The Mahi Mahi Room - Queensland, Australia

Hi guys, long time lurker but I've finally got to the stage where I can post some progress shots. I absolutely love all the amazing bars you guys have shared and I've "borrowed" more than a few ideas so please take it as the sincerest form of flattery if you see something that looks familiar.

What should take anyone half handy a few months has taken me (so far) over six months and there's still plenty more to go. Most of the big stuff is done and now I'm onto the "top layers" and it's starting to take shape. I'm hoping to have most of it done for my 40th at the end of Feb 2013 so I've been in overdrive the last few weeks.

"The Mahi Mahi Room" - I've always loved the beach and tropical stuff so when I decided to build a play room for me it was the tiki themed bars that caught my attention. Whilst not being full-on tiki (there will be a tv for the footy) it will eventually blend tiki with man cave. I also plan on getting a replica Mahi Mahi and mounting it somewhere in the shed as a mascot, I always loved their colours, great eating and Mahi Mahi means "very strong" (or something close) in Hawaiian so a fitting choice for a blokes room

When I built my house I decided that it would be cheaper and allow me more space to build a slightly bigger shed rather than adding a dedicated rumpus or similar in the house. Also my mates have been known to get a little loose on the turps and things sometimes get messy - so keeping them outside is the goal.

The shed is 9m x 15m (whatever that works out to in feet) with the back 9m x 9m dedicated to the Mahi Mahi Room which leaves 6m x 9m for parking.

The pics:

Up she goes

The finished shed

Inside - the blank canvas

A few months later, the power is hooked up and I finally got around to starting the process of insulating and lining the walls with 12mm plywood. I actually still haven't finished this but I'll do the remaining bits as they need to be done.

I'm using timber look vinyl planks seeing as I know someone who can get them cheap for me :wink: They don't get glued down they stick together and "float" on the floor. Here they are http://www.armstrong-aust.com.au/resflrpac/en-au/Luxe-Plank-good.html

Two thirds done

Starting the frame for the bar

One of the bar top layers. There are three in total (12mm plywood) plus a "foundation" layer of 45mm x 240mm pine to secure it all. It's solid as - we had 5 blokes jump up and down on it at the same time to test it - it didn't look like budging

The front sheeted up. This will eventually be covered in woven bamboo ply and other stuff so it didn't need to be perfect. Luckily, that's my speciality :)

Starting the frame for the bar back

Starting to take shape

Yes, there's a hole, but that's been done for a reason. I won't spoil the surprise, that's a little way down the track yet

A few more months on and things have slowly moved along. A lot of time has been taken up with fiddly stuff that you can't really tell has been done, but it all adds up. Some carved posts and trims to give it a tiki feel. The canopy is also taking shape

Yes, I work messy :)

Staining started. Not the most enjoyable job, but it has to be done

And that's where I'm at. Plenty to go yet but it's starting to feel like a bar. I'm only a "C" woodworker so there's a lot of stuff that other guys could have knocked out much quicker and with better results, but it's mine, and with the exception of one or two little things I've managed to do it all myself (although I didn't put up the shed) and I'm happy with it overall.

There's also a lot of stuff that's ready to go but I won't post up picks until I get a little further along. Money is still a little tight and there's plenty of stuff I'd love to be able to go out and buy but little by little it will all take shape

Cheers for looking

[ Edited by: rumackay 2015-12-17 19:05 ]

Sweet beginnings! Will you be adding some plumbing? A sink is a mighty handy thing near the bar...

-Tom

Holy huge bar space!!!

What a fantastic start. Can't wait to see more progress shots.

Welcome to TC. Dude, you are not fooling around. That's going to be an epic tiki bar. Keep posting progress pics. I'm impressed by your carpentry skills and it looks like you have a clear vision for your bar. You've got a very big canvas to fill. Cheers!

Thanks guys, more shots on the way as they happen.

TikiTom - The plumbing is the next thing on the list. I hope to have that finished before the end of the year

Cheers

You are off to a great start! Can't wait to see how the bar progresses. You're much better than a C carpenter, imo.

:)
Lori

Mate, that's gonna be a killer bar!! Looking really good so far.

Are you in Mackay? Man, I miss living on the pacific coast.

Welcome to TC...that indeed is an awesome start to what looks like will be a fabulous Tiki space.

Great looking bar, its coming along nicely. I am very keen to see how it turns out as I will be building a similar size shed and bar when we move to our property in Victoria.

