Long Delayed Bar Build

Started my outdoor "Blue Lagoon" Pool build back in 2014. Had lots of ideas, some worked, some remain lost in time. In my first "Tiki" frenzy "The Pool was Built" and Life just slowed down everything.

But.... Today was the Day. After laying in my Garage for 5 years, with some help of a Great Friend Jack, we laid the foundation of the last addition to Paradise. Pool Pix to come later. For now.. A humble beginning. Ok, just half the vertical portion. Still, a start.

[ Edited by: kala60 2019-10-09 19:03 ]

Your pool and deck are epic! What are your plans for the build?

This pool screams TIKI!

Great start! Warm weather, a pool, and some bamboo. I'd be happy with any or all of the three. LOL

I say this as the mega cold depression is likely to bring highs in the 40s*f and even yet more unneeded inches of rain to our little corner of paradise.
And by "unneeded inches of rain" I mean that we're literally pushing into the 18" over normal range of "unneeded rain" for the year. We crested 12" in
September, and at this point I'm just happy to have mowed the yard while it wasn't totally underwater.

Enjoy your work putting up the bamboo. Some of us are hoping the the frost-heave doesn't destroy our house foundations. Because the
ground is so wet that if it freezes now it will destroy foundations, roads, and pretty much anything that depends on the earth to not
expand by 20% overnight.

Yup, wait 5 years and it rains on day One. The location stalled the build (among other things... Bathroom wall, screen enclosure and door). Left side of the bar will be a storage area for pool stuff. Don't know what that will look like yet. Current plan: finish the structure, add appliances, ceiling fan, rope, etc. It will be Tiki(ized) later. Should have cooler temps until April.

Day 2 Finished corner poles, roof header boards, walls framed, Rear wall trimmed with bamboo paneling.

Front

Back

Open Bar

Crew Rest

Looks great, lots of potential!

so this is the Joy of Tiki Bar Building. Took a day to re-think the size and location of the bar. Took today to chop off 18" of the Front. Bar was just too big for the spot and too close to the Pool. Need to re-configure Sink, Ice Bin, etc. Definitely won't be a large spot for the Bartender. Interior measures 86" wide X 62" deep. Envy those who have large backyards.

Of course, a spent a lot of time going through this site for more ideas. Thanks to all that post.

Side View - Bar front in line with Cabana Bath.

Looking good!

Questions: Thinking of the Bar front with Bamboo/rope look as Kon-Hemsby Bar Build (pic below). First, is that split bamboo with multi layers of ?? to seal? Second, how is the rope done? all the way around or looped and tacked? Third, how would this application hold up to weather/UV.

Thanks for the input.

Nice progress thus far!

As for your questions, how much weather/UV will the bar be exposed to? Flame-treated bamboo has a natural resin coating that gives it some degree of weatherproofing, but this isn't permanent, and will erode over time when exposed to the elements (inside is a different story). I'm experimenting with Flood CFW UV (basic fence/deck protectant) on some of my exposed bamboo. Spar urethane is also an option (marine-grade is preferable) once the resin is gone, otherwise you could face peeling urethane. As for rope, I don't know how it's attached in the photo you posted, but it is my understanding that Manila rope is preferred over sisal and other types of natural fiber because Manila rope doesn't retain water after it gets wet, cutting down on rot. It will rot if exposed to continuous moisture, and will fade and degrade from UV exposure. I've coated all of mine outside with more of that Flood UV. Thompson's and Behr make similar products. I have no real judgement on which is superior, I just stick with Flood to ensure the stain pigment remains consistent over the years.

Thanks for the reply. Your build posts delayed my Build right into a rain delay. Your one resourceful, talented Dude. Really, thanks for the tips, all good stuff.

Think I figured out a way to mount 36" bamboo on my bar front. Drill 2 lateral pass through channels at the top and bottom about 3/8" into the post on the backside and wire it to the frame. I'm pretty sure I saw that on this site but can't remember where. Would have to have a sub something to block my DUROCK Cement Backer Board. Yes, it's a pita to drill/nail/screw but being an outside/poolside bar feel it's worth the hassles. Maybe paint/stain the backer Board???

Trap Cover up.

[ Edited by: kala60 2019-10-15 16:52 ]

Does anyone have a link to wiring an outdoor bar? Planning to conduit the entry point and backside of a rear tiki pole (ceiling fan and lights). Otherwise, just run 12 gauge 3 wire romex through the walls. It does get very wet here.

