Where are you located?
Just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
How long did it take to build the bar?
Technically, I started in December 2003 clearing the junk out of the basement
and painting the floor. However, we didn't get started with the framing until
March 2004.
How much experience did you have with this sort of thing?
Prior to this, I helped my Dad build my office.
This project wouldn't have even gotten off the ground without the tremendous
help from my Brother-In-Law Red and my friends Bobnsteve, Trent, and Scott.
How did you come up with the plan for the bar?
The bar plan just kinda came out of nowhere. When I first started thinking
about it, I noted all of the designs at restaurants and bars around town and
also did some searching online. Ultimately, we sat down and "virtually" tried
it out. That is, we had one person hold up a piece of drywall to check the
correct height, the correct depth for the overhang, the correct height
between the bar and the soffit. We even checked the bar for the right
"leaning" height. We chose the size based on how many bar stools we wanted
to accommodate. I highly suggest "trying it out" yourself as you may want a
different height, etc.
How did you get the lighting to look like that?
The "trim" lighting is made up of two strands of rope lights each on a
switched outlet. The bar top is lit by four 25V puck lights. Click on the
diagram for a closer view.
What are the dimensions of the bar?
Below are some estimates on the dimensions of the bar. Remember, these
measurements were taken after all of the trim had been put on. The
actual measurements are probably lying around here somewhere on the back
of a Home Depot receipt or a block of wood.
Can you tell me more about the "dead man" you used for the ceiling drywall?
The dilema: two people, one 4x8 sheet of drywall, and 8 feet of space between
the floor and the ceiling. How do you hold the drywall in place and
screw it in at the same time? The answer: a dead man.
Measure from the floor
to the ceiling and then subtract the height of your drywall (in our case, it
was 1/2 inch.) Now, cut a 2x4 to that length and attach another across the
top to form a "T". Have one person hold the deadman (and the drywall) while
the other climbs up and holds the other end. Wedge the dead man between the
floor and the underside of the drywall -- viola! you're (virtually)
hands-free to screw in the drywall screws.
Note: we actually had a third person to help with the dead man...made it
a lot easier!
Other Questions?
Shoot me an email, I'll be happy to try to answer your question (or at least
ask my expert: Red).
