DIY Wine Bar With Concrete Countertop

HomeMade Modern
by HomeMade Modern
12 Materials
I designed this DIY wine bar so that the base can be made entirely out of 2x4s. I made a concrete countertop for it but it could also be made with wood countertops consisting of 2x4s. The wine rack system is quite versatile and could easily be adapted to create a wine storage system for an entire wall or cellar.
STEP 1: Cut the 2x4s.
I used my compound miter saw to cut the 2x4s to length. I cut 20 pieces that were 29” long and 4 pieces that were 45” long. I used my table saw to remove ¼” from either side of the 29” long 2x4s. Most 2x4s have rounded edges and I wanted to remove them so that I could make clean modern looking slabs.
STEP 2: Glue the side panels together.
I glued the 2x4s into slabs that are 7 pieces wide. I used clamps to squeeze them together and remove the warping. I let the glue cure for 24 hours before removing the clamps and scraping off the excess glue with a chisel. I then lightly sanded the slabs.
STEP 3: Cut recesses in the side panels.
I set my circular saw blade to a depth of 1-1/2” and then made a series of cuts to remove material in the side panels. I then used a chisel to remove the slivers of wood that were left. I used the cuts in the first panel to mark the location in the 2nd panel to make sure that they were aligned. I used a speed square to make sure that I got the first cut exactly where I wanted it.
STEP 4: Glue on more 2x4s.
Once I had cut the recesses for the wine racks I glued three more pieces of 2x4. Once that glue had dried I filled in the cracks with wood putty and then sanded the panels until they were smooth.
STEP 5: Drill the racks.
I clamped the 45” long 2x4s together and then drilled holes in between them. I used a 1-1/2” diameter bit for the front of the bottles and a 3-1/2” diameter hole saw for the back. Once I had drilled on the holes I then trimmed off ¼” on each side with the table saw.
STEP 6: Sand the racks.
I used both hand held sand paper and my orbital sander to sand down the rack pieces.
STEP 7: Assemble.
I cut short pieces of 2x4 to go in between the racks and completely fill the recesses that I cut in the side panels. I screwed through the racks and into these short pieces of 2x4 before gluing and screwing these racks into the side panels.
STEP 8: Make a template for the countertop.
I used some scraps of ¼” thick plywood and my hot glue gun to make a template for the countertop. I want the countertop to fit flush over the base so making a template is a good idea.
STEP 9: Make the mold.
I ripped 3-1/2” wide strips of ¾” thick melamine on my table saw. I used the template that I made to measure the lengths for the side pieces of the mold before cutting the pieces with my miter saw. I placed the pieces around the template and then glued them down along the outside of the mold with my hot glue gun. I glued down a few scrap pieces of 2x4 for additional support. I sealed the inside of the mold with silicone.
STEP 10: Make the plywood core.
I cut 2 pieces of plywood to fit inside the mold with about 1-1/2” of between them and the walls of the mold. I glued and screwed these pieces together before sealing them with minwax polycrylic. I sealed them so that they will not suck water away from the concrete as it cures. I cut a piece of steel mesh with wire cutters and then used screws and wire to suspend it about ½” from the surface of the plywood.
STEP 11: Mix and pour the concrete.
I suspended the plywood core on some strips of plywood so that I would have a way to keep it level to the surface of the mold. I mixed and poured two bags of Quikrete 5000. I used a hoe to push the wet concrete down to the bottom of the mold. Once the mold was about three quarters of the way full I placed the plywood core and then filled in around the edges with wet concrete. The plywood core kept floating up so I used some weights to hold it down. I vibrated the mold with an orbital sander with no pad to try and get as many air bubles as possible.
STEP 12: Stain the base.
While I was waiting for the concrete to cure, I stained the base with Varathane Wood Stain in “Antique White.” I really like the modern Scandinavian look of this stain.
STEP 13: Remove the slab from the mold then assemble.
I let the concrete cure 4 full days before removing it from the mold and placing it on the base. The plywood core spans between the side panels of the base. I screwed some L brackets to both the side panels and the plywood core to make sure the top won’t slide off. I then placed the countertop on the base!
You can download a free PDF document that illustrates these instructions step by step on our website!
Suggested materials:
  • RYOBI Compound Miter Saw   (Home Depot)
  • RYOBI Table Saw   (Home Depot)
  • RYOBI 18-Volt Cordless Drill   (Home Depot)
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