Wow! looking HEAVY DUTY Tiki looking forward to progress pics. Thortiki

mate, great to see another qlder on here, and way to knock it out of the park with this project! nothing better than seeing someone go the whole hog and devote a big space and lotsa time to do it slowly and properly. Looks great and can't wait to see some more pics.

cheers,
harro

Thanks for the encouraging words guys. It's been a lot of work but heaps of fun during the process. I've been busy over the holiday break and with a bit of help from my brother and father (even mum helped out with keeping us fed while we worked) I've managed to get it to the stage where I can enjoy it while I finish it off over the next several months.

komohana - No, I live a bit further south, not far from a small town called Kingaroy

BambooBev - A big shed is an essential for any Aussie bloke, go for it :)

harro - Cheers mate, born and raised here in Qld and I'm never leaving. Trouble is, living out in the bush it's hard to find much in the way of tiki. I guess I'll have to make some excuses to head to the coast more often to see what I can find. But at least I have somewhere to put all the goodies I find now

Still plenty of work to go but at least it's at the stage where I can use it while I work

You can even walk out onto your very own private beach

Tiki masks guard the bar from evil spirits

Touch screen jukebox

Some essentials, but plenty of room for more. Still have to put the doors on the cabinet

The roof isn't finished but at least it's starting to feel like the real thing

I couldn't afford a real aquarium but this does the job and I never have to worry about cleaning it or the fish dying. I also plan on spending plenty of time watching the footy out here so a big screen tv is essential

So there we are, still plenty of work to go - run out of time before the end of last year to put in a basic sink, still have to finish behind the bar and the walls on the front half of the shed. The little tiki guy in the corner will soon have his own decorated area. Lots of patching up and trims yet to go on. The thatch roof needs some work. Plan on putting up a small shelf around the top of most of the walls and plenty more little things as I can get to them. I still need to figure out a way to get some more light behind the bar without ruining the mood as well. And of course, need to find plenty of "tiki" to go in and around the room. But that's all part of the fun of doing this sort of thing isn't it?

Cheers for looking

[ Edited by: rumackay 2013-01-07 03:32 ]

[ Edited by: rumackay 2013-01-07 03:37 ]

[ Edited by: rumackay 2015-12-17 19:24 ]

I've really enjoyed seeing this one come together. Gotta say... I'm immensely jealous, both of the size of the shed and of the sweet tiki bar inside! Nice work.

Very impressive build, rumackay
your going to need some Tikis in there (if you can find some...maybe some Maori carvings?)
which is essential for a proper Tiki Bar, looking forward to your updates.

Great (huge) space
Lookin good so far
That bar should be able to hold one or two of every rum made :)
Keep up the good work and keep the pics a flowin...

Wowwww. Beautiful job!

I love it!
It is really taking shape.
It must be fun to work with such a big blank canvas.
Dig the ocean beach view.
So what Tiki Cars are you going to park next to the bar?

Keep posting the progress shots for us.

Murph

WaikikiWomb

[ Edited by: Murph 2013-01-07 11:34 ]

Thats like a full sized commercial bar.

You could fit quite a few friends in that.

Nicely done (thus far)

Wonderful...love the scroll work you are doing.

Awesome. Looks like The Crazed Mugs are going to have to set up a tour of Australia!

Love your place - the beach scene is crazy good.

Man, that came out good, i'm hanging to get my garage built so I can get started and seeing these build ups inspire me.

Completely amazing, and fireproof!!!!!!

Great work rumackay. Looking awesome!

Outstanding!! Love the beach scene... and the "some essentials" heh!

On 2013-01-15 15:09, lucas vigor wrote:
... and fireproof!!!!!!

funnily enough, in a fire, a steel structure will collapse fairly quickly,
whereas a timber building will burn for a relatively long time before coming down
giving any occupants time to get out.

Heaven forbid!! Just commenting rumackay. Let me know if you would rather I edit this part out.

komohana - Lol, no worries mate. Living in the bush the whole fire thing has always been prominent in my thinking not just for the bar, but for shed itself as well as the house. For the shed/bar - plywood as much as possible, glasswool batts for insulation, vinyl flooring, no smoking inside, limiting the lights to low heat leds where possible, fire extinguisher behind the bar (hose just outside as well) etc. Barring some unfortunate accident I'm quietly confident of it NOT catching fire... touch wood :)

That beach mural ... I love I want it I have to have it. Please tell me where you sourced?

On 2013-02-18 20:27, cyndigo wrote:
That beach mural ... I love I want it I have to have it. Please tell me where you sourced?

It's a "Komar" wall mural that I sourced from one of our company's wallpaper suppliers here in Oz so I got it at wholesale :wink:

I'd imagine you should be able to find a supplier somewhere close by you over there. I actually have another one going up on another wall (same size different picture) and they are pretty easy to put up. Great quality and highly recommended

http://www.komar.de/en.html

"Naughty Coconut" - love it, good stuff!

Cheers

Keep documenting your progress, I can't wait to see how this thing progresses! Amazing! The size is incredible and I, too am insanely jealous. You could open a commercial tiki bar in that space.

Looking good!

Sweet setup dude, totally jealous of all that space!

Wow, that's one huge bar. I would recommend putting a sofa bed in there, cos I can't see you ever wanting to leave.

Thanks for the link, rummy!