Advice and or tips?

Wow that is some space! I envy your pool! So much potential!

You have no idea..

It took a year of talking with Wife. I wanted a Hot Tub. She wanted a Pool. So, we compromised and got a pool. I found an awesome young pool designer who actually listened to my ideas. Around here pools come in 3 shapes. Round, Square or rectangle. Worked on the design for 3 months before signing for the build. Took 9 months to build. It was like Salty Peanuts. Couldn't stop adding things to the design. A tad over budget. It's a party pool. too small for laps which works well when you're drinking.

More on the pool later. I seem to be in a Second Guessing Loop right now. Stalled out. Knew this would happen. That's a part of why it took 5 years to get started. No plan was ever good enough. Or even OK. Too late now. the Tikis are vertical and growing impatient by the day. Rain gone. Time to add something to the build.

With another Tropical Storm headed our way, mostly rain for the next 4 days....skipping to the drink recipe sections.

History, Story Telling and a Bottle of Rhum.

[ Edited by: kala60 2019-10-17 14:10 ]

I could sure use a tropical storm right about now!

Martin Cate's book is probably the perfect introduction to tiki. It's a fantastic, broad overview that introduces people to the big picture. The Mai Kai book is a great piece of history.

With electrical, I lucked out in that there was an existing outdoor plug right when I put my back bar. I've done some lighting wiring, but that's in the attic above the bar, so none of it's exposed to the elements. My recommendation, if you haven't already, is just invest in one of the electrical/wiring books available at the big box hardware stores. The Stanely Guide to Wiring or of similar ilk. They're not always organized intuitively, but the information is solid. You won't want to cut corners in areas that are damp/wet. Outdoor-rated GCFI plugs are essential.

And you're learning something I did as well early in my build--the space really does dictate the final form your tiki bar takes. Take your time to problem solve, but don't be afraid to make mistakes. And don't let yourself get hung up on any one sticking point. If you run into a problem you can't immediately figure out, move on to an unrelated part of your build and let your subconscious worry over the issue for a while. Some of my best ideas have come about that way. :)

Thanks for the mental pathway thoughts. I'm destressing day by day. If I waited 5 years to start, why now? My goal is a base and bar top before Thanksgiving. Functional first.

Figured one book covered global/regioi and the other my local part of the scene, south Florida. Today is an all day, all night rain event. I'll check out Amazon books for an outdoor wiring text.

Wish some of this rain was on Cali folks.

Rain on and off all day for the next week or so. Got in some lower bar work. Figuring out the sink area with the space left after Fridge&Ice Maker. argh...

My Supervisor

Got to the interior today. Decided to just sit the fridge and ice maker on the deck. almost complete with front and side lower bar framing. I found out from the center of the bar my deck drops 1 3/4" to the house (Left), 3/4" to the lanai door and 3/4" to the rear. Lots of do-overs today. Everything level now. not symmetrical but level L/R/F/B. Dual pull out trash cans on bar left. I'm going to redo the left appliance side tomorrow. Need 3" more for my sink.

[ Edited by: kala60 2019-10-25 12:01 ]

Good work mate! The fridge looks like it fits perfect there!

Coming together quite nicely - I especially love the Moai posts.

I moved the far left lower bar top support to give more room for the sink. Working on ice bin and trash bin placement. I want 2 holes in the lower bar top to just "toss" trash/recycle without opening the trash can pull out. Finding sink/ice bin to fit the space is a challenge. Think I'll be able to order today.

Electrical work Or as much as I can stub out for now.

Thanks for the comments.

[ Edited by: kala60 2019-10-27 07:22 ]

Great work, you will never regret having a full working bar. Ice machines are indispensable.

"Electrical work Or as much as I can stub out for now"

Put in LOTS of outlets.
Think about where your lights will go and put outlets close to that area, like right by the poles on the bottom as this is where the wires to lights will run.

Also do you have mice or chipmunks?
If you do now is the time to think about them and how they will love to make a nest in the new home you just built for them.

Close all gaps and little holes for them to nest in like right along the bottom.
I wish I had thought about this when we put in our hot tub as the chipmunks love to get in there and dig out the insulation to make a nice home.
And ground hogs under our shed, it is NON stop, a simple layer of sheet metal would have kept them out.

