The Ultimate Beer Top Table
It’s true. We like to drink beer. We also like to try all different kinds of beer. So what do you do with all of those bags of unique colorful beer tops? When we were getting ready to move my answer was throw them out! Thanks to my husband and his love for repurposing things, we held onto them and created the ultimate beer top table!
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The Inspiration
All you have to do is go onto Google or Pinterest and search for beer top table designs. There are a million ideas, and if you aren’t feeling creative, just laying them out in straight lines works too (see last pic above). We really wanted a pattern, so after getting inspired by other peoples’ ideas, I went out on my own. We knew what size table we wanted to end up with and so I started with that. I attempted to draw it out on graph paper and come up with measurements but that just got complicated. I’m a visual person, so I knew the easiest thing to do would just jump right in. Here’s what worked for us…
Step 1- Deciding on the table size/ shape
The table can be just about any size or shape depending on how many beer tops you have and how you’re going to use it. We knew we wanted to make a long rectangle bar top table for our new bonus room. We wanted it to be the length of the back of the couch to create “stadium seating” with bar stools. Thanks to having a handy husband, he bought an inexpensive piece of plywood and cut it to fit our exact dimensions. Since we are laying beer tops on the plywood and pouring resin over them, you will need edges on the table. For this he bought 1X3 trim and cut it it to fit all 4 sides of the table. You could also do 1X2 trim if you want less depth.
Step 2- Preparing the table surface
Next comes the preparation of the table top (before we can lay out beer tops). We chose to stain ours to match other furniture in the bonus room. Fun tip about stain… it will be a different shade depending on the type of wood you are using. I suggest always testing it in a small area. Our go-to stain is dark walnut. Painting is also a great option. So once the plywood was stained on both sides as well as the 1X3 edges, it was time to assemble. We used screws but nails work just as well. Here is a VERY IMPORTANT detail… use clear silicone to caulk all the edges inside the table! You will be pouring liquid resin on the table and if there is anywhere it can leak out, it will!
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Step 3- Layout of the beer tops
Here’s the step that can be a little overwhelming. We had A LOT of beer tops so I started off organizing them by primary color and then by brand. Even if you are just laying them out in straight lines you want some kind of color pattern. You can also see which brands you have the most of and plan accordingly. I started on the center of the table and just created an arc (like a rainbow). Beer tops that I had very few of would be the smaller arc layers in the center and then I added onto that. I tried to keep each layer of the arc a brand but you can see if the colors are the same, you can mix them up.
Once I had an arc that covered the majority of the width of the wood, I could measure it and see how many tops were needed for each layer. From that, I knew how many arcs facing alternating directions could fit along the length of the table. Pull out that ruler and actually make pencil lines to keep you on track (I marked the top and bottom of each arc , as well as how wide it would be). The good news is, beer tops are all pretty much the exact same size, so duplicating the arc is easy. There will be space between arcs and around the table edge but you fill those in last with the tops that are left over.
Step 4- gluing the beer tops down
This step is important and don’t for one second think you can skip it! if you start pouring that resin without them being glued down, they will start floating and moving and that is a total nightmare! I did my research on this part and can tell you that there are a lot of opinions out there about what to use. I think I went through 4 different brands before I found the one that worked. The E6000 glue can be purchased in several places but I used my 40% coupon and got mine at Michaels. For our table, I think I went through 4 tubes!
There’s no big secret on how to apply it, but I found just putting a little around the rim of the beer top worked the best. They should all be laid out, so it’s just a matter of picking them up, applying the glue, and laying it back down. You have a couple of seconds where you can move it around, but after that it’s pretty permanent.
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Step 5- Pouring the Resin
This step is permanent. Once that resin is poured, there’s no going back. Make sure you read and follow the directions on the box. The measurements matter! We bought ours at Home Depot but there are several brands out there. Just make sure it’s transparent and glossy. For our huge table we used more than one batch so my advice would be to stick with the same brand. The containers, stir sticks, and putty knife you need to pour and spread will only be useable once! VERY IMPORTANT… before the pouring begins MAKE SURE YOUR TABLE IS LEVEL.
For the most part, the resin will level itself out across the table but sometimes needs a little help. We found that a PLASTIC putty knife worked best for that. The resin starts to harden almost immediately so work fast. I poured while my husband spread and that seemed to work pretty well. Once it’s done…. walk away. You might see a little spot here or there… DON”T TOUCH IT. If you use more than one batch, wait in between for the table to completely dry. At first it looks a little foggy. Don’t worry… it will be clear when it dries.
The final result
It’s such a feeling of accomplishment when it’s done! My husband added the legs once the top was fully dry and hardened (I suggest waiting several days). He ended up adding 6 legs because the resin makes the table pretty heavy! It fits perfectly into the bonus room providing extra “stadium seating” behind the couch. In our downsized entertaining space we needed that so everyone could watch football! The best news is the resin top is spill proof, super easy to clean up, and always a great conversation piece!
