# Veneer Bar Top



## eebdoow (Feb 12, 2011)

Hello Jocks,

I am in the process of building a basement bar/kitchen. The bar top is going to be 12' X 8' in the shape of an L and the width is going to be around 15"-16".

I plan to use black walnut as my bar top and wanted to ask the group how thick it should be? I plan on re-sawing the walnut and thought 1/32" veneer would be to thin for a bar top, yet I don't want to go too thick and have movement issues. I plan on using 1 layer of 3/4" baltic birch and gluing the walnut onto another 1/2" baltic birch.

If I glued the walnut to the 1/2" birch ply and used screws underneath do you think that would stop any movement? I have quite a bit of 12/4 black walnut so i can go as thin or thick as I need, but don't want waste the walnut by going to thick. Thanks folks,

Ebb


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## MNgary (Oct 13, 2011)

My understanding of wood movement in response to change in humidity is the length and the width changes are not related to thickness of the board (veneer), only to overall length (for change in length) and overall width (for change in width). However, I have been told when the thickness exceeds 1-1/2 inches the lateral and longitudinal changes due to moisture content behave differently and thickness has to be considerred.


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## levan (Mar 30, 2010)

First I think screwing up into 1/2" plywood doesn't give a screw much to hang on to. Probably need to reverse the order.
If I had plenty of walnut, I would consider making a solid top. A lot less work and easy to refinish. Being a bar/kitchen it will probably get some dings.
just my opinion 
best wishes lynn


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## Hammerthumb (Dec 28, 2012)

You should not have movement issue with 1/16" veneer over plywood. I feel that 1/32" is a little thin for a bar top as it will limit how many times it can be refinished due to wear.


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