It has been a long battle with them, use wire mesh or even metal flashing whenever you can.

Also if you spread boric acid under places you build and even in the walls of your build this will for a very long time help protect against bugs like ants.

Your bar will have sugar, and water plus shelter, you just built the very best place for bugs to live.

It's not a fun part of the build but you will save many hours of fighting them later if you think about it now.

Good luck!

One more thing make sure your ice machine and fridge have really good ventilation.

Being as you live in a hot area already heat KILLS those things and putting them in under a counter without proper ventilation will result in less ice being made and a short life for your appliances.

They also have coils in them that need to be brushed off every year or so.

I know this as I owned a restaurant for over ten years and talked with MANY repair guys over that time.

All good ideas. My "Tiki" Paradise is all inside a screen enclosure. That doesn't eliminate bugs, just way fewer. As a Florida native I'm not bother by bugs and critters. Wife, on the other hand....

Almost done with Electrical. Ended up with 9 outlets. 2 front, 2 left wall, 5 rear wall. 18 plug-Ins total. Seems alot for a small bar. Can't finish the plumbing until the lower counter top is in place. I had a few more ideas about that area. Causing some delays while I get parts and test a few things. Finishing the rear storage/shelves, picking up plywood and drawing things out today.

Found some items online yesterday for the lower part of the corner bar Poles. fingers X they fit.

On 2019-11-08 06:07, tikiskip wrote:
"Electrical work Or as much as I can stub out for now"

Put in LOTS of outlets.
Think about where your lights will go and put outlets close to that area, like right by the poles on the bottom as this is where the wires to lights will run.

Also do you have mice or chipmunks?
If you do now is the time to think about them and how they will love to make a nest in the new home you just built for them.

Close all gaps and little holes for them to nest in like right along the bottom.
I wish I had thought about this when we put in our hot tub as the chipmunks love to get in there and dig out the insulation to make a nice home.
And ground hogs under our shed, it is NON stop, a simple layer of sheet metal would have kept them out.

It has been a long battle with them, use wire mesh or even metal flashing whenever you can.

Also if you spread boric acid under places you build and even in the walls of your build this will for a very long time help protect against bugs like ants.

Your bar will have sugar, and water plus shelter, you just built the very best place for bugs to live.

It's not a fun part of the build but you will save many hours of fighting them later if you think about it now.

Good luck!

VERY solid advice. There's not much worse than constantly having to deal with critters.
(he says, once again priming his 5.56 pellet gun)

Swarm of ants, swarm of raccoons.
When they eat your Koi it's time to go.

Gun on Top is a pellet gun, very quiet.

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2019-11-08 14:33 ]

Or my Trusty Snake Charmer 410 with Buck Shot.

sounds about like a .22 cal discharge. Not that loud....except at 3am.

I shot that shotgun at four in the morning right by our bedroom window and NOBODY heard it.

But I got the .22 Benjamin Marauder pellet gun so I could be a bit more quite.
It fills up with a scuba tank and holds 3000 psi, the round comes out at 920 fps and that was tested from this gun so that is the number.
That's the same speed as a 22 gun round, just a smaller bullet.

Plus you can shoot ten times with the clip that is in it so there's no pumping or loading to slow you down.

Really helpful at night.

Can hit chipmunks at fifty yards.

The pellet gun I got is just over a 22, it's literally a 5.56mm

A guy I know from the middle east called it the "assassin's gun" because it's so quiet and because of the significantly high barrel velocity.

Sadly, it's not enough to deal with one of the huge raccoons we are haunted by. But it is just perfect for the smaller vermin.

I'm all for letting live and let live, but when critters start actually eating my house, all bets are off.

"Sadly, it's not enough to deal with one of the huge raccoons we are haunted by"

This one will at fifty yards even it is made for hunting they can't sell this power gun in England.
In England they hunt with pellet guns a lot.

Sorry to derail this thread so badly kala60, PS that pistol in that pic I posted is a 410 shot gun, and many other gauges as well, the barrels come off and you can buy other gauge barrels for it Even a rim fire.

