Anyone ever do a pour on resin glaze over pennies for their bar or table top? We want to cover our bar and new back counter with it, but are not sure if we need to glue the pennies.

I've seen a ton of people say too, but I've also seen a few very nice step by step tutorials (one based on another) and neither mention anything about gluing them down. Are they heavy enough to not float in the resin?

 

[BarleyAndVine]

Anyone ever do a pour on resin glaze over pennies for their bar or table top? We want to cover our bar and new back counter with it, but are not sure if we need to glue the pennies.

I've seen a ton of people say too, but I've also seen a few very nice step by step tutorials (one based on another) and neither mention anything about gluing them down. Are they heavy enough to not float in the resin?

I have seen people do a little glue or superglue on the back of the pennies. This will keep them in place and also not float around on you while pouring the resin. I researched it over on Pintrest.

 

[sboyajian]

I have seen people do a little glue or superglue on the back of the pennies. This will keep them in place and also not float around on you while pouring the resin. I researched it over on Pintrest.

Well, I guess better to be sure and spend the extra couple hours, rather than be hopeful with a ruined bar top.

I suppose gluing it is, at least just to cover my bases..

 

[DrunkleJon]

You could always cheat and lay down a little contact cement, some spray adhesive, or even trowel out a layer of some other clear adhesive before setting the pennies down. The last thing you want to do is have floaters as they can ruin the effect and some of your hard wokr of laying them out.

 

[sboyajian]

I actually considered spray adhesive, I've got a can of Super 77.. my wife is nervous that it will affect the resin with additional chemical since it just seems to gum up rather than really dry.. maybe a very light coat. Would certainly make it easier.. I have a fair amount to cover (about 18 sq. ft)

 

[LandoLincoln]

I'm not sure who started the myth that pennies float in resin. They do not. There is no concern of pennies floating in your resin.

There might be a very small amount of concern that the pennies might get dislodged from their place when pouring the resin, but if the resin is poured even at a moderate rate, the pennies should stay right where they are, if they are in a grid formation stacked tightly against one another.

 

[Hello]

You could always cheat and lay down a little contact cement, some spray adhesive, or even trowel out a layer of some other clear adhesive before setting the pennies down. The last thing you want to do is have floaters as they can ruin the effect and some of your hard wokr of laying them out.

I was going to say spray adhesive just to be certain as well.

 

[DrunkleJon]

I'm not sure who started the myth that pennies float in resin. They do not. There is no concern of pennies floating in your resin.

There might be a very small amount of concern that the pennies might get dislodged from their place when pouring the resin, but if the resin is poured even at a moderate rate, the pennies should stay right where they are, if they are in a grid formation stacked tightly against one another.

Sorry, wrong word. I meant dislodge and get some resin underneath them.
Another thought would be to put down a very thin base layer of resin, spread it evenly then add the pennies to 'glue' them down, then follow with the top pour. That way you wouldnt have to worry about the effect had by leftover adhesive.

Bear in mind though that I have not made one myself. Though I have seen several bottlecap mosaic tables where the unsecured caps were all askew (different situation from pennies as caps will obviously retain some air beneath them if you arent careful)

 

[sboyajian]

I'm not sure who started the myth that pennies float in resin. They do not. There is no concern of pennies floating in your resin.

There might be a very small amount of concern that the pennies might get dislodged from their place when pouring the resin, but if the resin is poured even at a moderate rate, the pennies should stay right where they are, if they are in a grid formation stacked tightly against one another.

Speaking from experience? This was the original step by step I found, and I couldn't find any indication they glued them either..

http://makezine.com/projects/install-a-penny-countertop/

It would save me a ton of time if I don't have to.. I'm not worried about them moving side to side, they will be pretty tight in there.

 

[LandoLincoln]

Speaking from experience? This was the original step by step I found, and I couldn't find any indication they glued them either..

http://makezine.com/projects/install-a-penny-countertop/

It would save me a ton of time if I don't have to.. I'm not worried about them moving side to side, they will be pretty tight in there.

Working with resin yes, not working with resin and pennies.

How much air can possibly get trapped underneath a penny if it's laying on a flat surface? Nowhere near enough to make the penny float up even a tiny bit.

 

[Jacob_Marley]

It is done very specifically.

I still keep one foot in the hospitality/restaurant industry and checked with a friend who just did his bar a little while ago.

1) Yes, you absolutely *do* have to glue the pennies down. You use *Elmer's* glue because it dries clear. You do a 1 square foot area at a time and paint on the elmers then set the pennies like you would tile.

2) for the topcoat/epoxy ... you use a two-part epoxy. It was around $60 a gallon (to our best recollection).

For info ... a video ... and the epoxy ... you can visit ...
www.BestBarTopEpoxy.com

good luck.

 

[LandoLincoln]

Yes, you absolutely *do* have to glue the pennies down. You use *Elmer's* glue because it dries clear. You do a 1 square foot area at a time and paint on the elmers then set the pennies like you would tile.

