lighting the bar top

[struzick]

I am looking for suggestions on how to install some sort of lighting that would illuminate the bar top ie: tube lighting or something like that

[kpvjr]

I’m building a EHBP 45 degree corner L shaped bar and my plan includes making the top out of Onyx. I’ve narrowed down the pieces in the beer gutter layer (parts 76-83) so that a significant part of the top will be illuminated. My plan is to use string type LED lights that I’m getting from South Dade Electric here in Miami. The lights will lie between the base layer and the Onyx top. I’m hooking the LED lights to a dimmer switch so I can set whatever light level I want. I’m also setting a few pieces of 3/4 inch plexiglass in the lit area so the Onyx top isn’t lacking support in the middle. Needless to say the cost of the top is going to be as much as I paid for the rest of the materials, but I think it will be worth it. I’m still trying to decide whether to use a traditional wood bar rail, or have the Onyx layer doubled and bull nosed to fit over the edge of the base layer at the edges and not use a wood rail.

[Anonymous]

I would suggest using opaque white 1/4 thick plexi. make it a sandwhich using a base, then 1 x 2 furring strips to support the plexi. This would give you a .75″ space in which to place LED or rope lighting. I myself would go for the LED lights, they last forever amd produce no heat.

There are also some places online that sell bar top lighting like explained above. It’s quite pricey, but looks cool! I think there are even kits available.

See: https://www.barplan.com/blog/home/2007/05/20/cool-bar-lighting/ or Google “Bar top lighting kit”.

[Anonymous]

I just bought 18ft LED (White) rope light for $9.99. I plan on cutting a hole from the inside to outside so I can have lighting under the bar, inside and outside just under the armrest. I have the 8ft straight plan from the site. Cheap, easy, and still looks good. Those rope lights are somewhat energy efficient and durable.

[mckdelbu]

if anyone has found any LED lighting products that they’d recommend, please feel free to post.

[mistydwa]

I am currently setting this lighting up under the bartop overhang on both sides of the bar. It seems like a cheap option with cool effects.

http://www.eaglelight.com/c=c0a2oS9IpM1 … Strip.html

[young4u_]

I’m doing a pinball bar top and used a 3 layer method. The bottom layer is BC plywood. The middle layer is exposed where the beer gutter, drip tray and holes in the pinball playfields are. I also cut out the center so I could run LED Christmas lights through there. The top layer consists of two pinball playfields and a couple of filler sections of oak plywood.

Pouring the Envirotex was a real pain in the butt, and I was not able to fill in the playfield holes without it drying cloudy, even though I only poured 1/8″ at a time like the directions recommend. It turned out pretty nice though.

The Christmas lights were on sale at Kmart for $20 and I’d post a link, but they don’t seem to have them available anymore now that Christmas is over. They were Holiday Showtime 120ct LED lights. I’m going to stop by there and see if they still have any on clearance and get a spare set or two if I can. I don’t know if I’d ever be able to get the bar top back apart to swap them out though if I had to. Lots of Envirotex leaked through and probably glued everything tight. If I were doing it over again I’d make a center cutout section in the bottom piece of plywood to allow access to the lights.

[Author]

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