Thompson center contender.
https://www.tcarms.com/firearms/interchangeable-platforms/t-c-g2contender-complete-pistol-rifle-firearms

"The UK has some of the toughest gun control laws in the world. If you want to own a gun, it is very difficult to do so. ... The system is administered by police forces in each part of the UK and in England, Scotland and Wales there are separate licences for shotguns and for other firearms.Nov 2, 2010"

Short update. Between indecision, rain and a couple of parties... I did get some work done. This week will be Bar Top experiments. I got some ideas. Of course, I've never poured epoxy but I've never built a Tiki Bar either.

Pix for today. Finished cutting out the upper bar top. all wood pressure treated. Electrical done. there's a run up the back side left rear tiki pole that will power upper interior lights and ceiling fan. (haven't connected to house juice yet Yikes!!)

Plumbing roughed in, need the lower bar and sink install to be complete.

The roof framing is only screwed in for now. I'll bolt it to the posts whenever I decide if I'm using the last 8" of post or staying at that level and I figure out shape and materials. I was planning on an A frame roof, sloop front to back (left to right).

any ideas for something different and more Polynesian?

Thanks for looking at my build.

and then Nature intervened. Temps below epoxy pour recommended limits all week. I'll build forms and prep tables.

did a water test. leaks. back to work.

Absolutely loving that lava rock look. Something else I must remember for the future.

On 2020-01-05 13:13, Bam Bam wrote:
Absolutely loving that lava rock look. Something else I must remember for the future.

We love the look of it. Artisan that creates it works out of Orlando. 1 man mixes concrete, 1 man carries two 5 gal buckets and he craves with everything from trowels to dental tools. No two rocks are alike.

My bar build is stalled waiting for warmer temps. 38 degrees this morning. Brrr for Florida.

I thought that epoxy would yellow and crack when exposed outside? Maybe your build is protected enough.

On 2020-01-07 08:23, jimsflies wrote:
I thought that epoxy would yellow and crack when exposed outside? Maybe your build is protected enough.

Spent a lot of time searching for a UV resistant epoxy. Found a company in New Hampshire (progressive) that has a large selection covering marine, paint, poly coatings, bar tops, floor etc. My bar is inside a pool screen enclosure. We replaced the overhead area with 80% UV blocking screen (I had some melanoma issues years ago). that and covering the bar tops with a breathable cover when not in use, I'll find out in a couple of years about the UV.

I've no doubt yellowing and cracking will occur down the road. Cost of owning the only Tiki Bar in the neighborhood.

K

This is coming together! It's gonna be an awesome space.

Thank you so much for getting the Site on line. Great news. Got some catching up to do. WooHoo!

After two years (not covid related, although I just recovered from Covid) I got off my lazy arse and restarted work on my Bar. A shame the structure has been a trash bin this long.

Guess Wife got tired of it all and Stained all 6 tiki poles (more pix later) and stained all the tiki bar rafters. Well... Ok. Let's do this. Did a cement Backerboard on the outside and finished with bamboo panels glued/brad nailed.

Hope I'm on a roll....

Mahalo.

[ Edited by kala60 on 2022-05-28 19:26:10 ]

[ Edited by kala60 on 2022-05-28 19:27:16 ]

[ Edited by kala60 on 2022-05-30 20:45:13 ]

erased duplicate.

[ Edited by kala60 on 2022-05-31 13:29:42 ]

Hard to believe the Frig, Ice machine both work after 6 years waiting.... Seems I went into sleep when TikiCentral did. Time to get running again. I remember a member giving Tiki router lessons. Is that still available? I would love to do some boards....

Thanks to all Veterans for their Service to us all...

Kala60

[ Edited by kala60 on 2022-05-30 20:26:21 ]

Update. Lots of "Temporary" installs. Just had to get a record of where the build is Today. Top counters are covered with "Lava" Copper sheeting. Still have to Epoxy and varnish them. Trim pieces done on the outside. Frig and Ice maker fitted. not connected yet.

I plan on a Lauhala Matting for the lower countertops, coated with 1/8" Epoxy. Is 1/8" thick enough? Should I dut the holes for the sink and ice bucket before or after Epoxy.

I put the Bar tops in for a Pic. Much more to do.

Oh man, I didn't catch that sweet waterfall from the earlier posts. Nice progress!

I would think it would be much easier to cut the matting pre-epoxy, otherwise you'll likely have to take a jigsaw to it.

I've abandoned the "live and let live" motto with carpenter bees. I know we are supposed to honor and revere bees but those are just flying black termites!