I need to know why. Pennies absolutely do not float.

"Because my friend was a worry-wort and did it just to be safe" is not a sufficient answer.

 

[millerbp]

I'd glue them down so they don't dislodge during the pour. I did a bottle cap bar this summer. Careful with the glue as any stray glue will be visible through the resin. Also make sure you have enough resin for the "final" coating (maybe with pennies the first coat is the final coat) to cover everything without having to brush or squeegee it around. Keep on any bubbles with a heat gun or torch for 20 min afterwards and everything will turn out fine.

 

[Jacob_Marley]

I need to know why. Pennies absolutely do not float.

"Because my friend was a worry-wort and did it just to be safe" is not a sufficient answer.

I'm not terribly concerned about the physics. The bumblebee should not be able to fly due to the ratio of it's body to wing surface ... yet it can fly and I do not ask why and yet I still sleep quite well.

Anyhow ... to your request: As I was not present at the time my friend actually did the pouring of his bar top, I don't know whether it was because that website instructed to do it (you can read on there if you like) or whether because he had spent 10's of thousands of dollars upgrading the bar (this was a large commercial tavern ... not a basement project) and did not want to take the risk; or if it was because he is just a "belt & suspenders" kinda guy.

Really, my taking the time to convince you of the validity of the method I suggested is pointless.
If you ever decide to do a bar top and choose to go the glue-less method ... then to you I say "sie gesund!" - stay healthy & to your health. Best of luck.

 

[Inkleg]

I need to know why. Pennies absolutely do not float.

True, but sh*t not secured will move/shift when you pour resin on it. Better safe than mess up a good project.

 

[sboyajian]

I'm fine with the idea of brushing a thin layer of elmers. Honestly if I have to place the pennies anyway, brushing some glue on the surface won't take me much longer.

 

[1975brewer]

I have done a few bar tops. Never had any trouble with coins moving but they were randomly placed so I Didn't care if they moved. If I had wanted them to stay right were I put them I would glue them ( The Elmers or similar is good). Its would be easy to have an accident & you do not want to be rearranging them after you start poring.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

A dab of glue on each penny would be advisable if you're concerned about placement. if not, I'd just arrange them so none are overlapping, nor leaving any bare spots & pour. I've never done a bar top, but I've done cast paperweights & keychains with coins in the center. For me the biggest concern was air bubbles. I was going for the "floating" effect, suspending the coin(s) in the center. Once you get air bubbles, they're impossible to get rid of & not ruin the casting. Maybe acrylics have improved since then, but when you pour, pour slowly & constantly; maybe set up some sort of a tent-like cover to keep dust & such off whilst it sets.
Regards, GF.

 

[LandoLincoln]

A dab of glue on each penny would be advisable if you're concerned about placement. if not, I'd just arrange them so none are overlapping, nor leaving any bare spots & pour. I've never done a bar top, but I've done cast paperweights & keychains with coins in the center. For me the biggest concern was air bubbles. I was going for the "floating" effect, suspending the coin(s) in the center. Once you get air bubbles, they're impossible to get rid of & not ruin the casting. Maybe acrylics have improved since then, but when you pour, pour slowly & constantly; maybe set up some sort of a tent-like cover to keep dust & such off whilst it sets.
Regards, GF.

That's a good idea. Makeshift tent made out of visqueen and PVC pipes.

 

[johngaltsmotor]

Depending on how big the bar is and if the top is removable it could be easier to invert things.
Lay the pennies out on the floor and spray glue them, then lower the bar on top. This way there is no extra glue on the bar itself, only between the bar and the pennies. Then just flip it rightside up and flood it with epoxy.

 

[sboyajian]

We ended up going with brushing on elmers white glue in sections and placing them down.

Took us about 4 hours to do about 16 sq. ft.

Only downfall was we were short on pennies (finished 3/4 of the bar) and had to go out and get more. The 3/4 we did had a good mix of old and new. The new batch we bought was all shiny 2014 pennies. We had to hunt the house and kids piggy banks for older pennies and intersperse them.

There is a definitive line. Looks like the Washington Monument. Pouring the resin tomorrow. I'll post photos when complete.

Thanks for the many and differing suggestions. Anyone considering it, I'd go the brushed on white glue method. Not much added time, dries clear and takes some of the worry away.

 

[sboyajian]

Here is the final. Pretty happy with the result. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422280935.973394.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422280953.979106.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422280977.296405.jpg

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Looks great!
Regards, GF.

 

[DrunkleJon]

I wonder, how many pennies per sq ft? I also wonder how that would change were the pennies to be offset so they are not lined up squarely.

 

[sboyajian]

There is a few calculators online to determine how many per sq. ft.

I don't think if they were offset it would change. We almost did offset, but it wouldn't work with the angles I have on the main bar.